Tibetans change name of govt, confuse people

Credit: DNA

After the Dalai Lama’s renunciation as a political and administrative head of the Tibetan government-in-exile, the Tibetan parliament has resolved to replace the nomenclature of Tibetan government-in-exile, to the Organisation of the Tibetan People.

Sources said the change become mandatory as no country in the world, including India, had recognised the Tibetan government-in-exile. The name continued to be used as it was functioning just in the name of the Dalai Lama.

Having delegated all his administrative and political powers to the Tibetan parliament and the Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile (Kalon Tripa), all correspondence and actions of the Tibetan government-in-exile will be in the name of Kalon Tripa or other functionaries.

Sources said, since no government recognises it, it can create constitutional and legal problems. Any kind of direct support from any government to the Tibetan government-in-exile can evoke a strong response from China.

However, a large number of Tibetan activists have voiced protest against it saying that it would reduce the status of the government to that of an NGO.

TYC president Tsewang Rigzin expressed disappointment at the parliament’s rejection of its appeals against making any change in nomenclature.

He had been highly critical of the decision to change the name to Organisation of the Tibetan People. He said the move overturned the unanimous decision of the Second Tibetan National general meeting to retain the earlier name. The TYC resolved to ‘respect and continue to recognise and retain the name of Tibetan Government-in-exile’.