With elections for the Tibetan exile government set for March 18, RFA's Tibetan service has launched a series of broadcasts covering election-related issues. For a complete list of toll-free phone numbers that may be used to pose a question to the candidates, go to RFA's Tibetan Service Home Page
On Friday, March 10, at 5:30 p.m. (local Dharamsala time), local Tibetans from Dharamsala will be invited to question candidates in the Amdo Tibetan dialect. On Saturday, March 11, also at 5:30 p.m., local Tibetans will question candidates in the Kham Tibetan dialect. On Sunday, March 12, and Monday, March 13, Tibetan voters will question candidates in the Lhasa-Uke dialect at 6:30 p.m. local time. On Tuesday, March 14, from 5:30- 9:30 p.m., RFA-Tibetan will record a town hall meeting for all candidates, with questions in the Uke, Amdo, and Kham dialects. The program will air from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15.
All programs are hosted by RFA’s Tseten Namgyal in Kathmandu and Dharamsala, assisted by Karma Zukhang. Thousands of exiled Tibetans around the world have registered to cast ballots for all 46 seats in the 14th Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies, based in Dharamsala, in northern India. Each elected deputy serves a five-year term. Voters will also nominate candidates on March 18 for Kalon Tripa, or Tibetan exile prime minister, who will also serve a five-year term.
Ten legislators will represent the Dotoe or Kham constituency of eastern Tibet, 10 will represent the Domey or Amdo constituency of northeastern Tibet, 10 will represent the Utsang constituency of central and western Tibet, 10 will represent the four Tibetan Buddhist sects and the Bon religion, three are nominated by the Tibetan exile leader the Dalai Lama, two will represent Tibetans in Europe, and one will represent Tibetans in North America.