Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit - Tibetans in-exile elect a new Parliament [Druckversion]
Tibetans in-exile elect a new Parliament
On the 18th March 2006, Tibetans in exile voted for the 14th Assembly of the Tibetan People’s Deputies (ATPD), commonly known as Tibet’s Parliament-in-exile. Tibetans across the globe elect their representatives every five years.
Tibetans in-exile elect a new Parliament
Democracy in-exile
Ballot Boxes
The Assembly elections comprises of two rounds - the preliminary and the final. The preliminary election took place across the globe in September 2005 in which a staggering 3740 Tibetans were nominated by about 34,439 Tibetans. Of these, 215 were short listed for the final round to be held in March 2006. However after the grace period of 60 days given to all the candidates to either confirm or withdraw their nomination, there were finally 88 competing for the final elections. In the preliminary Assembly polls the voter registration in India, Nepal and Bhutan saw a 15% increase from the last elections held in 2001.
Ven. Acharya Yeshi takes oath
43 out of 46 Deputies (Parliamentarians) were directly elected by the Tibetan people in the final round of election that took place on 18 March 2006. Ven. Acharya Yeshi, Executive Programmes of Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre (TPPRC) a joint project of the FNF and ATPD, was one amongst the sixteen new parliamentarians to be elected to the Fourteenth Assembly. According to official reports, out of the total 82,620 registered voters, 43,302 cast their votes in the final election. The 43 members took their oath of office on 29 May 2006. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has deferred the appointment of three members to the 14th ATPD for the time being. The 14th ATPD held their first session on 1 and 2 June 2006, before which they elected their Chair and Vice-Chair.
Penpa Tsering taking oath
Karma Choemphel chairs the Assembly
However an unprecedented event was witnessed by the Deputies in particular and the Tibetan community in general, namely the election of the Chair. There is one Chair and one Vice- Chair of the Parliament presiding for a five year term. However for the duration of the 14th Assembly, Tibetans will have two Chairs instead. Four rounds of elections amongst the Deputies threw up the same results, in which both Mr. Karma Choephel and Mr. Penpa Tsering who is also the Executive Director, Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre (TPPRC) polled 21 votes each thus tying the result. The deputies finally reached a consensus that both the contenders will hold the post of the Chairman of the Tibetan Assembly for a period of two and half years each. Karma Chophel became the first Chairperson of the 14th Assembly of the Tibetan People's Deputies, while Penpa Tsering, will takeover as the Chairperson of the ATPD at the end of two and a half years.
Dolma Gyari
Mrs. Dolma Gyari continues to be the Vice-chair of the Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies (ATPD) for the second consecutive time. The 14th Assembly is unique in that it has a Vice Chairperson with a majority and Chairperson without a majority.
Democracy in-exile
At the age of 25 (in 1960) in Bodh Gaya where the Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, His Holiness made an announcement that would introduce the Tibetans in exile to the practices of democratic self-rule. This announcement in February of 1960 laid the foundations for the first time ever for a freely elected assembly which would democratically govern the community in exile and provide a model for their future homeland.
At this meeting, His Holiness urged his people to elect representatives from the three regions of Tibet – U-tsang, Kham and Amdo and one each from the four Buddhist traditions. The link with Tibet is maintained in the electoral system which require candidates to stand from the region they originally hail from in Tibet, even though they now live in exile.
First Parliament - 1960
The first parliament known then as the Commission of Tibetan People’s Deputies (CTPD) was subsequently elected on the 2nd of September 1960. Second September came to be known as the Democracy Day. The first parliament had 13 members in total, and elections were held every three years.
After a lot of changes and developments, the number of assembly members increased to 46 with 10 deputies from each of the three Cholkas (traditional provinces of Tibet) of U-Tsang, Kham and Amdo; two each from each of the four principal Buddhist traditions and the traditional Bon faith of Tibet, irrespective of the number of electorates. Two deputies are elected from Tibetan communities in Europe and one from North America. Three members with distinction in the fields of art, science, literature and community service are nominated directly by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Thus through the practice of democracy bestowed upon by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tibetans in exile now have election once in every five years.
Prof. Rinpoche
During the 12th Assembly (1996-2001) the election to the post of the Chief Kalon, or Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister-in-exile) was further amended, which entitled the Tibetan Diaspora to directly elect the Kalon Tripa, who then was responsible for the selection of his cabinet. The Tibetans cast their ballots on 18 March in an election whose result was easily predictable, the present Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche swept the polls with 82.66% in the preliminary polls on March 18. Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche Lobsang Tenzin. will be serving the second term as the directly elected Kalon Tripa by the Tibetans in exile.
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