'My Tibetan roots and the quest for a free Tibet will not change'
DHARAMSHALA: Beginning a new chapter in country's poll history, Tibetan residents in this north Indian hill town participated in the democratic process on Wednesday to elect a member of parliament. As many as 217 Tibetans have enrolled themselves as voters for the Kangra parliamentary seat.
"I am happy to have voted in the India general elections today. It was an opportunity as well as a learning experience for me. I will be among the over 800 million people voting in India. It makes me feel that I have a voice in India now. However, my Tibetan roots and the quest for free Tibet will not change. My next target is to get an Indian passport. It shouldn't be hard now," said Lobsang Wangyal (44), a prominent Tibetan activist who is also the director of Miss Tibet pageant. "My voice will now have power and value," added Wangyal, producer and director of the Tibetan Music Awards.
Officials said about 150 Tibetans had exercised their ballot in various polling stations. "Tibetans were very excited to have voted for Indian leadership in general elections. There were 133 Tibetans at our booth who caste their votes by 3pm," said an official at a booth here.
Sources revealed that 1,200 people of Tibetan origin had registered to vote in Himachal Pradesh, but many failed to meet the conditions. However, after a change in rules, more than 40,000 would be eligible to vote in this hill state, they added.
In February this year, India's chief election body had directed all states to include Tibetans and their offspring born in India in the electoral rolls. This followed a 2013 court order that granted Indian citizenship to Tibetan refugees born in India after January 26, 1950, and before July 1, 1987.
Over the last 55 years, Tibetans born in India were legally recognized as foreigners and needed permit renewal every year or every five years in some cases. They were not allowed to own land, deprived of professional job opportunities and even faced imprisonment for participating in anti-China protests.
But the decision to grant voting rights has divided the exile community. While some have welcomed the move and registered to vote, many see it as a blow to their over 50 years of struggle to return to their homeland.
Tibetan Settlement Officer Sonam Dorjee, who is settled in Dharamsala, also home to Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, said lack of clarity about enrolling as a voter in India was mainly responsible for poor enrolment. "Moreover, our aim is not to settle here (in India) permanently. Ultimately, we have to go back to our homeland," he said.
Dorjee said the voter card application process didn't clarify whether surrendering both registration certificate and identity certificate documents to the Indian authorities is necessary or not.
But officials of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) admit that the longing to return to their homeland was the main reason discouraging them from enrolling as Indian voters. Tibetan prime minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay has already clarified that any Tibetan in exile in India could apply for Indian citizenship and his administration was not compelling anyone.
"The decision to apply for Indian or any other country's citizenship is a personal choice," Sangay said in August last year.
Dharamsala and its nearby areas support 16,000 to 18,000 exiled Tibetans.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Chandigarh/My-Tibetan-roots-and-the-quest-for-a-free-Tibet-will-not-change/articleshow/34797205.cms
"I am happy to have voted in the India general elections today. It was an opportunity as well as a learning experience for me. I will be among the over 800 million people voting in India. It makes me feel that I have a voice in India now. However, my Tibetan roots and the quest for free Tibet will not change. My next target is to get an Indian passport. It shouldn't be hard now," said Lobsang Wangyal (44), a prominent Tibetan activist who is also the director of Miss Tibet pageant. "My voice will now have power and value," added Wangyal, producer and director of the Tibetan Music Awards.
Officials said about 150 Tibetans had exercised their ballot in various polling stations. "Tibetans were very excited to have voted for Indian leadership in general elections. There were 133 Tibetans at our booth who caste their votes by 3pm," said an official at a booth here.
Sources revealed that 1,200 people of Tibetan origin had registered to vote in Himachal Pradesh, but many failed to meet the conditions. However, after a change in rules, more than 40,000 would be eligible to vote in this hill state, they added.
In February this year, India's chief election body had directed all states to include Tibetans and their offspring born in India in the electoral rolls. This followed a 2013 court order that granted Indian citizenship to Tibetan refugees born in India after January 26, 1950, and before July 1, 1987.
Over the last 55 years, Tibetans born in India were legally recognized as foreigners and needed permit renewal every year or every five years in some cases. They were not allowed to own land, deprived of professional job opportunities and even faced imprisonment for participating in anti-China protests.
But the decision to grant voting rights has divided the exile community. While some have welcomed the move and registered to vote, many see it as a blow to their over 50 years of struggle to return to their homeland.
Tibetan Settlement Officer Sonam Dorjee, who is settled in Dharamsala, also home to Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, said lack of clarity about enrolling as a voter in India was mainly responsible for poor enrolment. "Moreover, our aim is not to settle here (in India) permanently. Ultimately, we have to go back to our homeland," he said.
Dorjee said the voter card application process didn't clarify whether surrendering both registration certificate and identity certificate documents to the Indian authorities is necessary or not.
But officials of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) admit that the longing to return to their homeland was the main reason discouraging them from enrolling as Indian voters. Tibetan prime minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay has already clarified that any Tibetan in exile in India could apply for Indian citizenship and his administration was not compelling anyone.
"The decision to apply for Indian or any other country's citizenship is a personal choice," Sangay said in August last year.
Dharamsala and its nearby areas support 16,000 to 18,000 exiled Tibetans.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Chandigarh/My-Tibetan-roots-and-the-quest-for-a-free-Tibet-will-not-change/articleshow/34797205.cms
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