Lukar Jam, Sikyong Candidate 2016 Photo:Contact/Lha
Work History:
- President of Gu-Chu-Sum (current position)
- Vice President of Gu-Chu-Sum
- Researcher for Security Department of CTA
- Established writer and poet, contributes to newspapers and websites like Tibet Times and Phayul
- Lectures Tibetan NGOs on the Tibetan issue
- Technical Staff in Agricultural Department for Chinese administration
Key Points:
- Vision for cultural and political renaissance
- Vision for a non-partisan government
- Resist the servitude mind
- Resist the abuse of faith
In this fall’s parliamentary elections for the Central Tibetan Administration, a new type of leader is emerging. Lukar Jam, the ex-political prisoner who comes from a nomadic family in Tibet, has announced his intention to campaign for the position of Sikyong in the hopes of becoming the next leader of the Tibetan people.
Jam is a unique Sikyong candidate both because of his previous experience with the Chinese government and because he supports Rangzen, or complete independence for Tibet, rather than the simple political autonomy from China of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile’s official Middle-Way Policy. His political perspective seems inextricably linked with his status as an ex-political prisoner, his passionate promotion of independence rooted in his firsthand experience as a victim of torture in the Chinese prison system.
In a recent conversation with Contact Magazine, Lukar Jam emphasised the ways in which his life has always been involved in the political movement of the Tibetan people. Ever since his 1992 arrest by the Chinese police for creating an organisation to protest against the human rights abuses in Tibet, Jam has been promoting a vision of a rebellious Tibetan population whose willpower and political energy will set them free. To become the Sikyong would allow him the authority to “take the movement forward” in a more meaningful and effective way, and, he argues, would be a natural extension of the political lifestyle that he has always led.
Lukar Jam, Sikyong candidate 2016 in conversation with Contact
Photo:Contact/Lha
Jam referenced the importance of taking steps to resolve the Tibetan issue, and explained that even symbolic victories on this front are important. He believes that we are at an important moment in Tibetan history, and that it is the obligation of the Tibetan people not to “bottle this issue and let it die in vain.” To that end, he was not concerned about whether standing for independence would affect his campaign, but was more interested in the overall level of investment in the idea of independence among the Tibetan people. Jam remains committed to his political approach not because he thinks it is the most popular among the voters, but because he is personally dedicated to freedom for Tibet.
Contrary to what some voters might think, Lukar Jam’s political perspective does not mean that he is opposed to the Dalai Lama. He was quick to explain that he understands the importance of receiving both advice and support from His Holiness. However, he adds: “I firmly believe that our movement and struggle should branch out of the Dalai Lama’s umbrella and forge a new path.” Jam hopes that the Tibetan people will be able to keep the Dalai Lama in mind as a spiritual leader while considering new possibilities for political action against China.
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