Gangtok, Sikkim: Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile organized a five-day workshop on strengthening democracy at the grass root level for the Local Tibetan Assemblies, Settlement Officers of members of Local Tibetan Assemblies, Settlement officers, and members of Regional Tibetan Freedom Movements of Gangtok, Ravangla, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Sonada from 17th to 21st Oct 2022 at Gangtok in Sikkim. Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang and Parliamentarian Geshe Monlam Tharchin are the resource persons for the workshop.
The inaugural ceremony began, on Oct 17th, with a welcome speech by Lhakpa Tsering, the Settlement officer of Gangtok, followed by an address from Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang and an address from parliamentarian Geshe Monlam Tharchin. The ceremony concluded with a word of thanks by the Chairman of Gangtok’s Local Tibetan Assembly, Jinpa Phuntsok.
The Deputy Speaker in her address briefed the participants on the evolution of Tibetan democracy which was bestowed upon the Tibetan people by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. She explained how the Central Tibetan Administration has been transformed into an organization with the rule of law, after the 11th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile by following His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s advice adopted the Charter of Tibetans in exile.
Speaking on the need of having properly functioning LTAs at Tibetan settlements to strengthen democracy at the grassroots level, the Deputy Speaker asked Tibetans to work in accordance with the aspirations of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and advised the Tibetan youths to learn the historical facts of contemporary Tibet. The Deputy Speaker also spoke on the significance of unity for furthering the common cause of Tibet.
While Parliamentarian Geshe Monlam Tharchin shed some light on the quorum and duration of the Local Tibetan Assembly as enshrined in the Charter that came into existence after the adoption of the Charter following the special general meeting of Tibetans in 1990.
The parliamentarian clarified that by considering the importance of LTAs and more importantly its proper functioning, the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile has been providing workshops to members of the Local Tibetan Assembly and Regional Tibetan Freedom Movement and advised the participants to seize the opportunity to make themselves aware of the proceeding mandates and decorum to be followed during the proceeding which they can later teach others too.
After that brief inaugural function, the first day of the workshop proceeded with Deputy Speaker elucidating the Parliamentary Procedures, mandates & structures to be followed in the assembly while raising starred questions, passing resolutions, making calling attention motions, and tabling legislative amendment proposals. She further clarified the doubts raised by the participants.
The second day of the workshop continued with the parliamentarian Geshe Monlam Tharchin imparting details of the rules and regulations pertaining to various account heads and budgets as enshrined in the Charter of exiled Tibetans, viz., Recurring Budget, Special Recurring Budget, and the Surkyol Budget.
The ongoing five-day workshop is being attended by 45 participants from Gangtok, Ravangla, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, and Sonada.
