Tibetan Buddhists remember 11th Panchen Lama on his day of China - enforced disappearance

New Delhi, May 18: Tibetans, Buddhists, and Tibet supporters around the world mark today (May 17), as the 27th anniversary of the Chinese govt's enforced disappearance of Tibet’s 11th Panchen Lama . Along with the Panchen Lama, his entire family as well as Chadrel Rinpoche, the head of the search committee to find the reincarnated Panchen Lama, were also abducted and disappeared.

 

 

 

 

The solemn event of 11th Panchen Lama's China enforced disappearance reminds the community of the fact that the Panchen Lama’s disappearance remains one of the longest standing cases of enforced disappearance in the world today. According to Tibet govt's media reports, number of countries, parliaments and organizations, including the United States, Australia, the European Parliament, the French Parliamentary Friends of Tibet, and many others, immediately expressed their concerns following the Panchen Lama’s disappearance. It is to be noted here, that the reports do not mention India here, since the 1995 PV Narsimha Rao led Indian govt had not actively raised flags about such major incident.

 

In 1995, at the age of six, the Panchen Lama, one of the most revered religious leaders of Tibetan Buddhism, was abducted by the Chinese authorities. Three days before his abduction, on May 14 1995, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama recognized Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as the 11th Panchen Lama. Since then he has remained unheard of and unseen by the world.

 

 

 

 

 

Addressing the UNSC, the reports state that the continued disappearances of the Panchen Lama, his family members and Chadrel Rinpoche is not only a violation of civil rights of individuals but also an infringement of the collective rights of the Tibetan people since the right to appoint a religious leader is recognized by the international law as an essential aspect of freedom of religion and belief. The reports further mention that the Chinese govt's sham appointment of another boy as their own Panchen Lama serves as confirmation that it intends to interfere and manipulate in the selection of the next Dalai Lama.

 

Attacking China, the reports further state, "the Chinese govt must respect and uphold their international obligations through the numerous treaties they have signed and ratified over the years and also enshrined in their constitution. It is imperative that the Chinese govt must immediately and unconditionally disclose the exact location and well-being of the Panchen Lama, as well as restore the Panchen Lama to his rightful place and provide him with proper traditional religious education, as befitting his position as a prominent religious figure." The Tibetan govt also called upon the Chinese govt to stop interfering in the religious practices of those living under its regime, including Tibetan Buddhists, Uyghur Muslims, and Christians.

 

 

-- Source, Tibet.net