Dharamshala: A five-day workshop on ‘Strengthening of Democracy at the Grass-root level’ organized by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile to the members of Local Tibetan Assemblies and Settlement officers of Shillong (Meghalaya), Tenzingang (Arunachal Pradesh), Miao (Arunachal Pradesh), Tezu (Arunachal Pradesh), and Tuting (Arunachal Pradesh) is underway in Guwahati, Assam.

The workshop from 24th to 28th July 2023 in Guwahati, Assam is being conducted by parliamentarians Geshe Monlam Tharchin and Ratsa Sonam Norbu and the workshop is being attended by 19 participants – 4 settlement officers from Miao Choepheling, Tenzingang, Tezu Dhargyaling, Shillong, and Tuting, 12 members of the Local Tibetan Assemblies, and 3 members of the BRDLs of Tuting and Tezu.

In the opening ceremony of the workshop on 24th July, Settlement Officer Tenzin Samten of Shillong greeted the resource persons and participants with his welcome address. Followed by talks of parliamentarians Geshe Monlam Tharchin and Ratsa Sonam Norbu, and thank you note by Tezu LTA Chair Tenzin Namdol.

Parliamentarian Geshe Monlam Tharchin shed some light on the provision of the establishment of Local Tibetan Assemblies, in accordance with the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and as enshrined in the Charter. He advised the participants to be attentive in learning the parliamentary procedures, technical terms, time management, and budget procedure. He clarified that the Local Tibetan Assemblies and Regional Tibetan Freedom Movement (BRDLs) are important aids in assisting the settlement officer in producing fruitful outcomes. The MP also talked on the need of having a regulation and rules of procedure and conduct of business for each Local Tibetan Assembly.

While, parliamentarian Ratsa Sonam Norbu spoke on the objective of the workshop and significance of having a Local Tibetan Assembly in a Tibetan settlement who have better understanding of the settlement to take any important decision on the budget of the settlement. He also spoke on the importance of understanding the proper procedure.

Parliamentarian Geshe Monlam Tharchin explained the rules and regulation of budget and rules of procedure and conduct of business for the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and parliamentarian Ratsa Sonam Norbu explained the various account heads.

This is the ninth LTA workshop organized by the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile since its constitution with previous LTA workshops held at Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh), Phuntsokling (Odisha), Sonamling (Ladakh UT), Gangtok (Sikkim), Salugara (West Bengal), Dalhousie (Himachal Pradesh), Dehradun (Uttarakhand), and Bir (Himachal Pradesh) respectively.

The LTA workshops are aimed to strengthen democracy at the grass root level by imparting the participants with detailed information of the Central Tibetan Administrative, the Budget Policy, proceeding of the Parliamentary session, and others to make informed decisions and to hold public offices accountable.

This workshop was funded by the USAID and NDI.