Dharamshala: As per the program of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Parliamentarians Serta Tashi Dhondup and Dr. Rigzin Lhundup have successfully concluded their official visit to Tashi Palkhel and Tashiling in Pokhara and Paljorling, Jampaling and Tashigang in Lodrik in Nepal from 27th Feb to 11th March 2023.
Parliamentarians Serta Tashi Dhondup and Dr. Rigzin Lhundup commenced their official visit to Nepal from the Tibetan settlement of Tashi Palkhel in Pokhara. Upon their arrival at Tashi Palkhel on 28th Feb, the MPs were accorded a warm welcome by the settlement officer, LTA chairperson, and representatives from NGOs. At the settlement office, the parliamentarians were introduced to the settlement and were apprised of some pressing issues in presence of the settlement officer, chair and vice-chair of the Local Tibetan Assembly, representatives from monasteries, president of the Regional Tibetan Freedom Movement (BRDL), community leaders, school headmaster, president of Nyamdrel (Cooperative society), and leaders of the Tibetan NGOs.
After visiting the settlement’s LTA hall, BRDL office, Nyamdrel office, Gangkar Tisi day school, hostel, & kinder garden, and health care center, the parliamentarians gave a public talk to the settlement dwellers wherein parliamentarian Serta Tashi Dhondup spoke about the agenda of the 4th session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and on the status of the Sino-Tibetan conflicts. While, parliamentarian Dr. Rigzin Lhundup spoke on the great accomplishments of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the situation inside Tibet, and introduced the Middle Way Approach (MWA). The public talk was followed by a Q&A session.
In the early morning of the 1st of March, they paid a visit to the SOS School where the MPs were introduced to the activities of the school by its principal and were taken on an inspection tour of the school. The parliamentarians reached Tashiling Tibetan Settlement at around 9:30 am where they were received by the settlement officer, LTA chair, president of BRDL, representative of Shri Dargyeling monastery, head of SOS Children’s Village, head of SOS Handicraft, representative of Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC), president of Regional Tibetan Women Association (RTWA), and others.
Thereafter, the MPs were briefed on the settlement by its settlement officer and then paid visits to the settlement office, LTA hall, BRDL office, health care center, Men-Tsee-Khang, factory, SOS Children’s Village, SOS Handicraft, and Shri Dargyeling monastery. The MPs also met with the general public of the settlement where they spoke on the above-mentioned topics and answered questions asked by the people.
On 2nd March 2023, parliamentarians accompanied by Lodrik Jampaling settlement’s settlement officer & secretary and president & executive committee members of Lodrik reached Lodrik Jampaling where they were received by Khenpo of Taklung monastery, LTA chair, BRDL president, president of lodrik welfare, and community & NGO leaders.
They paid a series of visits to the Tibetan settlement office, LTA office, BRDL office, farms, camps, old age home, health care center, school, Lodrik welfare office, and others, followed by paying their homage at Taklung Matrul monastery and Kagyur Lhakhang. The MPs then met with the general public of the settlement where they spoke on the above-mentioned topics and answered questions asked by the people.
Thereafter on the 3rd of March, the lawmakers were warmly received at the Tashigang Tibetan settlement where they gave public talks and answered the public’s questions. They then headed over to the Paljorling Tibetan settlement and held a meeting with the community leaders of the settlement.
On the final leg of their visit, the parliamentarians met with the Tibetan representatives from the scattered Tibetan community of Manang and Tsum in Kathmandu.
The visitation program successfully concluded with a comprehensive inquiry about the conditions of the general public chronicled by the parliamentarians that will be forwarded to the related departments of the Central Tibetan Administration through the Standing Committee of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile for effective grievances redress.
