Tibetans call on India, other democratic nations to press Beijing on whereabouts of Panchen Lama

A joint statement issued by leading Tibetan leaders called on foreign governments and the UN to direct their ambassadors in China to meet with the 11th Panchen Lama and ascertain his whereabouts and wellbeing.

The Panchen Lama is the second most important figure in Tibetan Buddhism.

“Our most pressing concern is whether the Panchen Rinpoche is still alive or not,” said Penpa Tsering, the Sikyong or political head of Tibet’s government-in-exile, in presence of hundreds of Tibetans and international delegations.

“If he is presumed to be alive, has he been brought up with his parents from the age of six up till now for the last 29 years? Or had he been kept in a remote environment to become someone who can’t speak even in Tibetan? How much the people around him might have abused and tortured him?” Tsering accused the Chinese government of “brazenly violating” fundamental human rights and freedom of the Panchen Lama.

In May 1995, Choekyi Nyima was identified by the Dalai Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama, six years after the death of his predecessor.

China had rejected the move and anointed its own Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu.

Tsering said the Chinese authorities should immediately allow an independent fact-finding commission to get access to the Panchen Lama and that he should be given his basic human rights.

The Chinese government has not yet responded clearly to questions about the whereabouts of Panchen Lama.

In 2015, it claimed that the Panchen Lama is receiving education like other children and that he does not want to be disturbed by anyone.

“The Chinese government has brazenly violated fundamental human rights and freedoms of Panchen Rinpoche recognised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” Tsering said.

In their statement, the leading Tibetan religious leaders hoped that the foreign governments, the UN and the international community will consider the “reality” of the Tibetan situation, especially on the issue of the Panchen Lama’s enforced disappearance.

“We urge the foreign governments, the United Nations and the international community to pass a motion urging them to direct their ambassadors in China to meet with the 11th Panchen Lama and ascertain his whereabouts and wellbeing,” they said.

“We urge the foreign governments, the United Nations and the international community to honour the 11 Panchen Lama with an award recognising him as a victim of enforced disappearance for almost 29 years, and as someone who has been denied with his human rights, religious freedom, rights of a child and other fundamental rights of movement,” according to the statement.

The leaders also urged the international community to actively call for the release of Chadrel Rinpoche, a lama of Tashi Lhunpo monastery who was the head of the search committee for the 11 Panchen Lama, as well as other Tibetan political prisoners.

“On account of the dire situation inside Tibet, Tibetans have been resorting to acts of self-immolation, the latest being a 25-year-old Tibetan singer Tsewang Norbu and an 81-year-old Taphun in 2022,” the statement said.

“The self-immolators have sacrificed their most cherished life in order to draw the attention of the UN and the international community to the critical situation in Tibet,” it said.

A high-level parliamentary delegation from Estonia attended the event.

“Every Estonian feel connected with the Tibetan cause. The issue is not only about Panchen Lama. It is about protecting human rights and dignity of people,” said Jukku Kalle Raid, one of the members of the delegation.
He said there has been greater understanding now in Europe about challenges emanating from China.