Dharamsala: As per the designated schedule of Tibetan settlements official visitation by the 16th Tibetan Parliament in Exile, parliamentarians Mr. Dhondup Tashi Tsaneytsang and Mr. Tashi Dhondup’s official visit to Tibetan settlements in Nepal to meet Tibetans living there from Aug 12 to Sept 3 2017 was successfully concluded with the departure to their respective residences on Sept 7.
Mr. Dhondup Tashi Tsaneytsang left for Delhi from Dharamsala on Aug 12 and met with M. Tashi Dhondup upon his arrival at Kathmandu, Nepal on Aug 15. They were greeted by Mr. Tsultrim Gyatso, Coordinator of Central Tibetan Administration, Secretary Mr. Migmar Dorjee, Mr. Karma Gyaltsen, Tibetan settlement officer of Sha-Wa-Ra Sum (Solukhumbhu, Walung and Rasuwa). They were greeted with equal exuberance by the respective Tibetan settlement officers of Choejor (Chorten/Near Boudhnath Temple and Jorpati), Gyalsa-Phak-Tse Sum (Kathmandu city, Sywambhunath and Tserok) and Samdupling, Jawakhel.
With the commencement of their official program on Aug 17, they visited the Kyirong Tibet-Nepal border at Syabru and later, assessed each houses of the Tibetans residing at Thangpoche. Thereafter, they visited the Gyegyeling Tibetan settlement in Rasuwa.
On Aug 19, as per their program, they visited the respective residential quarters, local schools, monasteries, old-age homes, health clinics, Men-Tse-Khang, hall of Local Tibetan Assembly, , center for differently-abled, Tibetan Reception center, Handicraft center as well as the offices of the Tibetan settlement officers, Local Tibetan Assembly, Regional Tibetan Freedom Movement and Auditor General at Choejor (Chorten/Near Boudhnath Temple and Jorpati), Gyalsa-Phak-Tse Sum (Kathmandu city, Sywambhunath and Tserok) and Samdupling, Jawakhel respectively. They also met with the residents of each of those settlements and assessed their grievances regarding their welfare and administration.
During their visitation, they addressed the Tibetan public nine times while also engaging in discussions and question-answer session with the audiences, comprising of both the students and general Tibetan alike. They elucidated the audience on the achievements of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, political outlook of Central Tibetan Administration and critical situation inside Tibet as well as its relative international political scenario. They also spoke on the proceeding of the Tibetan Parliamentary session and later answered the questions and doubts raised by the audience.
This visit is, in particular highlighted by the successful meeting of the local authorities, consisting of Coordinator of Central Tibetan Administration and its Secretary, Tibetan settlement Officers, Chairmen of Local Tibetan Assemblies and Regional Freedom Tibetan Movement, Principals and Teachers of different Tibetan schools from Kathmandu, Director of Mentsekhang. During the meeting, they discussed constructively on the various problems faced by the residents and the Parliamentarians offered their valuable guidance based on what they encountered during their visitation. They were also able to hold a general meeting with the local authorities at the office of Snow Lion Foundation on issues related to education and public health and hygiene. The parliamentarians presented their views and guidance based on what they have assimilated from their visitation, especially on the implementation of the Basic Education Policy of Central Tibetan Administration.
This itinerary of 22 days concluded successfully with their comprehensive assessment on the conditions of destitute and recording of the grievances related to the general public, schools and monasteries on their welfare and administration.
The grievances as per chronicled by the two parliamentarians will be forwarded to the concerned departments of the Central Tibetan Administration under the Cabinet for effective grievance redressal through the standing committee of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.
