SATAUN: Mr. Sonam Topgyal Khorlatsang, Kalon for Department of Home, Central Tibetan Administration, paid a visit to Kham Kathok Tibetan Settlement on 20 April to inaugurate the newly constructed guest house of the settlement. Two monks from Shalu monastery Paonta recited the auspicious prayers, followed by ribbon cutting and unveiling of the stone name plaque ceremony.
This was followed by lighting of butter lamp inside the Guest House hall and toured around the rooms. The guest house consists of three ordinary rooms and one suite room with attached bathroom and toilet in all the rooms. It also consists of one common kitchen, a meeting hall, a common hall, a store room and a common toilet.
As per request from the people of Kham Khathok Tibetan settlement, the guest house was constructed with the financial support from Department of Home, CTA. With coming of this new guest house, now the settlement have a proper guest house for visiting officials, staffs of CTA. The same benefit can be availed by the settlement people and tourists visiting the settlement by paying a rent, which will help with the recurring expense of the Settlement Office. Most importantly, self sustenance of settlement office and the settlement itself.
Mr. Tenzin Samdup, Office Secretary read out the program schedule, followed by Mr. Tenzin Chokden, Settlement Officer who gave a brief introduction of the Home Kalon. In between, ceremonial rice and butter tea was served.
Addressing the public, Home Kalon informed on his purpose of visit and said that it is going to be one year since the 15 Kashag took office under the leadership of the democratically elected leader Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay. On behalf Kashag, extended his greetings to the public.
On todays visit to the Sataun settlement, though Security Kalon visited the surrounding settlements as part of Kashag’s visit program, since the inauguration of the guest house program was planned before, so Home Kalon was decided to address the public on 15 Kashag’s policies and initiatives.
He informed that he had just come from south India tour visiting the Tibetan settlements and addressed the public there; also during the visit an very important event was signing of land lease agreement of Rabgayling settlement, Hunsur and in Mundgod Tibetan settlement land lease agreement was signed in December 2016 in presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, said Kalon. Subsequently, Bylakuppe and Kollegal Tibetan settlement land lease agreement will be signed soon. All these are towards making a settlement sustainable and viable, said Kalon.
On the Tibetan Rehabilitation policy 2014, Kalon informed that with the blessings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the previous Kashag particularly Kasur Gyari Dolma la, Nangsi staff and Bureau office, Delhi collectively worked tirelessly and the outcome is the policy formulation from Government of India, which is to make the living conditions of Tibetan refugees who are scattered across 10 different states confortable and through this policy Centre and State schemes can be availed at par with Indians; with just the formulation of the policy is not important, it has to be implemented; so the respective settlement officer have the responsibility to follow up with its implementation and have good relation with the district officials; emphasising on people to people contact, Kalon said.
He informed that though the Kashag’s term is for five years, during the tenure its main objective and hope is to make the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and fullfil the aspiration of Tibetans in Tibet, at the same time Kashag will work towards strengthening the Central Tibetan Administration and its sustenance if we have to live in exile for another fifty years, this is our five fifty strategy.
Under the five fifty strategy Kalon informed on the key program areas such as integrated Settlement Development project (ISDP) through community participatory process; establishing of a banking-like institution; CTA’s sweater and agricultural Loan programs, leadership development programs including institutional capacity building.
Kalon spoke on middle way approach to strengthen awareness among the general public and through MWA in resolving the issue of Tibet through dialogue.
He further informed on preservation of Tibetan language and culture, need to increase Tibetan population, importance of SFF, military post, CTA’s Budget, women empowerment policy and Tibetan women’s day, CTA’s Tibet advocacy campaign year 2017, 2018 gratitude year celebration and reforms in the Tibetan electoral rules. The talk was followed by question answer sessions.
After lunch, Kalon left Sataun to Paonta to attend the 50th founding anniversary of the Paonta Cholsum Tibetan Settlement on the 21 April.
– Report filed by Department of Home –