We got nothing to do with the fiasco surrounding the 2016 General election: NDPT
DHARAMSALA, Oct 18: The National Democratic Party of Tibet (NDPT), the lone Tibetan political party in exile said that it has got nothing to do with the tensions and animosity caused by regionalism and partitions during the 2016 election that stirred up the exile community
NDPT made the remarks at a press conference held earlier today at its headquarter after the Tibetan parliament amended its poll rules and barred all regional associations, religious sects and NGOs from endorsing any candidates for Sikyong(President) and Members of the Parliament during the 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile’s sixth session.
“Much is being said after the Tibetan parliament amended the poll rules. If the amendment is beneficial it will benefit the Tibetan community at large and if it is detrimental, the Tibetan community as a whole will have to bear the wrath. There is nothing for NDPT to loose due to the recent electoral amendments,” Tsetan Norbu, the President of the NDPT said at the press conference.
The lone Tibetan political party in exile further said that the press conference is being held as promised by the organization after the party’s executive members meeting when approached by some media after the amendment in the parliament and to clear the air after the misunderstandings and speculations over the matter involving NDPT.
The party further issued a five-point declaration stating that the current executive members of the NDPT respects the parliaments amended poll rules and further clarified that the controversies and mud-slinging during the last Tibetan general election that has greatly upset the Dalai Lama was caused by the way the candidate’s speech and lack of moral or social responsibility of supporters and that it has got nothing to do with candidate declaration by the NDPT. The party further said that it will continue to lobby for a party-based democracy.
The party also maintained in the declaration that it exists in accordance with the UN’s universal declaration of the human rights, the Tibetan charter and most importantly the Dalai Lama’s backing and that it will continue to carry on their work by promoting awareness about democracy in the Tibetan community and benefits of political parties in democracy along with its movements to resolve the just cause of Tibet.
NDPT was founded on Sept. 2, 1994, but the seed of the party was planted by the Tibetan spiritual leader at a meeting of the Tibetan Youth Congress in 1990. The Dalai Lama has maintained that the formation of the political party will prove as the gateway to serve greater goals in future.
The party has 35 chapters and over the past 24 years, the lone Tibetan political party in exile has announced its candidates for all the three provinces from 12thto 16thTibetan Parliament members as well as Kalon Tripa nomination for 2001, 2006 and 2011 as well as the 2016 Sikyong candidates.
