nueva constitucion Tibetana

Dalai Lama’s retirement: Panel to redraft charter

Dharamsala, March 29 (IANS) In another step for smooth transition of political authority from spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to an elected leader, the Tibetan parliament-in-exile has set up a committee to make necessary amendments in its constitution, an official said here Tuesday.

The five-member redrafting committee comprises parliamentarians and members of the Tibetan cabinet, a parliament spokesperson told IANS.

The parliament March 25 formally accepted the Dalai Lama’s proposal to relinquish political authority and decided to constitute a committee to recommend various parameters to amend the constitution.

The spokesperson said the committee has Speaker Penpa Tsering, Prime Minister Samdhong Rinpoche, Deputy Speaker Dolma Gyari, Education Minister Thupten Lungrik and former speaker Pema Jungney as its members.

The committee will submit its report to parliament April 11.

The parliamentarians also agreed to hold a special parliament session for implementing amendments to the charter.

It also decided to hold a general meeting of Tibetan diaspora, mainly settled in India, Nepal and Bhutan, in May to hold further discussions on the committee report.

The tenure of the 14th parliament is coming to an end in May. Voting to elect the next ‘Kalon Tripa’ or prime minister-in-exile and 43 members of parliament was conducted March 20. The results will be declared April 27.

The Dalai Lama formally announced his political retirement at the onset of the Tibetan parliament’s budget session March 14. On March 18, parliament passed a resolution urging the Dalai Lama to reconsider his retirement plans.

A day later, the Nobel laureate publicly appealed to Tibetans to accept his decision by making necessary amendments in the charter of Tibetans.

According to Article 19 of the Tibetan charter, the Dalai Lama is vested with the chief executive powers of the Tibetan administration. He is also empowered to approve and promulgate bills and regulations prescribed by the Tibetan assembly; confer honours and appointments; summon, adjourn, postpone and prolong the parliament; dissolve or suspend the parliament, etc.

The Dalai Lama has lived in India since 1959 when he fled his homeland after a failed uprising against the Communist rule. His government-in-exile is based here but is not recognised by any country.

Some 140,000 Tibetans live in exile around the world, over 100,000 of them in India.

IANS