The Panchen Lama doesn’t want to be ‘disturbed’: China
Thursday, 26 April 2007, 10:31 a.m.
 An image of Gendun Choekyi Nyima, seen in a monastery in eastern Tibet near a photograph of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.(Photo: ICT) |
Dharamshala:A day before the Tibetans across the globe celebrated, or rather mourned, the 18th birthday of the missing boy recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama, the Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated again that Gedun Choekyi Nyima was “leading a normal and free life and does not want to be disturbed!”
Addressing a regular press conference on Tuesday, 24 April, Chinese Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao went on saying that the allegations of China carrying out religious persecution in Tibet is “totally groundless and flawed with distortion,” adding that “Normal religious activities and religious belief in Tibet are guaranteed by law.”
The six-year-old Gedun Choekyi Nyima was last seen in May 1995, days after His Holiness proclaimed him as the Panchen Lama, is believed to have been under house arrest, along with his family, at an unknown location, somewhere in the vicinity of Beijing. Despite repeated appeals of the visiting foreign delegations, no international agency or human rights organisation has been granted access to the boy or his family to verify his well-being. (read article)
Chinese Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao was asked: “The International Campaign for Tibet claimed that the Chinese Government was conducting religious persecution in Tibet. What’s your comment? Does the reincarnated Panchen Lama designated by Dalai Lama 12 years ago enjoy full freedom now?”
Mr. Jianchao responded by saying, “The organization you mentioned accused China of conducting religious persecution, which is totally groundless and flawed with distortion. We express strong dissatisfaction and indignation to that. Having been to Tibet for reporting or visiting, many of you must be well aware of the real situation there. Normal religious activities and religious belief in Tibet are guaranteed by law.
“The child you mentioned is coming of adult age. Like other ordinary teenagers in China, he is leading a normal and free life and does not want to be disturbed.”
The International Campaign for Tibet has produced a report on religious freedom to coincide with the birthday of Gendun Choekyi Nyima. The report says Tibetan religious culture remains under grave threat more than half a century after Chinese troops occupied the region. It accuses the Chinese authorities of launching a new campaign to curb the influence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Tibet.
