His Holiness Calls on TYC to Find Evidence

By Anastasia Proehl / June 25, 2019;

TYC’s new Executive members
Photo: TYC Facebook

His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke to members of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) during their 17th General Body Meeting in Dharamshala on June 20, telling them of the importance of accumulating historical evidence that Tibet was an independent country before being invaded by China in the 1950s. His Holiness continued, saying that it is now up to young Tibetans to carry forward the Tibetan movement.

During the General Body Meeting, the largest pro-Tibet independence organisation elected new executives to oversee on June 16. The elections took place during the six-day agenda of the General Body Meeting, which happens every three years and addresses political activity.Participating in the discussion and voting were 150 delegates from 45 regional chapters.

After leading TYC for two terms, replacing President Tenzing Jigme is GonpoDhondup. LobsangTsering will also join the seven-person committee known as centrex in the Vice President role and Sonam Tsering will be the new General Secretary.

Held in Lower Dharamshalaat MCD Hall, Jigme opened the meeting encouraging a more united TYC after six chapters remain dissociated from the organisation, including Bangalore, Dalhousie,Hunsur, Kollegal, Ladakh and Pandoh. The parting came after these chapters called for a “Middle-way approach” by seeking autonomy for Tibet rather than complete independence. Previously separated, regional offices in Mundgod and Bylakuppe recently rejoined the union.

Jigme expressed that “Independence is our right. We are the rightful owners of Tibet. Irrespective of how strong China is we must continue to fight for our rights.” He added that banding together would send a powerful message to China and iterated that TYC was not opposed to a middleway approach as “it is also about resolving the Tibetan issue.”

A new centrex will continue to address the aims of TYC and further the work done by preceding committees, in addition to expanding unification strategies. As reported by phayul, Dhondup said “[T]he new leadership should strive to take the standards for its political activities a notch higher in the future and also build alliances with other countries and people who are afflicted by the Chinese regime such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, Philippines and Japan in the hope to form a united coalition against Beijing.”

Jigme repaired relationships with Tibetan Government in Exile, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community during his tenure from 2013-2019, after TYC faced criticism for appearing to have dissent from these groups.

Founded in 1970, TYC has more than 40 chapters and 30,000 members worldwide. TYC is an independent organisation of Tibetans united in working for the restoration of complete independence for Tibet. It is the largest and most active exile Tibetan non-government organisation