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Samdhong Rinpoche's government pledges to empower Tibetan women

By Lobsang Wangyal

KATHMANDU, Nepal, 2 September 2008—Tibetan students toss offerings towards a portrait of Dalai Lama as they celebrate the 48th Tibetan Democracy Day in Kathmandu on 2 September 2008.Reuters/Gopal Chitrakar/Nepal

Minister for Religious and Cultural Affairs Ven. Tsering Phuntsok said, “the government will soon come out with a policy to strengthen women’s power in our society, and we request all of you to co-operate with us in this regard.”

Ven. Phuntsok was speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister on the 48th anniversary of the founding of the Tibetan democracy.

He said in order to establish a true democratic society, “it is very important to have gender equality in general, and particularly women should equally partake in the administrative and political work of a country.”

The minister said that there was “no gender discrimination of any kind” in the Tibetan society from ancient times until now.

The celebration function was without the usual cultural performances due to the recent unrest in Tibet. Protests in Tibet since 10 March were heavily clamped down on by Chinese military, leaving more than 200 dead and around 5000 imprisoned.

Three students who have topped the class 12 (Senior Secondary exams in India) in Arts (humanity studies), Science and Commerce streams were honoured with a cash prize of Rs 5000 (125 USD approximate) and a book (The Universe in a Single Atom by the Dalai Lama) was awarded to each of them.

The three students — two girls and a boy — are Sonam Dolkar from TCV Gopalpur in Arts stream with 86%, Ngawang Yangzom from Tibetan Homes School Mussoorie in Science stream with 81%, and Thupten Rinzin from TCV Bylakuppe in Commerce with 86.8%.

The Tibetan democracy was founded in January 1960, after the Dalai Lama announced the future of Tibet and that Tibetan society would function based on the principles of modern democracy.

A Charter, or the supreme law governing the functions of the exile community, was adopted by the Tibetan parliament-in-exile in June 1991, and the direct election of the Prime Minister of the exile government took place in 2001.

Ven. Phuntsok said that the Tibetan community has an inadequate level of education for a thriving democracy.

He urged Tibetans to give more importance to their democratic duties than rights, and that they should give more importance to the national and community’s benefits than individual’s and organisation’s, to fight the ultra-leftist policies of the Chinese autocratic government.

Copyright © 2008 Tibet Sun

Published in Tibet Sun