Moscow, Russia: – Friends and supporters of Tibet gathered at the Moscow House of Journalists on 27 April to commemorate the 26th birthday and the 20th anniversary of the abduction of the 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. The event was organized by the Center of Tibetan Culture and Information and the Tibet House in Moscow.
In his opening remarks, the honorary representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Russia and Mongolia, Telo Tulku Rinpoche reminded that on 14 May 1995, the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, was recognised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama. Within three days, the six year old boy was abducted by the Chinese authorities, thus making him one of the world’s youngest political prisoners. Since then, for 20 years Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family’s whereabouts remain unknown. “A number of human rights bodies including the UN Committee against Torture, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, as well as the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, have all called for the Panchen Lama’s whereabouts to be made known. However, China has turned a deaf ear to these pleas to allow contact with the Panchen Lama and continues to detain him,” said Telo Rinpoche. He called the Russian friends and supporters of Tibet not only to pray, but also to take action. One of the ways is to write letters to the corresponding Chinese and local authorities, spread the information about the situation with the 11th Panchen Lama and the issue of Tibet among other people using the social media etc. He also called to observe the International Solidarity Day with Tibet on 17 May.
Dr. Sergei L. Kuzmin from the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, author of the book ‘Hidden Tibet: History of Independence and Occupation’, spoke about the history of the relationship between the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas, the reincarnation system in Tibet, and the role of China in this system. According to him, historical evidence contradict claims by the Chinese government that China always took part in the recognition of the reincarnations of the highest Tibetan lamas. “The Golden Urn ceremony was indeed introduced by the Chinese emperors who were Buddhists themselves and had the relation of patron and priest with Tibet. The ceremony was meant to be the last resort in case of doubt, when it was hard to choose between several otherwise equal candidates. But in fact it was very rarely used”, said Dr. Kuzmin.
Mr. Viacheslav Toloknov from the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences made a short report on the preservation of the ethnical identity within the Tibetan diaspora in India. He pointed out that the term diaspora refers to a group of people who not only live outside their homeland, but who also had to leave their country involuntary and hope to come back one day. According to him, today there are approximately 120 thousand Tibetans living in India. Mr. Toloknov thinks that the Tibetan language is one of the most important factors for the preservation of the Tibetan identity. Though it is unlikely that the Tibetan language will disappear in the nearest future it is still at risk: inside Tibet the Chinese language forces out the Tibetan language in almost all areas of social life, most importantly in the education system; and outside Tibet the young people tend to simplify their everyday language, for example unnecessarily using words adopted from English, or Hindi, or other foreign languages. The other important factor of the Tibetan identity is the Tibetan Buddhist culture and the figures of the spiritual leaders, such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. In view of this it is crucial, says Mr. Toloknov, that the truth about the fate of the 11th Panchen Lama recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama is revealed, and that in future the Chinese authorities don’t interfere with the traditional process of searching for and recognizing the reincarnations in Tibet.
Mrs. Nadya Berkengeym, vice-president of the Tibet House in Moscow, presented a short video about the Panchen Lama, based on the archival footages and photos, produced by the Tibet House. Telo Tulku Rinpoche concluded the event with a short prayer dedicated to the 11th Panchen Lama, to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and to all those who suffered during the recent earthquake in Nepal, as well as to the benefit of all sentient beings.
– Filed by Office of Tibet, Russia –
