Sikyong aspirant Kelsang Dorjee Aukatsang (aka Kaydor Aukatsang) gestures during a campaign meeting with Tibetans in New York at The Tibetan Community Hall of NY&NJ, US, on 2 November 2020. Facebook/Kelsang Dorjee Aukatsang
Tibet Sun Newsroom
McLEOD GANJ, India, 5 December 2020
One of the aspirants for the position of Sikyong, or Tibetan political leader, Kelsang Dorjee Aukatsang (aka Kaydor Aukatsang), has tested positive for Coronavirus, according to a statement released by him.
“On the night of 4 December, I tested positive for Coronavirus. Fortunately, all the team members accompanying me have tested negative. I am currently doing fine and have begun self-quarantine. I have paused all my campaign visits,” the statement said.
“He cancelled his and his team’s flight to South India as soon as he got the result of the test. He’s self-quarantining in Delhi,” according to a source.
Aukatsang had scheduled two public meetings at the Tibetan settlements of Kollegal and Hunsur in South India on Sunday, and had more plans to visit Bylakuppe and Mundgod.
All these meetings have been cancelled due to the infection. “I express my profound gratitude to all my supporters and event organisers who continue to work tirelessly on the ground. I will continue to campaign online virtually in the meantime as I believe it is important for me to meet with my fellow Tibetans, hear their stories and share my vision for Tibet’s future,” he said.
Launching his campaign on Tibetan Democracy Day on 2 September from Switzerland, in October he was on a month-long North America campaign tour covering 11 cities, including the DC capital area and New York City.
The India leg of his campaign was begun at the end of November with the settlements around Dehra Dun, covering five settlements including Dickeyling and Clementown, and an event was held at the Tibetan base of Majnu ka Tilla in Delhi on 4 December.
Kaydor has promised to resume his campaigning as soon as he tests negative.
In the last nine years Kaydor has served as Special Advisor to the Sikyong, as Representative of the Dalai Lama to North America, and Chief Resilience Officer of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and the Director of the Social and Resource Development Fund (SARD) under incumbent Sikyong Lobsang Sangay’s administration. He resigned in August to run for Sikyong.
With a slogan of “One Nation, One People, One Struggle”, he’s campaigning for building a dynamic and efficient CTA with a focus on strengthening the Tibetan freedom struggle, transforming education, revitalising Tibetan language and culture, and empowering the youth.
This is just a game plan between LS, GD and KDA. GD and KDA are definitely irresponsible and selfish leader for no doubt.
SPEEDY RECOVERY and get healthy SOON !!
Kaydor and Gyari Dolma both are responsible for spreading COVID-19 at different Tibetan settlement including Dekyiling Tibetan settlement.
I agree with heaven, our leaders should be more careful about this pandemic. Wherever you visit there is more prone to spread the Covid 19. They are very selfish and irresponsible for visiting Tibetan communities during this pandemic crisis. They can reach audience through modern technology. Thanks.
Mr. Kaydor’s three election slogans are not new initiatives or innovations in any way or sense. They were the fundamental objects or aims of His administration since HH the Dalai Lama managed to set his feet on the Indian soil in April in 1959.
Since that time His Holiness, with full cooperation of those Tibetan officials in the exiled administration and complete faith of Tibetan public in His leadership, succeeded in bringing up our situation in all three areas to the point they were in 2011. But shouting from rooftop has never the habit of His Holiness.
I am afraid Kaydor’s are old wine in a new bottle wrapped in a great deal of sound and fury. I wonder how much he can add on the already existing structure, if he were to
become new Sikyong. Unless he proves himself to be as worthy of his slogans he will be disappointing the Tibetan public badly.
I remember His Holiness used to say that to do a great job is your task but to praise your achievement is judgement of others.
May I modify the sense slightly in this way: To shout from rooftop is not your job before you start but to show solid achievement on ground is yours truly.
With these words I wish you, Kaydor la. Sorry for Covid-19 attack on you. But hope it’s not a bad omen for election effort.
The news of Kaydor testing positive for coronavirus is sad but also a warning to other Sikyong candidates to be responsible and mindful of the dangers they pose in attending election rallies and meetings. Interestingly, a Sikyong candidate recently said that one of the reasons for not travelling to solicit votes from the public is because of the dangers arising from the covid-19 situation.
In July, “in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation” the Department of Religion and Culture, CTA, issued a circular urging the Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, institutions and the general public “to observe select prayers and rituals to contain the spread of the COVID-19 in Tibetan community and worldwide”. Offering prayers is one thing but if Kaydor had not travelled these past months to get votes from the public he would not have tested positive for covid. So “in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation”, the CTA should investigate who allowed him to visit and campaign in the Tibetan settlements around Dehradun area and in Majnu ka Tilla in Delhi? He should now be banned from visiting the Tibetan settlements in south India to campaign and from putting public lives at risk.
The question is will his boss and current Sikyong Lobsang Sangay has the moral courage to ask the CTA Department of Health to investigate and ban him? Unlikely. There are reports that Lobsang Sangay has put his chamchas in various Tibetan settlements and offices to do his bid and siding with Kaydor’s election is one of the favours they have to do. This is disgusting. Tibetans should vote for the next Sikyong who is honest, transparent and has genuine interest of the Tibetan people and cause. The Sikyong must show practical examples of how much they respect His Holiness the Dalai Lama, not empty words.
All world leaders claiming Covid -19 from Trump, to Boris Johnson, to Amit Shan to Imran Khan are fake.
First, they want to gain empathy, and second they want to prove that getting covid is not a big deal as in 2 weeks, you will be off and working again. The leaders want public to carry on despite covid, and one way to instill courage is to show that you can heal from the disease.
In fact, I have long thought Lobsang Sangay would fake Covid-19 to get media coverage. But I am surprised he didn’t and left it to Kaydor.
Personally I feel covid-19 is a male disease affecting 65+ people only with pre-existing conditions. This disease might have been man-made to control population growth.