Lobsang Dakpa: TLA has achieved a lots so far

By | June 16, 2022

Lobsang Dakpa, the president of Tibetan Legal Association(TLA) said TLA has achieved a lots from the first day of TLA, he further said  Since 2016, the Tibetan Legal Association has been consulted and represented more than 650 individuals and has conducted 21 legal awareness programmes and workshops in Dharamsala, its adjoining Tibetan establishments, and Karnataka, where the majority of Tibetans in India are settled. The Tibetan Legal Association has personally met with the administrators of each Tibetan settlement and other institutions to learn more about the general legal challenges faced by monks, nuns, and the Tibetan community at large. TLA have educated administrators about the best ways for them to address their legal challenges and  have held discussions and awareness programmes on Rights of non citizens provided in Constitution of India, Indian Criminal Law, Code of Criminal Procedures, Protection Of Children From Sexual Offences Act, Protection of Women  from Domestic Violence ,Sexual Harassment Of Women at Workplace, banking law, medical law, contract law, Identification documents, Registration certificates for Tibetan and other relevant and important legal issues to the Tibet in-exile community.

Based on data collected from our survey, we have identified issues requiring special attention within our community. The Tibetan Legal Association uses this data to initiate a legal awareness programme exclusively based on challenges faced by Tibetans and the means to redress them, i.e. basic education on Agricultural law, Motor Vehicle laws, important aspects of Indian Penal Code, Registration Certificates, and the Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy 2014 of Government of India.

One of the greatest achievements of the organization thus far has been the establishment of our regional chapters. We established two regional chapters in South India, one in Bengaluru and another in Mysuru, in 2016. But due to diminishing number of Tibetan law students in Mysore, in 2019, we have merged these two chapters into one called Tibetan Legal Association South Zone. The members of TLA in south are actively engaged in conducting legal workshops, debate and training in monasteries and settlements in south. These chapters enable us to not only reach more Tibetans living in exile, but to understand the immediate legal issues and challenges particular to Tibetans living in these areas and to disseminate the information and options on redressing these challenges.

  1. Legal awareness education provided to Tibetan schools, Settlements, Monasteries and Nunneries since 2016

 

 

S. No.       Date                      Place/Institution No of  Attendees
 

1

 

02.08.2016

 

TCV Bylakupee

 

289

 

2

 

17.08.2016

 

TCV Chauntra

 

250

 

3

 

17.08.2016

 

TCV Sujja

 

345

 

4

 

19.08.2016

 

TCV Gopalpur

 

250

 

5

 

22.08.2016

 

Lower TCV Dharamsala

 

200

 

6

 

23.08.2016

 

Upper TCV  Dharamsala

 

290

 

7

 

8.11.2016

 

Dolmaling Nunnery

 

60

 

8

 

9.11.2016

 

Jamyang Choeling Nunnery

 

76

 

9

 

10.11.2016

 

Shugsep Nunnery

 

36

 

10

 

11.11.2016

 

Dongyu Gatseling Nunnery, Trilokpur

 

150

 

11

 

4.8.2017

 

Sambhota School Teachers

 

25

 

12

 

5.8.2017

 

Central School for Tibetan (CST) Mundgod

 

350

 

13

 

7.8.2017

 

Jangchup Choeling Monastery

 

25

 

14

 

8.8.2017

 

Mundgod Doeguling Public

 

400

 

15

 

8.8.2017

 

Drepung  Loseling Monastery

 

25

 

16

 

8.8.2017

 

Gaden Lachi Monastery

 

600

 

17

 

11.8.2017

 

Kollegal Dhondenling public

 

150

 

18

 

14.8.2017

 

Hunsur Rabgyaling public

 

250

 

19

 

16.8.2017

 

TDL,  Bylakuppee and Luksum  Public

 

400

 

20

 

16.8.2017

 

CST School, SOS and CVP

 

400

 

21

 

16.8.2017

 

Sera Mey Monastery, Karnataka

 

700

 

                       Total Attendees

 

         5,271

 

 

  1. Conducted 2 days Legal workshop for Tibetan Women helpline desk of Women empowerment desk, Central Tibetan Administration(CTA) and Tibetan women’s associationon :
  • Standard Operating Procedure for Women Help Line
  • Rights of Non Citizens under Constitution of India
  • Basic Criminal Procedure- Types of Criminal Trial, Constitution of Indian Court, Appeals and Transfer of cases, First Information Report, Rights of an arrested person/ Guidelines to be followed by police.
  • Legal Documents.
  • Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace law and case Studies.
  • Sexual Violence law: Rape, court procedure in rape cases.
  • Cyber space and sexual violence law.
  • Assault and uses of Criminal forces against Women.
  • Sexual Violence Law and Children- POCSO Act, Juvenile Justice Act
  • Sexual Violence at Domestic Space: Domestic violence Act
  • Child Custody law
  • Indian Marriage and Divorce law

 

  1. Table of legal registrations and documents drafted by the office of the Tibetan Legal Association on various legal subjects for Tibetans.

 

 

S.No.

 

Categories

 

Numbers

 

1

 

Petition for Marriage Registration

 

52

 

2

 

Petition for Birth Registration/ correction in details of Birth Certificate

 

26

 

3

 

Drafting and registration of Affidavit, Agreement, adoption deed and other legal documents.

 

379

 

4

 

Registration of Shops and food stalls

 

4

 

5

 

Drafting of  Will and its registration

 

6

 

6

 

Society and Trust Registration

 

6

 

7

 

Family Reunion

 

7

 

  1. d. Disseminated 25 legal awareness videos on different legal topics which have reached, viewed and shared by more than 50,000 people.
  2. e. Participated in Interfaith and Interethnic Conference in Japan and workshop on strategy of Human Rights in APEC in Taiwan.
  3. f. Corresponds with concerned Embassies on immigration cases for family reunion after thorough investigation, Registration Certificates, deportation cases and submission of legal opinions on various issues concerning Tibetans.
  4. Provides continuous Legal guidance and Consultations to Tibetan NGO’sworking on
  • Women and Child rights
  • Guidance on approaching dispute resolutions in Tibetan and Indian Legal system
  • Jurisdiction of local settlement officer and appellate authority.

He affirmed that TLA will continuously to serve Tibetans in Exile on their best level. He thanked The Tibet Fund , Tso Pema Non-Profit and others for supporting them all the ways.