Tibet in exile elects new political head
Lobsang Sangay, the newly elected Tibetan prime minister, caught up on the news during his election campaign. Photo: RAVEENDRAN/AFP
New Delhi: Lobsang Sangay, a Harvard-educated academic, has been elected prime minister of Tibet's government in exile, according to results released Wednesday. Mr. Sangay is the first prime minister, or Kalon Tripa, to be elected by Tibet's exiled community since the Dalai Lama announced last month he would retire from politics. The Dalai Lama's political responsibilities will largely shift to the prime minister, giving Mr. Sangay an unprecedented role in Tibetan exile politics. "It's humbling and also an honor and a privilege that Tibetans have entrusted their hope and aspirations in me, and I will do the best in my capacity to live up to the expectations of Tibetans," Mr. Sangay said in an interview. Mr. Sangay, who was widely expected to win the elections, was elected with 55% of the vote. The other two candidates, Tenzin Namgyal Tethong and Tashi Wangdi, got 37% and 8% of the vote, respectively. About 50,000 Tibetans in exile, or 59% of eligible voters, cast their votes at the last round of elections, which took place March 20. The youngest of the three candidates, Mr. Sangay attracted wide support from Tibetan youth living in exile. Mr. Sangay, who was born in a Tibetan refugee settlement in India's hill station of Darjeeling in 1968, is a senior fellow at Harvard Law School, where he focused his studies on Tibet's exiled government and international law. In line with the broader policy framework of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Mr. Sangay said his top priority as prime minister will be to "end the suffering of Tibetans inside Tibet, to have the Chinese government recognize the identity and dignity of Tibetans and to find a peaceful way to address the issue of Tibet." Mr. Sangay, who during his time at Harvard has engaged regularly with Chinese scholars, says he hopes to promote greater exchange with Chinese academia. "I would like to continue the dialogue at the people level and if the Chinese government is willing, also at the government level," he said. Mr. Sangay, who has been living in the U.S. for the past 16 years, is expected to move to Dharamsala, where the Tibetan government-in-exile is based, before he officially takes office in August.
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