Tibetan exiles expect new PM to bring change

Dharamshala, Aug 9 (ANI): Tibetan exiles have expressed the hope that the new leadership under Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay will help realise their goal of a free Tibet sooner than later.

Describing young Sangay as a source of inspiration for them, Tenzin Tsondu, an activist, said: "The younger generation Tibetans, we take huge pride in Lobsang Sangay (Tibetan Prime Minister- in-exile) because he is one of us. He is somebody who was born in India, educated here and he has now taken the mantle of leadership and the importance is his holiness the Dalai Lama has devolved all his political powers to an elected leadership and Lobsang Sangay has come forward as a representative of the youth; and he has actually taken up the most important post that is the Prime Minister."

"He has actually brought together the whole imagination of Tibetan's hope, inside and outside Tibet, all of us have huge hope in him and we are all united; and we know that with this we can make creative solution for Tibet," he added.

Meanwhile, another activist said that it is a significant moment for the people of Tibet as it motivates all exiles to keep the struggle alive.

"I think that the younger generation Tibetans have to realise first of all that responsibility has fallen on all of us, as we know so far his holiness has taken responsibility single pointedly and this has how Tibetan politics has been run for the last 60 years. Now with the new devolution of power by his holiness himself, I think the message is very clear that it is now upon for all the individual Tibetans and specially the younger generation Tibetans who are born especially in outside wall in freedom loving nations to have a better participation and take up initiatives," said Tenzin Norgay, another Tibetan activist.

Sangay was sworn in as Prime Minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, marking a new beginning as he took over the political leadership of the movement from the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

Sangay, 43, was administered the oath of office at a ceremony in the central courtyard of the main Tibetan temple, opposite the Dalai Lama's office.

Sangay was elected the new "Kalon Tripa" on April 27, replacing the incumbent Samdhong Rinpoche.

Born in Darjeeling, Sangay pursued higher studies in the US and was a senior Fellow at the Harvard Law School before being elected as the Kalon Tripa.

Besides pursuing law, he also organised conferences and seminars which were attended by several Chinese scholars during his 16-year stay in the US. (ANI)