Dalai says no to Tibetan parliament's plea

DHARAMSALA: Sticking to his resolve to give up his political role, the Dalai Lama, exiled spiritual head of the Tibetan community, on Saturday, rejected the request of the Tibetan Parliament-inexile to reconsider his retirement proposal. The speaker of exiled Tibetan Parliament, Penpa Tsering, said a resolution requesting the Dalai Lama to reconsider his decision was passed by the parliament on Friday and submitted to the Dalai Lama on Saturday for reconsideration.The Dalai Lama, however, sent back the proposal to theparliament.
He said majority of the members of exiled Tibetan Parliament want the Dalai Lama to continue providing leadership to the Tibetans fighting for their cause to return to their homeland. The spiritual leader's formal proposal presented to the Tibetan Parliament in exile on Monday had sent shockwaves among the exiled community who would be voting to elect the prime minister of the exiled Tibetan government and 44 members of 15th exiled Tibetan parliament on Sunday. Notwithstanding the uncertainty over the Dalai Lama's retirement, the Tibetans here are looking forward to exercising their right to franchise. Dicky, 35, who has voted twice, said that she was sad over Dalai Lama's decision, but was waiting eagerly to cast her vote.
Another Tibetan youth, Choeden, said he would cast his ballot in the morning as wanted to watch the crucial India-West Indies match on Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, the International Network of Parliamentarians on Tibet (INPaT), as part of a worldwide initiative, will deploy a team of experts to conduct a Tibetan Election Observation Mission in India on Sunday when Tibetans in the 'free world' vote.