Dharamshala: The Department of Information and International Relations, Central Tibetan Administration organized a virtual book launch talk event on the evening of 17 May, marking the 26th year of the abduction of Tibet’s 11th Panchen Lama by the Chinese government.
On this day in 1995, the Chinese government abducted and disappeared the 6-year-old boy, whom His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama recognized as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama, one of the highest religious leaders of Tibetan Buddhism. Numerous international governments, organizations, and Tibet support groups have called for his intermediate release through the years, but the Chinese government continued to hold them in detention. 26 years on, his whereabouts and conditions remain a mystery to the public.
At the event, the book, Tibet’s Stolen Child: Remembering the story of the Panchen Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, published by the UN, EU, and Human Rights Desk, DIIR, CTA was released with the aspiration that the Panchen Lama and his family member are freed and China is held accountable for its gross violations of human rights in Tibet. While the Chinese government has chosen to care less about the global outcry against their unlawful actions, the CTA remains hopeful that through facts, and the international community’s support, we can press China to release the Panchen Lama, his parents, and Chadrel Rinpoche. The book is yet another reminder to China that no matter how many years may pass, Tibetans and supporters will continue to seek Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima’s release and keep the flame seeking truth and justice alive.
The book features highlights of the legacy of the 10th Panchen Lama, Lhundrup Choekyi Gyaltsen. The 10th Panchen Lama’s 70,000-Character Petition, which he presented to top Chinese leaders, is a fearless confrontation detailing the sufferings of Tibetans under the CCP’s failed and abusive policies in Tibet. Mao Zedong called the Petition “a poisoned arrow aimed at the Party” and the 10th Panchen Lama was accused of working against the Chinese government. He was then subjected to severe beatings and struggle sessions followed by 14 years of imprisonment.
The panellists for the event were: Zeekgyab Rinpoche, the Abbot of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Bylakuppe; Shri Anant Kumar Hegde, Lok Sabha MP (BJP); and Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the President of the Central Tibetan Administration.
Venerable Zeekgyab Rinpoche gave a succinct introduction of the origin, title, and importance of Panchen Lama lineage. “The Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama share a patron-priest relation and each is involved in the process of recognizing the other’s reincarnation”, said Rinpoche.
“The Chinese government has abducted the 11th Panchen Lama, recognized by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, at the age of 6 for the sole purpose of meeting its political motives and in the process disrespected the Tibetan Buddhism’s age-old tradition of reincarnation.”
Mr. Anant Kumar Hegde expressing support and solidarity with the Tibetan people said, “Today marks the 26th year since the Chinese government abducted one of our spiritual leaders, the Panchen Lama, and I would like to reassure that the citizens of India are in support of Tibetan people.” He pointed out that the COVID-19 situation has exposed the double-face and the unreliability of the Chinese Communist Party and further remarked that “in the field of humanity, environmental concern, and moral ethics, China has nothing to show for.”
“Just as Israel proclaimed its independence in 1948 after almost 1800 years of dispersion, so Tibetan people should never accept defeat but rather keep up with their fight and struggle, for one day, the Tibet’s issue too shall be resolved.”
Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay then virtually unveiled the books, in both English and Tibetan languages, to the public and thanked the two speakers for gracing the session.
“For the last 26 years, the Tibetan community has been waiting to see the release of the 11th Panchen Lama who remained disappeared from the eyes of the whole world since his abduction at the age of 6”, said Lobsang Sangay who called the religious leader “the world’s youngest prisoner of conscience”.
“For more than two decades, many governments including the United States, Canada, the European nations, have asked the Chinese government to reveal the Panchen Lama’s whereabouts and living conditions but every time they failed to gain reliable information”, continued Sikyong. Highlighting the efforts made by the United Nations, he stressed that “the United Nations organizations such as the UN Human Rights Council, the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance, Committee on the Rights of the Child, and Committee Against Torture have all enquired the Chinese government on the Panchen Lama’s fate in the past.”
Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay appealed to the Chinese Communist Party to prove their words right by showing us the Panchen Lama, his family members, and Chadrel Rinpoche, the head of the search committee who was imprisoned around the same time and urged the Chinese government to release the Panchen Lama and to allow him to participate in the religious activities to carry forward the legacy of the previous Panchen Lamas.
The virtual session was moderated by Ms. Dukthen Kyi, Section Head of the Human Rights Desk. The hour-long event ended with the vote of thanks from the moderator who thanked everyone for participating in the event, the speakers and the audiences, and the US-based National Endowment for Democracy for funding the Panchen Lama advocacy program and book publication project of the Human Rights Desk.
You can watch the event here.
– Filed by UN, EU, and Human Rights Desk/DIIR