Tibetan Democracy Day
- Category
International Relations
- Published
9th Sep, 2022
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Context
Tibetan refugees across the world celebrated the 62nd anniversary of Tibetan Democracy Day on September 2.
About
Tibetan Democracy Day:
- The day was marked with the inauguration of the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamshala on September 2nd, 1960.
- The day is widely known within the community as MangstoDuchen(‘Mangsto’: democracy; ‘Duchen’: occasion).
- At the heart of the Tibetan democratic system, which governs over 1 lakh refugees across the world, stands the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamshala.
NOTE: CTA is not officially recognized by any country.
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Important developments
- First Oath: The first elected representatives of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile took their oaths in Bodh Gaya to inaugurate the Tibetan democratic system.
- 1963:Dalai Lama enacted the Tibetan constitution based on the ideals of democracy and universal values, following which the first women representatives were elected.
- 1975:Kashag, the apex body of CTA, declared September 2 as the founding day of Tibetan democracy.
- 1991:Charter of the Tibetans in exile was adopted, and in the following year, the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission was established, introducing the exile community to the three pillars of democracy.
- Dalai Lama after announcing a position of semi-retirement called for the first direct election of KalönTripa, the executive head of the CTA.
- 2011: Dalai Lama handed over all his political and executive power to the Sikyong, also known as the President of CTA.
India’s official policy towards the CTA:
- India considers the Dalai Lama as a revered religious leader and an honoured guest, but it does not encourage political activities by Tibetans.
- It does not recognize any separate government of Tibet functioning in India.
- CTA President Lobsang Sangay was among the invitees at the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014.
- In 2016, Dalai Lama was hosted in Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Pranab Mukherjee.
- Dalai Lama has also been allowed to visit Tawang, one of the main sites of contention in the Sino-Indian border dispute. In 2017, amid ongoing tensions in Doklam, LobsangSangay visited Pangonglake in Ladakh.
Relationship of CTA with other countries:
- The US is the only government in the world that is politically upfront in supporting the Tibetan issue, whether it be bi-partisan support for Tibet; Policies on Tibet (Tibet Policy Act 2002, and Tibet Policy and Support Act 2020), or an appointment of a special coordinator on Tibet.
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