Kashag Congratulates Kalon Tripa-Elect Dr Lobsang Sangay

Thursday, 28 April

Kalon Tripa Prof Samdhong Rinpoche and his cabinet colleagues have congratulated Dr Lobsang Sangay on being elected as the next Kalon Tripa of the Central Tibetan Administration.

DHARAMSHALA: In a congratulatory message, Kalon Tripa Prof Samdhong Rinpoche said: “I and my fellow members of the Kashag would like to extend our congratulations to Dr Lobsang Sangay for winning the election with an overwhelming majority.”

“As the present change in leadership coincides with a significant transition in the exile polity, we place great hope and feel at ease to have a young, educated, honest and determined new Kalon Tripa,” Kalon Tripa said.

“We wish him success in all future endeavours and at the same time extend our felicitations,” he added.

Dr Lobsang Sangay, a senior fellow of Harvard University, won 27,051 votes (55 percent) in the final round of polling held on 20 March. Out of 83,990 registered voters, 49,184 cast their ballots.

Dr Sangay will take charge as the new Kalon Tripa after the incumbent Kalon Tripa Prof Samdhong Rinpoche’s five-year tenure ends on 14 August 2011.

In 2001 the Tibetan parliament, on the advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, amended the Charter of the Tibetans in Exile to provide for direct election of the Kalon Tripa (Chairman of the Cabinet) by the exile populace. The Kalon Tripa, in turn, nominates the other Kalons (cabinet members), and seeks the parliament’s approval for their appointment.

“I view my election as an affirmation of the far-sighted policies of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and another important step towards the realization of his vision of a truly democratic Tibetan society. I believe the success of the recent Kalon Tripa and Chitue elections and the active participation of the Tibetans in the elections is a significant moral victory,” Dr Sangay said after winning the election.

“I want to express my sincere appreciation and extend my deepest support to the people in Tibet who continue to show tremendous courage even in the most difficult of situations. Our hearts and minds are steadfastly with them,” he said.

“I urge every Tibetan and friends of Tibet to join me in our common cause to alleviate the suffering of Tibetans in occupied Tibet and to return His Holiness to his rightful place in the Potala Palace,” he added.