8th Session of 17th TPIE Wraps Up with Major Amendments Approved

DHARAMSALA, 20 Sept: The 8th session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile concluded yesterday with amendments to the Charter of Tibetans in Exile concerning the appointment of the Chief Justice Commissioner and the two other Justice Commissioners, as well as the tenure of the Justice Commissioners, which has divided the house.

On Thursday, the final day of the session, the House unanimously passed Resolution No. 40, expressing gratitude to former Australian Senator Janet Rice, which was introduced by the Standing Committee of the House, and Resolution No. 39,  introduced by the Kashag(Cabinet)thanking members of the US Congress and President Biden for enacting legislation promoting a resolution to the Tibet-China conflict.

The parliament also discussed and voted on two proposed amendments to the Charter regarding the qualifications for the Chief Justice Commissioner and the two other Justice Commissioners of the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission (TSJC) and the tenure of the two other Justice Commissioners. The amendments passed with 35 votes in favour, surpassing the required two-thirds majority by five votes.

Previously, the Tibetan Charter specified qualifications for the Chief Justice Commissioner and the two other Justice Commissioners, including Tibetan citizenship, being at least 50 years of age, and having either five years of continuous judicial experience or ten years as an experienced advocate. This clause was set to take effect 30 years after the Charter’s adoption in 1991 and became mandatory in 2021. However, multiple attempts to amend this provision since 2021 have failed to pass the House.

The tenure of the two other Justice Commissioners was amended to five years, replacing the previous provision of serving until the age of 65. The tenure of the Chief Justice Commissioner remains five years or until the age of 65, whichever comes earlier.

The amendment will now lay to rest the issue of Resolution No. 39, an official motion passed by the 16th TPIE in March 2021, with more than two-thirds of MPs supporting the impeachment of the Chief Justice Commissioner and the two Justice Commissioners of the TSJC. This resolution has long divided the House and contributed to the failure of amendments until now.

However, another proposed amendment, which sought to add “Jonang” to the list of Tibetan Buddhist sects represented in parliament, failed to pass with only 21 votes in favour.

The House also elected former MP Lobsang Yeshe as the Chief Election Commissioner and Tsultrim Dorjee as a member of the Public Service Commission.

During the discussion on the official resolution of solidarity with the critical situation inside Tibet, MPs emphasized that the Chinese government bears full responsibility for the dire conditions in Tibet. They expressed concerns about attempts to vilify Tibetan independence activists, stressed the importance of valuing the independence struggle, and highlighted the need to preserve the Tibetan language and culture.

Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, in his closing remarks, commended the House for its accomplishments during the session, including the passing of resolutions expressing solidarity with the Tibetans suffering inside Tibet, the seven-point resolution, condolences resolutions, reviewing reports from seven departments, and electing officials for the Election Commission and Public Service Commission. He also acknowledged the passing of resolutions of gratitude to former Senator Janet Rice and the US Congress for the passage of the China-Tibet Resolve Act.

The Speaker concluded by urging the civil servants of the CTA to take note of the House’s applause as well as the suggestions for improvement and caution highlighted by MPs, in order to enhance the functioning of CTA departments during the general session. 

Meanwhile, the International Jonang Wellbeing Association held a press conference after the parliamentary session concluded, expressing disappointment over the failure to include their representation in parliament alongside other Buddhist sects, despite 27 years of campaigning. However, Ven. Jinpa Sangpo Lama, the president of the organisation, noted the improved reception of their cause from the Parliament, acknowledging the introduction of the amendment to add “Jonang” to the list of Tibetan Buddhist sects represented in parliament. He concluded by saying, “We are hopeful the Parliament will approve our demand in 2025.”