Awareness drive held ahead of Tibetan government-in-exile elections

DHARAMSALA - Tibetan activists organized an awareness campaign to increase the number of young voters for the upcoming elections of the Tibetan government-in-exile.

“The objective of the programme is to raise awareness of the upcoming elections because the problem that we had faced in the last election is that we had only 26 percent of Tibetan people who had given their votes. In 2011, we want to raise the number of voters,” said Tseyang, a Tibetan woman.

The participants in the programme felt that the campaign is crucial for all so they can elect someone capable of running the Tibetan exile government smoothly.

“Of course it’s a very important meeting because for last ten years, our Prime Minister is Samdhong Rinpoche, and for the next PM, we can’t elect him again. So we need someone who can run the Tibetan exile government probably in a right way and smoothly,” said Tenzin Jardhon, a participant.

Samdhong Rinpoche, elected in 2001, is the current Tibetan PM-in-exile.

The elections of the Kalon Tripa (Tibetan Prime Minister) would be held in September next year. (ANI)