Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], April 26 : Over 91,000 registered Tibetan voters from 27 countries across the world are casting their votes on Sunday to elect members of the Tibetan Parliament in-exile. Out of a total 93 candidates contesting, in the final round of elections, a total of 45 members of the exile parliament will be elected.
40 per cent new faces are contesting in the final round of elections of the Tibetan parliament in-exile.
Losang Yeshi, Chief Election Commissioner of CTA, told ANI, "Today is the final phase of the elections. We already held the preliminary election in February. This is important as for the last 70 years, Tibetans have been reasserting their aspiration for a free land. CTA symbolises Tibetan freedom struggle, it also symbolises the aspirations of 7 million Tibetans back home."
He added, "China has brutally, forcefully and illegally occupied Tibet but Tibetans have been continuously asserting and proving that they are legitimate government and the CTA is the legitimate government of Tibet and Tibetan people. So this is important that it is a reassertion despite China's propaganda and misinformation about the legitimacy of this government. This is a clear message to China that we have not given up."
Tenzin Dawa, a voter in Dharamshala, said that they elect the parliament members who represent people inside Tibet and also represent their voices and struggle in the world.
He said, "This election comes after five years. It is very important for us as it represent the Tibetan community all over the world. These parliament members represent Tibetan people who are in Tibet. Having a good parliament member is very crucial as we are refugees since 1959. We elect the parliament members who represent people inside Tibet and also represent their voices and struggle in the world."
Tenzing Namdol, another voter, said, "We are in exile and we have full freedom to vote and choose our leader whereas Tibetans inside Tibet have no such choice. I think we should choose our leaders wisely. China claims that Tibet is part of China, which is not true at all. Most of people around the world know the truth. One day we will surely go to our own homeland."
The five-year Tibetan parliament in exile, which sits twice a year, has 45 members from across the world: 30 representing three traditional provinces, 10 representing five religious traditions, and five representing the diaspora.
Headquartered in Dharamsala the parliament it functions as a representative body for an estimated 150,000 Tibetans living in exile worldwide.
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