Dharamsala : The fifth session of the 16th Tibetan Parlaiment-in-Exile from March 14 to March 24 commenced with the Speaker’s session commencement announcement at 9:30 am today.
The session began with the Tibetan national anthem in the parliamentary hall, assembled with Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and its Deputy Speaker, Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration along with his ministerial colleagues as well as the parliamentarians and the observers. It was followed by the Speaker Ven. Khenpo Sonam Tenphel’s session opening speech and the appointment of Acting Speaker and Ad Hoc committee members.
Thereafter, the list of business marking the official obituary reference was followed with Parliamentarian Ven. Tenpa Yarphel paying tribute to the martyrs of Tibet, who had sacrificed themselves by self-immolating inside Tibet for the just cause of Tibet by Tenga, a monk from Kardze on Nov 26, 2017; by Konpe from Amdo Ngaba on Dec 23 2017 and by Tsekho from Meruma township in Amdo Ngaba on March 7, 2018, marking 152 self-immolations in Tibet since 27 Feb, 2009 when Tabey, among from Ngaba first self-immolated in Tibet. (Official obituary references to the Tibetan martyrs before the Nov 26, 2017 were paid during the 4th session of the 16th TPiE on Sept 19, 2017).
Official obituary reference to the passing away of long-time friend of Tibet and a supporter of Tibet’s cause, Dr. Nand Kishore Trikha was made by Parliamentarian Ven. Lopon Thupten Gyaltsen while Parliamentarian Mrs. Dolma Tsering paid tribute to the late Hortsang Lobsang Tenzin, a former member of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from Domey province for two terms from 1976 to 1979 and from 1996 to 2001.
Parliamentarian Mr. Gyarik Thar presented the official solidarity motion on the critical situations inside Tibet which was supported by Parliamentarian Mr. Lobsang Choejor. They paid tribute to the martyrs of Tibet while offering condolence in solidarity to the surviving family members and also called upon the United Nations Organization, European Union, International Human Rights Commission as well as the members of the parliament, leaders, NGOs of the world to send fact finding teams into Tibet to assess the real situations inside Tibet; to free those suffering under the Chinese government persecutions; to take responsibility of the medical and health care of the prisoners after their release; and to pressure the Chinese government to provide freedom and rights to the Tibetans as equivalent to all other human beings. The motion was laid onto the Table for debate and discussion.
The morning session thus, got adjourned for lunch break at 12:30 and resumed at 1:30 pm.
The afternoon session started with the Finance Minster of Central Tibetan Administration, Mr. Karma Yeshi laying before the Table the 2018-2019 Budget of Central Tibetan Administration, which was subsequently followed by Parliamentarian Mr. Pema Jungney, reading out the Précis report prepared by the Budget Estimation Committee of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.
The motion for debate on the Central Tibetan Administration’s 2018-2019 Budget was raised by Parliamentarian Mr. Lobsang Yeshi and supported by Parliamentarian Mr. Gewatsang Ngawang Tharpa.
The first day of the 5th session of the 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile was adjourned at 2:30 pm till 9:30 am of the next morning.