Tashi Wangyal
MONTREAL, Canada, 15 September 2020
I’m not sure how to articulate this in a nice way, but I guess there is no perfect way to express it without offending some people. Anyway, now that we’re in the midst of Sikyong election campaign, remember our MPs (Members of Parliament) election will take place at the same time.
Over the recent days I’ve been voicing my concern on social media about the public’s growing fatigue over seeing the same old faces of MPs year after year. And I’m not trying to take away anything from them, nor am I personally bothered by anyone, except I just feel something is not right.
Mind you, I’m fully aware that all the repeat members were democratically elected, and I’m not questioning its legitimacy at all. I’m simply hoping that all the veteran MPs (Chitues) out there would call it a day at some point and voluntarily withdraw their candidacy or give up their seats if elected, perhaps using the burning phrase in exile “བཟང་སྤྱོད་ངང་ནས་“; thus paving the way for the younger generation to dip their toes in the water.
Currently if you look at the Chitues’ roster, there are plenty of members who have been there since time immemorial. Sometimes I lightly tell my friends that some of the Chitues might as well carve their names permanently behind their Parliament seats.
In all seriousness, I’m afraid to say that when you do the same thing over and over again for many years, you’re bound to reach a saturation point and become complacent rather than innovative. And I’m not blaming anybody here, this is just natural and a common phenomenon of human behaviour.
Let me give you another mundane analogy to drum my arguments further. If a person prepares the same dish everyday, after a while he’ll run out of ideas to make it any different. Instead if you introduce a new chef to take his place, there is a much higher chance of seeing a different result. Similarly replacing the old MPs with rookies and amateurs can definitely bring a different air and dynamic to the Parliament, which is much needed in my opinion.
And to top it off, it’ll provide a great platform and opportunity for some aspiring future leaders to bring fresh perspectives, gain some public speaking experience, and understand the optics of our exile politics. So please make an effort to convince your friends and families around you to vote for some novice candidates in the upcoming election, just for a change if nothing else.
I assure you they’ll all be fine and evolve perfectly, just like the present members have. So let’s strive for breakouts, not consolidations.
About the author
Tashi Wangyal is a self-employed entrepreneur and an independent writer based in Montreal, Canada.
Another thing which need change is radio outfits in Washington D.C. where oldies are there since quarter of a century now. Speaking to people with deep knowledge of these radio outfits a person by the name of Topgyal at RFA and Tenzin Tethong at VOA pops up quite often for they are said to be way over the retirement age of 67. And there are other staff in those radio stations whose job performance is becoming ineffective each passing day and their senility is a great drawback not only to the radio stations and also a big obstruction to younger and more qualified journalists to take over.
Another thing which is of very grave concern to the Tibetan community is that in those two radio outfits, a tradition of “crony journalism” has developed where in RFA Kalden Lodoe recruits and promotes newbies and cox them to support his nefarious activities and at VOA a person by the name of Tsetan Wangchuk or “All Knowing Person” manipulates all the plum TV jobs to his favorites and suppress the legitimate aspirations of other staff.
So it is high time as we clean up the swamp of Chitues at Dharamshala and do the same at the two radio outfits in Washington DC.
Many companies in USA don’t have anyone who have more than 30 years of experience. They believe saturation point reaches at about 30, and the previous knowledges become obselete in the facing of changing technology and attitudes.
I wouldn’t vote anyone who has more than 20 years of experience. During my own school time, I have founded newly qualified teacher much more better in teaching than the old, veteran ones.
“Mitchell McConnell Jr. (born February 20, 1942) is an American politician serving as Kentucky’s senior United States senator and as Senate Majority Leader. McConnell is the second Kentuckian to serve as a party leader in the Senate, the longest-serving U.S. senator for Kentucky in history, and the longest-serving leader of U.S. Senate Republicans in history.
McConnell was first elected to the Senate in 1984. During the 1998 and 2000 election cycles, he was chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. McConnell was elected as Majority Whip in the 108th Congress and was re-elected to the post in 2004. In November 2006, he was elected Senate Minority Leader; he held that post until 2015, when Republicans took control of the Senate and he became Senate Majority Leader”
Above is from Wikipedia about Senator Mitch McConnell just an example. People should mark this guy called Daveno AKA Sikyong LS online henchman. He always lies and twist the things.
Read for yourself. What he said doesn’t hold water.
I am not sure whether Tashi la understands the selfless services of some of our elected representatives who has done a commendable job during their tenures. Let me remind him that their experiences and dedication are much valued and respected by many people. It is very wrong to generalized all the honorable members of the exiled parliament like the way he did it. We cannot put all the eggs into the same basket and wish them to go away.
Tsampa has been the staple food of the Tibetans for many centuries and I am very happy to say that it still tastes very good, even in the west. It is the quality and not the quantity that counts in life. There is no harm in electing good MPs for new parliament if they have all required criteria to perform the job.
I disagree with Wangyal la’s use and throw kind of thinking and it sets the wrong precedent in our society. Please keep this idea in your home.
Don’t we all love the philosophy of “If not broken don’t fix it”. But I’m telling you sometimes change is healthy and positive even though the process is unpleasant and disconcerting.
Many of the present Chitues had been occupying the Chitue seats for too long and some of them had clearly shown their tribal and parochial machismo. Specially those monk Chitues.
It would be greater good for Tibet and Tibetan people if they would not stand for any other term. During their years in Chitue they haven’t served the purpose for which they have to represent rather they have hurt the feelings of Tibetans in Tibet and outside by hurling insults to each other in Chitue meetings basing their raw loyalty to each of the Cholkha they belong to. It is already a high time we don’t see those elderly Chitues any more for we can’t afford to do so and also we have to realize that we are a people without a country to call our own.
On the other hand we just can’t afford to have just fresh faces but with loyalty to Tibetan nation and people and not ones who would act in such unpredictable and immature ways that they would create havoc, and that would be also be too late to regret too.
Dadon Sharling, drama queen and the female version of Kalden Lodroe of Free Asia, was considered fresh face. What did she do? Tsewang Rigzin was considered fresh face, he did exactly what you listed.
Chokyong Wangchuk was a fresh face, he stayed mum out to get the Kalon seat. Good for nothing seat warmer. The list goes on and on…
My Utsang Candidates are:
1. Pema Jungney
2. Dawa Phunkyi
3. Namgyal Dolkar
4. Dolma Tsering
5. Tashi Topgyal, Ladakh (Sikyong Candidate) Ngari group don’t forget him
6. Druk Tsering (principal of TCV model school)
7. Ugyen Tenzin Radio Free Asia
8.
9.
10.
Dhotoe Chithues:
Kunga Tashi
Lobsang Yeshi
Dorjee Tseten
Khampa Warrior, thyself
Amdo Chithue:
Don’t vote for Sharchok Kuktha
Your perspective of good and bad is not universal. But in general change is good.
Since, you seems to be thinking a lot about the issue, let’s see a list you might have. Let’s discuss this. Where is the list ? Homer Simpson, perhaps ?
Must I have a list to call for a change or initiate a discussion? If yes, I rest my case here.