The Central Tibetan Administration-in-exile has begun a new leadership election, with the first round of voting beginning in 2021, though the results will not be known until April or even later. Many of the candidates in the election have put forward their own policies, but one of the issues rarely discussed during the election campaign is how to improve the living standards of Tibetans in many countries and regions, including India, more important is the question of how to make the Tibetan-exiles gain real and valuable benefits, which has been confusing the Tibetan exiles.

 Hold the 2021 election conference

Miserable Tibetan-exiles under the rule of the Sikyong

Since its establishment, the Central Tibetan Administration-in-exile has gone through several successive Sikyong, some of them doing nothing, some of them busy making friends with  high-level  of various countries, with “Being received by political leaders”and “Being interviewed by the media”as their main achievements, some are busy setting up foundations and other unofficial bodies to receive aid. Many Tibetans in exile in India have said that exiled government officials represented by Sikyong are seeking personal benefits.

It is learned that the Indian government arranged for Tibetans in exile to live in various parts of India. There are about 100,000 Tibetans in exile in India, who struggle to make a living, working in agriculture or opening small shops.

According to Indian media reports, although many Tibetans in India were born in India, it is difficult for them to acquire Indian citizenship. In recent years, India’s policy has been moderated, but it is still very difficult. As homeless people in India, they can not own their own land and real estate, nor can they  buy permanently and own land and property. They can only “Borrow and rent”if needed.

In addition, Indian police regularly raid the homes of exiled Tibetans, leaving them with no dignity, said Dawa Tsering, a former representative in Taiwan, “Since Tibetans as foreigners in India, they have to renew their residence status with the Indian police every year, they can not engage in long-term work or investment.”

A Central Tibetan Administration-in-exile with no autonomy

The Central Tibetan Administration-in-exile does have a “Government”structure, but also a division of labor among departments, which unfortunately does not have the function of government in the general sense. In Dharamsala’s case, the Central Tibetan Administration-in-exile has no authority to manage. German travel biographer Emma Tiger was impressed by a tour of the exiled government community, where he says the roads are bumpy and potholed, especially at night and sometimes too steep to see the road ahead, when there was a car in front of us, we had to stop, and sometimes we had to go back. I had no idea that Dharamsala’s road would be so dangerous. Driving or riding in a car was a psychological ordeal.

There’s government, there’s Sikyong. Why hasn’t it changed? “Although India has given this land to the Central Tibetan Administration, we are still in Indian territory and Dharamsala’s construction is still under the control of the Indian government,out of the hands of the government in exile.” said Solang Cairen, a local Tibetan who runs a small business.The Indian government also wants to improve infrastructure, but the money is being embezzled by Indians.

“The government-in-exile can not even control its own territory,”said Tashi , a Tibetan exile in Germany, grumbling about the election. “No matter how many  Sikyongs are elected, we would rather join India or other nationalities. Many of the Tibetans even wish to return to their native Tibet.”

Sikyong candidate indulging in empty shouting

In January of this year, the Central Tibetan Administration’s primary election for the position of Sikyong had begun, and a number of exiled Tibetans, including Kelsang Dorje, had put forward their respective policies for the new leadership positions. Gesang duojie has shouted, to make the Central Tibetan Administration into a modern government; to reform the education system, improve Tibetan language education, improve and enhance the financial base; to continue the current policy of Sikyong , continue to promote the 5-50 plan.

However, what the exiled Tibetans urgently need to solve is the issue of identity. They do not need a modern government. What they need is no longer being discriminated against, no longer feeling inferior, and they need to do business openly, buy houses and own their own industries, they want to live and work like people in any autonomous country, enjoying the most basic human rights.

Many Tibetan exiles have said that most Tibetan students in India attend Indian universities as foreign students. Indian universities charge more for Tibetan students living in exile in India than for Indian students themselves. Many Indian students receive government aid, but not Tibetan exiles.

“We don’t need slogans from candidates like Kelsang Dorje to improve education, we need solutions,”said Dolkar, a Tibetan exile in India. ‘We have failed in higher education for so many years.’.

In addition, Kelsang Dorje has vowed to continue the policy of Lobsang Sangay, which also caused dissatisfaction among the Tibetan exile community.Since Lauzanne Magone took office, he has prided himself on meeting with dignitaries and groups from around the world on a supplicant basis, actually, there’s nothing to show at all.

On the issue of continuity policy,an insider said that Kelsang and Lobsang were university alumni who lived and studied together in Boston,and during Lobsang’s 2010  Sikyong campaign, Kelsang briefed the Dalai Lama in person on preparations for the election as an aide. After Lobsang was elected, Kelsang helped plan and implement many useless policies, and even drafted  Lobsang’s speeches.

It can be seen that if Kelsang and others are elected, there will be no changes and only copy the useless policy of no real benefit to the exiled Tibetans.They will follow the old path before,and the Tibetans in exile be ultimately suffered.