A screen grab image of Dicki Chhoyang from a video on Monday explaining the reasons for her resignation as the Kalon (Minister) of the Department of Information and International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration on 28 February. YouTube
Tibet Sun Newsroom
MCLEOD GANJ, India, 7 March 2016
Dicki Chhoyang resigned as the Kalon (Minister) of the Department of Information and International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration on 28 February. She stated that her reasons for resigning were because of collective interest and the significant challenges that lie ahead for Tibet, and promised she would reveal more details in due course of time.
On Monday, she released a statement, which is in clear criticism of Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, and elaborates on why he is not the right person to get elected to the post of Sikyong.
Following is her complete statement:
STATEMENT
Kasur Dicki Chhoyang
6 March 2016On February 28, 2016, I resigned as Kalon of the Central Tibetan Administration so I could participate in the discussions leading up to the 20 March 2016 general election. I would not have been able to publicly express my personal opinions while serving as Kalon. My resignation does not stem from any external pressure and is unrelated to being included or not in the next Kashag. I remain fully committed to the Tibetan cause and the Central Tibetan Administration.
H.H. the Dalai Lama is 80-years-old and for his entire life he has worked for the benefit of Tibetans and continues to do so. We are blessed by his presence during this critical historical juncture, but great challenges are yet to come. We must be ready to face them. There is no time to be lost. The next Sikyong has a key role to play in ensuring this. The office of Sikyong is the highest honor bestowed by the Tibetan people upon one individual to serve as our political leader. Below are some personal character traits which I consider important for this person to have:
- Committed to the collective interest — A Sikyong should be a person whose motivation and dedication to the collective interest is beyond question.
- Someone who can think holistically and with a long-term vision.
- Honest — Who will tell the truth, answer questions directly and be transparent.
- A team player — A person who can bring the best in other people through collaboration, mutual support, guidance and encouragement.
- Value substance over appearance — Someone who will understand that having depth is more important than external appearance.
- Respectful of others — An individual who will give due credit to colleagues and those who served before him/her.
- Humble — To not be boastful and have the ability to recognize one’s knowledge and skills limitations, to consult with others and listen to advice.
- Confident — Have the confidence to stand on one’s own merit and not refer to praise from respected leaders like H.H. the Dalai Lama and Samdhong Rinpoche as a crutch to gain public trust and respect.
- Who can rise above regionalism — Someone who will rise above traditional sources of community tension such as regionalism and not exploit it for personal gain such as electoral votes.
I wish to speak further about this last point. While we have improved significantly compared to the past, the current electoral campaign season has strong regional overtones. This is destructive. We must teach our children to think of themselves as Tibetan first and exercise their democratic right and duty to vote based on issues and not regional identity. Let’s hope we can demonstrate greater collective maturity in 2021.
During this campaign season, the range of issues debated has been disappointing with their irrelevance to the current situation in Tibet and our political movement. We have a moral duty to prioritize issues touching the 98% of Tibetans living in Tibet. The self-immolations in Tibet and the recent death of 16-year-old student Dorjee Tsering in India and 18-year-old Kalsang Wangdu in Kanze are a heartbreaking reminder.
On 20 March 2016, Tibetans will go to the poll and exercise their collective duty and wisdom. I appeal to all Tibetans to take this responsibility seriously and make an informed choice on behalf of Tibetans inside Tibet. I am confident we can successfully face the challenges to come, but we must choose the right individual to lead us.
In closing, I wish to express my upmost respect for all staff members of the Central Tibetan Administration and especially the Department of Information and International Relations staff with whom I worked during the last 4-1⁄2 years. There is no doubt in my mind that the Central Tibetan Administration, under the right leadership, will represent and further the interest of Tibet and Tibetans.
###
Dicki Chhoyang’s statement clearly shows that she doesn’t like Lobsang Sangay despite her four and half years of service under him. She sees that he doesn’t have the right qualities to be re-elected. She did what she believed and felt. I appreciate that.
Those who feel that she’s acting on provincial basis is their opinion. I am not getting any feeling that she’s doing that. I am sure many others in CTA as well as outside that felt how Sangay has been doing and executing. I felt that. He is full of himself most of the time. His ideas are also not that great either.
But she definitely helped make re-thinking for those who have no idea at all. Hope the voters will make an informed and right choice for us and for Tibet.
Political candidates are complementary
one excellent for politics inside and one excellent for Foreign Policy
Tibet and Tibetans need unity
the 2 are excellent
Tibetans must remain united
for save all Tibetans in Tibet and back one day
Dicky Choyang la,
I understand your reasons for your resignation and I concur with the reasons you stated but your timing is very worrisome. Why did it take you so long to speak out? The reasons you listed were apparent right from the beginning. Sorry, But i have to wonder how things would have turned out had Sikyong given you more credit and more charge in handling your portfolio but otherwise went about doing his usual stunts with regards to other matters.
Maybe you don’t play regionalism but your outright support for Penpa Tsering seems to me to be partisanship, which is inappropriate for someone who claims to be above so called dirty politics. Also your candidate Penpa Tsering doesn’t seem much better than Lobsang Sangay. Both possess the same qualities of being opportunists and getting ahead using people as stepping stones. Both have reputation of being very cunning and clever in their pursuit of self interests right from a very young age. If Lobsang Sangay is a pompous, self-absorbed, power hungry person, Penpa Tsering does not lack in arrogance and his own grandiose sense of self-importance by being very dismissive of upright and honest individuals like Jamyang Norbu and Lukar Jam like they don’t matter at all. The reason he states is that these people are against HHDL . which does not seem like a good reason to me.
I see people taking statements of these 2 individuals totally out of context to rouse people against them. What kind of democracy is that?
It seems very much like a calculated betrayal of the trust by Dicki Chhoyang La, and the worst political mistake by Lobsang Sangay La for appointing such a person as a Kalon.
There is serious allegation against Penpa Tsering La for taking undue advantage of a married lama’s family needing help from Penpa Tsering for managing a restaurant. However, the family ended badly: it is alleged Penpa Tsering La used/stole the Lama’s wife and causing death of unhealthy lama’s worrying too much about losing control of the family and restaurant.
Wish to hear a loud and clear explanation from Penpa Tsering La; not forthcoming so far!
Kasur Dicki Choeyang la has every reason to make her statement, and she did it graciously after resigning from the post. She has first-hand experience working with both candidates, and her judgement outweighs all our collective assumptions and hearsay arguments.
With all due respect to Dicki Choyyang la, the timing of her resignation is very troublesome and politically motivated. Too bad, now speaking against her former boss makes it sound like personal disgruntleness rather than any collective interest as she claimed.
The statement released by Kasur Dicki la gives us reason to think once again before we cast our vote for Sikyong. There is good reason for us to listen and find out what she has to say regarding incumbent Sikyong and his view on sensitive issues and style of functioning during his tenure. This election is very important and it will determine the course of our history. Any person who occupies this high position in Dharamshala, should have some noble qualities to lead people struggling for freedom.
I disagree with some views expressed here against Penpa la and those are not proven in the court of law and it is absolutely wrong and immoral to say such unsubstantiated allegations against any person. If any person has clear evidence against Penpa la, then he should face justice and appear before the court of law. Till then he is consider innocent by law of a land and nobody outside court has right to convict him, especially Lhamo la, living in Washington with little knowledge of judicial matters.
Everything you said is right. I support you 100%. But now it’s time to act, not just a statement. Let us know who you think is the right candidate. Actions speak louder then words — now is the high time to give your endorsement, before too late.
I am saying same like you, I agree with you
The choice is simple — choose no Sikyong.
She obviously wants to destroy Sangay, and the only other choice is Tsering who allegedly is a drunk, who murdered a Lama and stole his wife. He is no Statesman. How will any country, NGO, or the international media take the CTA seriously with him in charge?
Postpone the election.
Lhamo la, when writing in public, I think it is better to be sure you have substance and depth, to save your own face.