European Chitue Candidates

Preliminary election results: Thubten Wangchen         652 Wangpo Tethong             430 Chungdak Koren              427 Tsering Dorjee                  359 Jampa Samdho                 252 Sonam Monkhar               193 Rigzin D. Worpa               165 Thubten Gyatso                  86 Tawo Lobsang Palden       60 Choegyal Tenzin                 46   The names in green were announced on January 19th as the final five candidates.	Final election results:20. March 2011, the final election will be held. The two candidates with the highest number of votes will become European Chitues for 15th Tibetan Parliament in Exile (2011-2016).


European Chitue Preliminary Election Results

Thubten Wangchen

Thubten Wangchen was born in Tibet and in 1959 he was forced to leave to Nepal and India due to the Chinese invasion of Tibet. He studied at “Central School for Tibetans, Dalhousie”, and at the age of 16 decided to enter “Namgyal Monastery, Dharamsala”. He arrives in Spain in 1982 as a translator to First Buddhist Center. In 1992 he was appointed as a Buddhist representative during the “Barcelona Olympics 92”. In 1994 His Holiness the Dalai Lama inaugurated “Tibet House Foundation, Barcelona”.

Since then, he has been organizing so many conferences, seminars, debates and exhibitions, etc. in order to Preserve and Promote our Tibetan Rich Cultural Heritage and Human Rights. He attended so many National and International congresses and inter-religious dialogue. The Tibet House Foundation is supporting the Old People Home of Tibetan Settlement Miao & Tezu, and at Present about 1005 Tibetan Children in India and Nepal got sponsors for their better Health and education.

He is known as the first Tibetan in our History that brought up internationally “Law Suit” against Chinese governments Torture and Genocide. Candidate for the Next Tibetan European Parliament Member. Now, he is the President of Tibetan Community in Spain and also Director of the Tibet House Foundation. Read in Tibetan.  See videos of this candidate. [Nomination recieved 8.August 2010]

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Choegyal Tenzin

Choegyal Tenzin, was born in Tibet 1971. In 1978, forced to leave fatherland with father and two brothers due to Chinese invasion. From 1979-1985 I attended Drukpa Kargyud Destitute Home, Darjeeling where I completed my High school, receiving traditional Tibetan education as well as modern. At the age of 17, went to Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Varanasi, for further studies and obtained Lopon (Master of Arts degree) in Buddhist Philosophy in the year 2000. Received Shastri (B.A) degree in English literature, Sanskrit, Asian history in 1999. During my stay at the CIHTS, Varanasi, served as the General Secretary of Students’ Mess Management and in the year 1999 I was unanimously elected the President of Students’ Union to look after the students’ welfare.

In 1993 served as the Joint Secretary of Indo-Tibetan Friendship Society of Bir Tibetan settlement. Regional Election Sub-Commission in Saranath from 1995-1998. Elected the 13^th Member of Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Dharamsala from 2001-2006, where I represented the Kagyudpa. I feel honored to have attended several Tibet Support Groups’ meeting as such in Parah, Czech in 2003 and also attended Tibet Cultural program in South Africa in 2005.

Cultural Officer for Central and Eastern Europe under the Representative Office of His Holiness Dalai Lama, Hungary from 2003-2004. I attended the 4th and 5^th World Parliamentarian Convention on Tibet, Edinburgh, Scotland and Rome, Italy in year 2005 and 2009 respectively. Several Booklets on Tibetan Culture and Philosophy published. New book Tibetan Hungarian Dictionary is under development.

Since 2002, continue to be an official lecturer of Budapest Buddhist University which is under the Ministry of Education, Hungary and travel to different European countries and The United States to give lectures on Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and cultural heritage of Tibet. Member of Tibet Support Group, Hungary and Chairman of Milarepa Tibetan Cultural Centre, Budapest founded in 2004. Read Candidate Manifesto. Read in German. Read in Tibetan [Nomination recieved 9.August 2010]

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Chungdak Koren

Chungdak Koren was born in Phari, Central Tibet in 1951. Chungdak Koren studied in St. Joseph’s Convent, Kalimpong and UCNL School in Dheradun. Soon after completing her school education, Chungdak volunteered at the Transit School in Dharalsala set up by the Department of Education  to meet the educational need of Tibetan children in 1967-68. From 1968-69, she worked as a manager for the cooperative society of the Tibetan Settlement in Sonada, Darjeeling.

In 1969, she reached Norway under scholarship to study in college and subsequently she did B.Sc nursing for three years in Oslo with an additional one year of specialization in Dialysis. She worked for 19 years as nurse at the Oslo University Hospital. During the same time, she was active at the grassroots level in both the Tibetan community and the Tibet Support Group. She was one of the main initiators of the Norwegian Tibet Committee set up in 1988. In 1989, she was officially appointed by the Office of Tibet London as the Co-ordinator between the Office of Tibet and the Nobel Committee for preparation of Nobel Peace Prize award to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. She is also one of the core initiators in establishing Voice of Tibet, Norway radio in 1996 and continues to be on the governing board of VOT. From 1995-2001, she was appointed Representative of His Holiness at the Office of Tibet, Geneva. During the time, she managed many important meetings including the one with the Italian Prime Minister and Swiss Home Minister. She helped organize the Pavarotti Concert for aiding education of Tibetan Children and involved UNESCO to fund educational projects for Tibetans.

Soon after completing her service as Representative, she worked as one of the organizers for the Graas Kalachakra, Austria in 2002. Since 2002, she has been serving as Executive Director of Norwegian Tibet Committee and Board Member of International Campaign for Tibet (Europe) since 2001. She was responsible for organizing the 1st European Tibetan Congress in Switzerland. In November 2008, she was awarded the Norwegian PENs Ossietzky price for her work for Human Rights of Tibetan people inside Tibet. See videos of this candidate. Video 2 [Nomination recieved 9.August 2010]

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Wangpo Tethong

Wangpo Tethong is author of many Tibet related articles and carried out a daring protest on the Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 2006.

He is 47, married, father of two children, lives in Jona Switzerland, studied at the Zurich University a MA. General History, consitutional law, social and economic history and now works as a senior consultant in a campaign firm.

His Tibet related work:

since 2008 member of “Filming for Tibet” (co-producing „Leaving fear behind“), since 2008, President National Olympic Committee of Tibet,
2004 to 2008, Steering Comittee International Tibet Support Network (ITSN), chair of Olympics CWG,
2004 – 2007, Chair of the ITSN Olympics Working Group,
2003 to 2006, Board member of International Campaign for Tibet (ICT ) Germany,
2004, Co-Convener of “Shaping the Future of Tibet”-Conference,
2004, Initiator of Lamtoen group, Legal consulting for Tibetan asylum seekers in Switzerland,
2002-2004, President of the Swiss Tibetan Friendship Association,
1989 – 1995, Co-editor of “Bhödschon” (Junges Tibet), a Tibetan German magazine,
1989, Founding member of  STAFT (Studentische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Tibet, students group for Tibet) at the Zurich University,
1989, Co-Initiator of Tibetan Freedom Radio (Tibetan and Chinese radio service),
1988 –  1989, Board member of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) and president of Tibetan Youth Association Europe,
1988, Internship for Petra Kelly and Gert Bastian (MP Germany, convenor of the first international hearing on Tibet,
1985 – 1988, Volunteer in Office of Tibet, Switzerland. See videos of this candidate. [Nomination recieved 14.August 2010]

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Rigzin Dorje Worpa

Rigzin Dorje Worpa, born 1952 at Kharta in Tibet. Moved to Switzerland in 1981, married and presently residing in Volketswil with 4 children. Has a Master’s degree (M.Sc.) in Physics from Panjab University, Chandigarh on a merit scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service arranged by the Tibetan Government, was in the 1st batch of science students passing the CBSE Board Examination from Central School for Tibetans, Mussoorie. Has Goethe Instt. Diploma in German language and basic French knowledge from the Further Studies School, Zurich. Presently employed as Head of Private Banking Investigations for European branches of an American Bank based in Zurich. Previously worked for a Swiss bank.

Service Experience
Since 1995: Serving as Advisor, Editorial Board, Newsletter of Tibetan Community Switzerland.

1992-95: As President, Tibetan Community Switzerland a) initiated with the 22+ Thumi team, the draft statute of a Local Parliament Switzerland (Droetsog) in line with the Charter of Tibetans in Exile. The statute having been ratified through democratic processes, the first Droetsog was established in 1995 and is still the only one outside the Indian Subcontinent.

1978-81: Served as Principal of main TCV Secondary School in Upper Dharmasala, and was involved in the process of seeking affiliation approval from the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi, also oversaw first batch of 10 class graduating students passing successfully CBSE-conducted Secondary School Exams. in 1980.

Other Public Services
Short stints in teaching Tibetan language (Tibetan children in Horgen) and Physics to monks in Tibet Institute, Rikon under their Science Meets Dharma project.
2001-2010: Elected member, Regional Tibetan Election Commission Switzerland.
1985-1986: Thumi/Tibetan Secretary, Tibetan Community Switzerland (TCS)
1983-1985: Committee member & in 2002-05 President, Toepa Welfare Assoc. Switzerland.
1973-1976: Treasurer, Foreign Students’ Association, Chandigarh.
1972-1977: Member, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Chandigarh.
Read in Tibetan [Nomination recieved 24.September 2010]

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Jampa Samdho

Jampa Samdho,

Name: Jampa Tsering Samdho, born in Bylakuppe
Date of birth: 06.06.1971, Civil Status: married (2 children)
Place of residence: Turbenthal (Section Rikon), Swiss

Career studied: Teacher of Tibetan Language and Religion

1994-1995:  President of Student Union, Varanasi
1995-1998: BA degree (Shastri) und MA degree (Acharya) at the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies Varanasi
2001 – 2004: President of the Tibetan Community in Switzerland and Liechtenstein
2002 – 2005: Co-secretary general of the organising committee “The Dalai Lama in Switzerland 2005”
2005: Organisor of the first “Dharma Conference” in Zürich-  Oerlikon
Since December 2004: Language Teacher of the Tibetan School in Rikon
Since November 2005: Vice-President of LHASA BOYS Association
Since September 2006: Member of the election commitee of the Tibetan Community in Switzerland and Liechtenstein

Motivation as Chitue:

1.  Personal requests and support from many fellow countrymen in Switzerland and Liechtenstein for election  as Chitue
2.  Know-How und expertise of duties and responsibilities of a Chitue -> language, law, act of parliament…
3. Support of  “The Middle Way” initiated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
4.  establish a Platform for the young Tibetans > Workshops about Leadership, History, Language,  Philosophy, Culture…..
5.  Good cooperation between the Tibetan Communities in Europe

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Sonam Phuntsok Monkar

Sonam Phuntsok Monkhar,
Birthplace: Gyantse, Tibet
Date of birth: 1949
Education:
1960-70    Certificate of All India Higher Secondary Examination of Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi, after finishing class XI from Central School For Tibetans, Mussoorie, India
1970-75    BA (Hons) and MA in History from the University of Delhi, India
1982-83    Certificate of Political Studies in International Relations from Institut d’Etudes politiques de Paris, France
Languages:    Tibetan, English, French, German and Hindi
At school    Chupon (group leader), class monitor, house vice captain, in-chage of school library and school loudspeaker system
At University    Member of Regional Working Committee of TYC, Delhi
1973-76    First as interpreter to the Representative of H.H. the Dalai Lama and then cashier and public relations officer atBureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Delhi,India
1979-83    Assisted the Offices of Tibetin Zurich and London during my school semester holidays in France and especially duing His Holiness’ visits to Switzerland and England
1986-88    Office secretary at the Office of Tibet in Zurich
Since June 1988    I work in a reinsurance company, PartnerRe in Zurich.
1990    Since September 1990 till May 2006 I taught Tibetan once a week on voluntary basis to children of Zurich section of Tibetan Community in Switzerland

since 1991    Potala Tibet Help Associationhelps, in collaboration with Tibet Office in Katmandu, to pay school fees of Tibetan children – so far over 40 children – in Nepal. As a founding member of the Association (with Tsering Dorjee, former Representative of H.H. the Dalai Lama in Switzerland), I take care of all administrative work in a honorary capacity.
since 1996    Member of editorial board of the Newsletter of Tibetan Community in Switzerland
2001 Member of Local Election Commission
2006 Elected to 14th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.” See videos of this candidate.

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Thubten Gyatso

Thubten Gyatso,

My name is Thupten Gyatso. I was born in 1971 in the Trochoe region of Gyalrong, Amdo, Tibet. Between 1985 and 1990 I studied Buddhism at Muge monastery, Amdo. After escaping into exile in 1991, I studied English at TCV, Suja in Bir and then I got a chance to study at the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in Varanasi for three years.

When moving to France in 1998, I studied French until 2002 and got the diploma equivalent to the 12^th standard. And then I studied Law at Sorbonne University, Paris, for another four years. Since 2003 I have been elected as the head of the Tibetan Community of France et Its Friends. I am at my fourth consecutive mandate, so I am serving the Tibetan Community of France since seven years as its President. Apart from these, for the past ten years, I have been to various parts of France, promoting the Tibetan issue in the framework of conferences, debats and exhibitions. I expalain about the Middle way policy of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, and about the development of the on-going dialogues between the Tibetan government-in-Exile and the government of the People’s Republic of China. And for enhancing the awareness of the Tibetan issue, I initiated the new trio-lingual website of the Tibetan Community of France: www.tibetan.fr.

Regularly, I have interactions with International Medias over Tibetan people’s peaceful freedom struggle: Untill now, I participated many televised debates and questions-answers sessions about Tibet at French Parliamentary Channel, LCP, and other channels: Arte-TV, France TV, i-Television, BFMTV, France 2 TV, ZDFTV and Canada Radio TV. In 2008 I took the task of translating a Tibet-related documentary film, Tibet, Mensonge Chinois?, into French.

For the new generation of the Tibetan children growing up in France, I took the initiative of setting up the Pelyong School for learning Tibetan language and culture. I was the moderator at the First European Tibetans Congress (E.T.C.) held in Swiss city Basel. In 2008 I started the annual event of showcasing the Tibetan culture to the French public, Salon de la Culture Tibétaine. In 2009 I translated the Charter of the United Nations into Tibetan from both English and French and the book was opened at the official ceremony of the 50^th Anniversary of the Tibetan Democracy Day in Bylakuppe in south India. And, I chaired the Second European Tibetan Congress ( E.T.C.) held in the French capital, Paris, in October, 2010. Read in Tibetan. See video of the candidate.

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Tawo Lobsang Palden

Tawo Lobsang Palden, Dr. Lobsang Palden Tawo was born in Kham-Tehor in Tibet.
As a small child he fled his homeland in 1959 with his parents when the Chinese took over power in Tibet.
In Kalimpong he attended the St. Augustin School for nearly 2 years. After that, he joined the Central Tibetan School in Simla. At the very young age of 12, he left India for Germany with some other Tibetan children in 1963.
After the successful completion of his undergraduate education, he studied medicine in the renowned University of Heidelberg. Following the completion of his medical education in 1979, he worked in different hospitals in Germany to gain a wide range of experience. Since 1989 he has been working in the Departement of Gastroenterology as a Senior Doctor in the State Hospital of Ludenscheid, which is affiliated with the University of Bonn. He married Choeni Lhamo in 1973. They have three children. Besides his work, Dr. Lobsang Palden Tawo has been very active in the Tibetan freedom movement ever since his childhood.

He worked in different Tibetan organizations and was also the initiator of “Tibet Initiative Deutschland.” Launched in 1989, the Initiative is now one of the largest political organizations in Europe, run by mostly German Friends:
www.tibet-initiative.de . Additionally, he is a passionate songwriter, poet and singer. All the profits from his music are donated to Sherig Lhankhang, Tibetan Homes Foundation, and other social projects. In 1995 he started a project in Tibet — called Tadra — with his wife and some friends. They built two children’s villages for orphans in Kham and Amdo. Some of these children are already attending colleges or studying medicine. In 2008 he handed over the project to promote local responsibility. Finally, for the last 14 years he has become a frequent contact person for interviews of Radio Free Asia and Voice of America (VOA) on the field of medicine and often on subjects of philosophy and natural science. Thus he is truly a multi-talented and highly accomplished individual. See videos of this candidate.

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Sangling Tsering Dorjee

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List of previous and current European Chitues:

11^th Assembly of Tibetan People’s Deputies (ATPD) Europe Deputies

1. Phuntsog Wangyal                                    (mid-May 1991 to mid-May 1996)
2. Sangling Tsering Dorjee                          (mid-May 1991 to mid-May 1996)

12^th Assembly of Tibetan People’s Deputies (ATPD) Europe Deputies

1. Zutal Ngawang Rigzin                              (mid-May 1996 to July 1997)
2. Dewatsang Thinley Chodon                    (mid-May 1996 to mid-May 2001)
3. Gangshontsang Ngawang Gyaltsen       (August 1997 to mid-May 2001)

13^th Assembly of Tibetan People’s Deputies (ATPD) Europe Deputies

1. Frasi Sonam Tsering                                 (mid-May 2001 to mid-May 2006)
2. Sangling Tsering Dorjee                           (mid-May 2001 to mid-May 2006)

14^th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) Europe Deputies

1. Frasi Sonam Tsering                                 (mid-May 2006 to mid-May 2011)
2. Monkhar Sonam Phuntsok                      (mid-May 2006 to mid-May 2011)

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Why is the Chitue election important?

There are several reasons why it is important that Tibetans in Europe elect the best possible Chitues to represent themselves in the Tibetan Parliament. Chitues can influence how the new Kashag will look, as they can reject the Kalons who are appointed by the new Kalon Tripa. Chitues approve the budget of the Central Tibetan Administration which defines what areas are prioritized. Kalon Tripa and the Kashag are increasingly taking into account the opinions of the Chitues on important strategic and policy issues. Finally, the European Chitues can enrich the Tibetan Parliament with their experiences in the long established democracies of European countries.

“European Chitue Debate” Arranged by Tibetan Youth Association in Europe, February 2011

“Chitue Debate in London” Arranged by LondonNey, September 2010

“Tibetans in Europe gearing up for election” VOA interview with Chitue Sonam Phuntsok Monkhar, 30.September 2010

“Europe Chitue Debate” Arranged in Horgen, Switzerland, September 2010

“Election Fever” Kunleng, Voice of America, 11.August 2010

“Discussion on VoT why the Kalon Tripa/Chitue election is important” Radio discussion, Voice of Tibet, 8.August 2010

“If You Desire Change in Tibetan Politics, Look to the Parliament, not the Kalon Tripa” Article by Bhuchung Tsering, International Campaign for Tibet, 7.August, 2010

“Why democracy is important” Presentation by Dr. Lobsang Sangay, New York, July 2010

“The Evolution of Democracy in the TGIE” Kunleng, Voice of America, 3.March 2010

“14th Tibetan Parliament meets without final seating” Bod Gyalo TV, India, 23.November 2009

“Exile Tibetans establish democracy” TITV Weekly, Taiwan, 15.June 2009

“World’s Smallest Democracy” Article by Dhundup Gyalpo , Tibetan Bulletin/Tibet.net

Read history and facts about the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, TPPRC, 4th ed. 2009