By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, March 9: Former Minister of Information and International Relations (Kalon) Dicki Chhoyang in an interview with RFA said that she personally is going to vote for Sikyong candidate and current Speaker Penpa Tsering on March 20.
“I have worked for over four and half years with both the Sikyong candidates in the same environment. Through my personal experience of getting to know their work ethics and considerations, I am voting for Penpa Tsering,” said the former minister in her first media interaction since her resignation.
As promised in her resignation announcement on February 28, she on March 6 made public a release that outlines various characteristics she sees in an ideal candidate. Honest, a team player, humble and who can rise above regionalism etc., are what she thinks is required for a good PM.
“The ongoing debates are covering only trivial matter, whereas these debates should discuss the core matter of Tibetan issues and on how to improve the current situation for the Tibetans living in Tibet,” she commented on the range of issues debated.
The 50-year old also said that it is sad to see people making decision and judging a candidate on the basis by appearance, personality or provinces. She urged every Tibetan to responsibly exercise the voting rights, which she said was a gift from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
She said that Beijing using her resignation as a sign of internal turmoil within the exile Tibetan government is baseless since the communist China would never know the fundamental working of a democratic set-up. She also said that it is not surprising to see them using it against the Tibetan exiles.
