Sikyong 2021 aspirant Gyari Dolma speaks during her campaign meeting in McLeod Ganj, India, on 30 December 2020. Tibet Sun/Lobsang Wangyal
By Lobsang Wangyal
McLEOD GANJ, India, 30 December 2020
Giving her final shot before the Election Day in the heart of the Tibetan politics in McLeod Ganj, Gyari Dolma, one of the front-runners for the post of Sikyong (the Tibetan political leader), said she’s ready to take on the responsibility to serve in the post to work for Tibet and serve the Tibetan community, if people elect her.
Dolma has been on a rigorous campaign schedule visiting across the country as well as a few states in the US, speaking at her rallies with her slogan “Patriotism, Integrity, and Consensus builder”.
Her priorities will be to deal with the Chinese government with a new strategy, and to serve the lower rungs of Tibetan society, those who are living below the poverty line.
The personal health and security of the Dalai Lama, the father figure of the six million Tibetans, will be treated as a matter of state policy.
She said that it has been 12 years since the last talks between the Chinese government and the representatives of the Dalai Lama. “It is amply clear that China has no political will to continue with the dialogue on the current proposal of seeking autonomy.”
“To bring the Chinese government to the negotiation table, we must first nullify the memorandum that was presented to the Chinese government in 2008, as this has not been regarded as acceptable for the Chinese government as a way for a settlement of the Tibetan issue,” Dolma says.
“Unless we want to remain with the status quo and waste five more years, we will have to opt for such a strategy, so that the Chinese government come up with what’s acceptable to resolve the Tibetan issue.”
However, she will remain firmly committed to the Middle-Way Policy as envisioned and promulgated by the Dalai Lama.
Speaking about lifting people from below the poverty line, she said she has seen and is familiar with people living in poverty. “This is an issue very close to my heart. We do not have a huge poverty issue. We have only in thousands, which can be helped,” she says.
Education, health, housing, and women empowerment are other items of importance on her agenda.
She expressed frustration over the way campaigning was conducted in the last elections. “It was ugly with all the negative campaigns. It was better this time, but there are still a few who are indulging in such low-level politics.”
Gyari Dolma and Kelsang Dorjee Aukatsang are the only two Sikyong aspirants who have been touring across the country and the US for campaigning. Front-runner Penpa Tsering opted for online campaigning, while Dongchung Ngodup chose not to campaign at all.
The other aspirants in the race include Lobsang Nyandak, Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok, and Tashi Topgyal, while Tashi Wangdu from Bangalore withdrew after some campaigning.
Voting for the preliminary round will take place on 3 January after the campaigning ends on 31 December. Counting of the votes will start on the 5th, and will be announced at their respective places within 24 hours.
I think kaydor aukatsang is the tallest candidate standing at 6″ 2′.
This means he will look aupweioe to most leaders he meets with as his height is very rare.
Kaydor Autatsang is taller than the president of USA, UK, CANADA, and almost all countries in Europe.
A picture of Kaydor Aukatsang with US president Joe Biden will feel like Kaydor is superior and more domineering compared to US president.
Height is important for a leader. And only kaydor has it at 6″ 1′.
Ten Kalsamg,
In your excitement to exaggerate the height of Kaydor, you wrote two measurements – one 6’1 and 6″2. Kaydor can’t be both or you are lying.
Secondly, height does not determine leadership nor does it indicate brilliance and capability. Or else we will not have Amir Khan, Al Pacino, Napolean, Lal Bahadur Shastri etc etc.
Must say for someone whose height is being bragged about a lot as if he is competing for some Mr Tibet competition, Kaydor’s hand is surprisingly so small like Donald Trump. This was brought to my attention by a friend at a Christmas eve gathering. Since that time, I cannot help unsee it.
Kaydor may be tall but it does not mean anything if one does not have tall moral values, integrity, honesty, and capability.
Kaydor looks more like a Nepali or Bhojpuri small time character artist. He is not appealing at all both in looks and character.
Not interested at all!
I think Utsang tribe will vote for dongchung ngodup. The reason is samdhong rinpoche have an award to dongchung ngodup to hint that all U-Tsangs should vote for Dongchung Ngodup.
Penpa Tsering didn’t get similar endorsent from samdhong rinpoche.
Penpa Tsering also went against samdhong rinpocbe’s gospel truth that a presidential candidate should always say “no.no. don’t vote for me. I am a loser.” dongchung ngodup followed the cue and said in interview “I am so foolish. I can’t lead the tibetan freedom struggle due to my lack of intelligence, patriotism, loyalty to dalai.”
Penpa tsering said that he is ready to lead the Tibetan freedom movement. This is a grave mistake as it shows PT is confident and assertive. Samdhong rinpoche want a candidate who will self deprecate himself as a loser so that public will accept him as a noble character like Buddha.
But samdhong rinpoche’s view is at odds with exemplary democracies like India, USA, Canada, UK, europe where leaders openly say “vote me. I can do it.” The monk politician is venerated to a God-like status by Utsang shichaks but seen as a demon by Utsang sanjors from Tibet. Gyari dolma and penpa Tsering both said “vote me. I can do it.”
Dongchung ngodup said “I am too foolish to be a leader. But if majority want me to take the helm, I can’t disappoint them.”
Samdhong rinpoche followers will vote penpa or dongchung. Lobsang sangay followers will vote kaydor or gyari dolma. Khampas hate samdhong rinpoche more than Mao Zedong and SR LSO said he would rather have a cup of tea with a Chinese than a Khampa.
A secret party system is emerging. Lobsamg Sangay party vs penpa tsering party fuelled by utsang shichak MD amdo sanjor newcomera from Tibet.
The issue of khampa…
Whoever wins this Sikyong this year should work to unite three provinces, so PT, Gyari Dolma is not an ideal leader as regionalism is rooted in their blood as known to all. Candidates like Dongchung Ngodup or someone who is neutral will be good choice so that elected leader will follow the leadership, vision laid down by our great spiritual leader HH the Dalai Lama and serve his term without any malice for losing the election.
I think there’s something in khampa gene that ake them suites for leadership of a herd. These people are warrior horsemen with strong sense of clan loyalties and pride.
A khampa will either become a leader or a beggar on the street. Therefore even dalai lama had to adopt samdhong rinpoche as his advisor and father figure.
The danger of an Utsang leader is the lack of loyalty and instinct for self preservation. Khampas will volunteer to die for a cause like ancient Greek gladiators while utsangs will think about their family and children.
Therefore president should be a brave khampa all the time. Amdos and utsangs are too timid.
Lobsang sangay and juchen thupten had secretly sone any things for social equality such as building houses for newcomers from tibet, which dalai lama disapproved of. But lobsang sangay did it anyway because deep down LS feels superior in intellect and strategy to dalai lama who just had a cloistered monastic education which bore no relevance to the complexities of the modern world.
I say
Penpa tsering 10,000
Gyari dolma 10.000
Kaydor – 7,000
Dongchung – 6,000
The fundamental part of being a Khampa is moxie. Both Dr Lobsang Sangay and Gyari Dolma have this quality in their blood. And top of this, a leader has to have integrity, humility, vision, influence, positivity, empathy and accountability. Gyari Dolma is the perfect candidate for Sikyong position after Dr Lobsang Sangay.
@ Adruk Tenpa la, regarding the “moxie” part I will give you two examples. One is the reflection of real character of LS that if gotten a chance, he would even suck the blood of poor ignorant fellow Khampas dry for his personal gain.
Two: I am reminded of late Dr Tawu Lobsang Palden la’s widely known joke of Khampas raising their chupa’s sleeves, shouting war cries of Kyi Hee Hee and then mounting his horse to escape!
I have no issue with real ordinary Khampas. We are all same race. We have same failings and strengths. But when people like Adruk Tenpa talks of Khampa “Moxie”, I have to laugh out loud.
Take a look at behavior of Khampa monk Chithues. They can never display their loyalty and discipline either to their vows, nor to the decorum of high office of parliament – the temple of democracy nor to the wholeness of Tibetan nation in distress. And yet you talk of Khampa Moxie !! What moxie?
Out of respect for election law, I am not going to comment anything on individual candidates now. Otherwise there is lot to write. Let me stop here.
Happy New Year my countrymen! No Khampas, no Amdowas, no Utsang. Just Tibetans. Vote for Tibet.
Tragedy with Tibetans is, we never learn from past. Don’t buy the hypes. LS, the Agu Tenpa sold to Tibetans, the dream of getting His Holiness the Dalai Lama back in Potala. Only real thing he did is, he got Jogiwara road named as Potala Road. Even Mongolian Tibetan Affairs Committee named certain roads as Tibet roads in Taiwan. But we all know their intention is nefarious and is not to honor Tibetan nation.
LS wasted 10 massive years. In the name of Tibet. He and his family went on a world tour, spending New Years in Swiss resort, while all his so-called official entourage left back home to list just a few of his self gratification trips in the name of Tibet.
So, discern who are the real ones or who are the reluctant ones, and who are in LS category.
Use your mental computer and hit Alt + Ctr + Delete to take out the LS type of Humpty Dumpty, and then delete the reluctant one placed on stage while the master minds are hiding behind the curtains. Their eyes are on lots of things, including official retirement homes or possible Kalon posts. Now the choice is easy, choose the real one.
Let them become finalists then we will really have a good choice.
I think Penpa Tsering, Lobsang Nynandak, Gyari Dolma. Lamaji (for variety) and Tashi Topgyal of Aam Admi Party should be considered. Reluctant and LS extension needs Alt +Ctr+Delete.
Use the same formula for Chithues. They are equally important. Here instead of LS, use Dadon Sharling as who NOT to vote. If anyone who sounds like Dadron Sharling, Walks in the foot steps of Dadon Sharling and talks and schemes like Dadon Sharling, use Alt+Ctr+ Delete and don’t even think of voting. We will be far better of. I guarantee that!
Dear “Tibetan Analytica,”
Unless you provide a hyperlink to a valid ‘poll, search, or like database,’ yours is a baseless, misleading, and biased list.
The name “Tibetan Analytica” is too pompous too. Since you have published this so-called list, be courageous enough to reveal the basis for this outcome. This will help readers tally the reliability of such number with the actual voting outcome.
Otherwise, you would be subscribing to aspersions no different than Lobsang Wangyal la, who decides the numbers off his cuffs and tells us which candidate is or is not a front-runner.
GD is one of my two choices.
But as a journalist, it is unethical of Lobsang Wangyal to credit Penpa Tsering and Gyari Dolma as “front runners” to influence voter perception. For God’s sake, who decided that they are the front runners and on what basis. If this is the case, we don’t need to go into primary election. Just ask the Election Commission to conduct general election for PT and GD because LW declared them as front runners.
This is not fair on other Sikyong candidates.
This Sikyong election is not your family business. Everybody knows that your side of the family supports PT while your in-laws side support GD.
Till now, I have supported almost all your viewpoints with the belief that you are a fair and balanced reporter. Sorry I am beginning to loose my trust in your news reporting.
Anyone want to give their predictions?
gyari dolma – 14,000 votes
kaydor aukatsang – 12,0000 votes
penpa tsering – 13,000 votes
dongchung ngodup – 7,000 votes
acharya yeshi – 1,000
lobsang nyendak – 1,500
tashi topgyal – 15
Gyari Dolma VS Penpa Tsering, I predict, will enter the final boxing ring.
Gyari Dolma might win the final with about 30,000 votes against Penpa Tsering’s 22,000 votes. All Kaydor votes will go to Gyari Dolma — and Dongchung Ngodup’s votes to Penpa – in the final round.
What do you guys predict, Tibetan political geeks and pundits and polemicists?
Tibet Analytica is not objectively analytical and totally pro GD. Even if you want to promote GD, don’t exaggerate and inflate the numbers which is not the reality.
The voting landscape has changed dramatically since the 2016 election resulting in the rise of factionalism and continuous shift in regional politics. Therefore, estimation based on previous election outcome or traditional analytical framework will not be the correct projection for this election.
Better hold your horses for now!
Ha ha dream on!
Reality will be totally different and a shocker. Silent majority will decide the voting outcome. Don’t be taken in by social media glitz and people turn out.
Dolma Gyari wants to win from Dharamshala at least to save the face. last time Lobsang Sangay didn’t win from Dhasa. This time Dongchung Ngodup will be clear winner from Dharamshala as he is the son of the Dhasa soil and close second will be Penpa la. Kaydor will not open an account — Zero.
No chance for her. Either Penpa Tsering or Dongchung Ngodup in the final two. Gyari dolma and kaydor are both begging for votes.