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Samdhong Rinpoche not hoping to be PM for third term

By Lobsang Wangyal | Tibet Sun

Speaker of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile Penpa Tsering (left) and Prime Minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile Samdhong Rinpoche during a penal discussion on the election of prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile in 2011.Tibet Sun/Lobsang Wangyal/India

The prime minster of the Tibetan government-in-exile Samdhong Rinpoche expressed unwillingness to run for the post again for a third term despite popular demand from the Tibetans in exile.

Rinpoche indicated that he was not interested in the post he will leave in 2011 saying, “I have human rights and self determination also.”

The Speaker for the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, Penpa Tsering, said that his office has been receiving letters from the Tibetan populace asking for the members of the parliament to amend the Tibetan Charter to therefore provide a person to be elected as prime minister for a third term.

According to the Charter of the Tibetans-in-exile, the prime minister’s post cannot be held by the same person after two consecutive terms.

Rinpoche said that amendment of the exile Tibetan Charter to make way for him to be reelected for a third term, would be “going backwards.”

Samdhong Rinpoche was the first directly elected prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile. He is currently serving his second term for five years after he was reelected in 2006.

“Amending the Charter to make way to reconsider a person would be going backwards,” Rinpoche said during a penal discussion about the election of the next prime minister.

He said it would be important for the next prime minister to remain committed to the Dalai Lama’s approach and policies.

The election of the next Tibetan prime minister has assumed much importance in the exile Tibetan polity considering the aging of the Dalai Lama, Tibetans stepping into a modern democracy and China emerging as a powerful nation.

Websites, particularly the Kalontripa.org, have been launched to involve and educate all to elect a dynamic Tibetan leader in 2011.

Copyright © 2009 Tibet Sun

Published in Tibet Sun