TYC expels executive members of eight regional chapters

DHARAMSHALA, August 29: The largest pro- independence group of the Tibetan Diaspora has stripped executive members of eight of its regional chapters off their TYC membership for undermining the integrity of the organization.

The Tibetan Youth Congress, which recently concluded its 45th Working Committee Meeting in Gangtok, said that the executive members of those regional chapters that engaged in “divisive and disruptive acts have caused immense detriment to the unity of our organization and more importantly our struggle.”

“Thus a resolution has unanimously been passed stating that from this 45th Working Committee meeting onwards, the executive members of the eight regional chapters which participated in violation of TYC’s rules and regulations will not be recognized as TYC members,” the TYC president Tenzin Jigme said at a press conference today.

The eight RTYCs - Bangalore, Bylakuppe, Mundgod, Hunsur, Kollegal, Dalhousie, Pandoh and Ladakh, during a special general meeting of the TYC here had quit the meeting, demanding that the TYC change its stand of independence to Middle Way Approach, a policy pursued by the Tibetan government in exile.

TYC Centrex also noted that in one year, they have tried every possible means to reach out to the eight chapters and engage them into a dialogue but did not receive any positive response from them.

Calling it “undemocratic and unreasonable”, TYC further denounced the actions of the executive members of the eight regional chapters which had met in Mysore last year and passed 17 resolutions including amendment to the TYC aims and objectives, making of new identity cards, and removing of the Tibetan word for regional (Sa Gnas) from their names.

TYC Gen. Secretary clarified that the TYC membership of the individual executive members were terminated during the 45th Working Committee Meeting and not the recognition of the eight regional chapters.

The eight chapters also boycotted the 45th Working Committee Meeting in Gangtok earlier this month despite being invited for the meeting, the TYC said. However, TYC President expressed that the matter will be resolved soon with the election of new board members in some of the chapters among those eight and appealed them to continue to be a part of the organization and work for the common cause of Tibet.