The Tibetan government-in-exile here on Tuesday re-appointed the Dalai Lama’s envoys to China and other countries, the first time it exercised this constitutional authority after the Tibetan spiritual leader relinquished his political powers.
A spokesperson for the Tibetan administration told IANS that the Kashag (cabinet) has announced the re-appointment of the incumbent special envoy, envoys and representatives of the Dalai Lama as their terms had ended with the ratification of the amendment to the charter by him May 29.
As per the announcement, special envoy Kasur Lodi Gyari and envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen will remain the Dalai Lama’s representatives for the ongoing talks with China on granting autonomy to Tibet. The two sides have held nine rounds of talks since 2002 to resolve the issue, but no major breakthrough has been achieved so far. Likewise, Tempa Tsering, Kasur Lobsang Nyandak Zayul and Sonam Norbu Dagpo will remain representatives of the Dalai Lama in New Delhi, the US and Australia respectively.
In a historic deviation from the 350-year-old Tibetan tradition, the Dalai Lama in May devolved his “formal authority” to the elected leadership of the Tibetan exiles. The Dalai Lama, along with many of his supporters, fled Tibet and took refuge in India when Chinese troops moved in and took control of Lhasa in 1959. He then headed a Tibetan government-in-exile which never won recognition from any country. India is home to around 100,000 Tibetans.