The Eighth Session of the 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile

By Tenzin Dadon / September 30, 2019;

Photo: Screen grab

The eight session of the 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) for the fiscal year 2019-20 began on September 20. The 11-day session concluded on September 30.
On the first day of the session Mr Pema Jungney, Speaker of 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, in the presence of Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, members of Kashag and the Tibetan parliamentarians, delivered his session commencement address. The inaugural session of the parliament unanimously proposed nine official resolutions of mourning to condole the demise of former members of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile Thupten Nyima, Kunchok Norbu and Pema Tsewang; former Security Kalon Donga Tenzin; former United States Senator Richard Lugar; former Chief Minister of Delhi Smt Sheila Dikshit; former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Babulal Gaur; former member of Lok Sabha Ram Chandra Paswan and former union minister Ram Jethmalani.

The session also proposed an official resolution of solidarity with the sufferings of Tibetans inside Tibet. The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile condemned China’s “brazen meddling” in the reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the politicisation of the sacred institution of Tibetan reincarnation, and stated that the final authority on decisions relating to the reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai lama rests indisputably and completely with His Holiness the Dalai Lama himself and not with the leaders of the atheist Communist Party of China.

On September 23, the third day of the session, three key appointments were made. Mr Wangdu Tsering Pesur, the current Secretary of the Department of Home, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), was elected as the new Chief Election Commissioner and Chairman of Public Service Commission; in the election, Secretary Wangdu Tsering secured 23 votes against 18 for Mr Tashi Gyatso Shadrung, Secretary-General, Tibetan Supreme Justice Commissioner with one vote invalid. Mr Sonam Norbu Dagpo, Secretary of Department of Information and International Relations, CTA was elected as Chief Justice Commissioner of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission; he secured 30 votes against eight for Mr Ngodup Dorjee, former Representative of Office of Tibet, Geneva, the voting also included one invalid and three blank votes. Secretary Tenzin Lungtok of the Department of Religion and Culture was elected to serve as the new Justice Commissioner of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission with a majority vote of 28 against 11 votes for Mr Tsewang Ngodup, Additional Secretary of the Office of Auditor General, there were one blank and two invalid votes. The selection committee comprised the outgoing Chief Justice Commissioner, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of TiPE and Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay.