Tibetan Buddhists urged Indian Parliament to press on China to release The 11th Panchen Lama

A Special Event – Panchen Lama Awareness Initiative -was held in New Delhi to raise a greater awareness of the Tibetan spiritual leader’s work whilst calling for his immediate release.

Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, based in south India, in coordination with the India-Tibet Coordination Office in New Delhi launched the “Panchen Lama Awareness Initiative” at the Constitution Club of India. Distinguished dignitaries, including Indian parliamentarians, Buddhist representatives and Sikyong Penpa Tsering, President of the Central Tibetan Administration, MP Sujeet Kumar (Convener of All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum on Tibet); MP Sushil Kumar Modi (Former Deputy CM of Bihar); MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, MP Aneel Prasad Hegde, MP Chandeshwar Prasad and Rinchen Khando Khrimey (National Convener of Core Group for Tibetan Cause – India) addressed this special event on 5th December 2023 in New Delhi.

The Panchen Lama Awareness Initiative was planned to raise a greater awareness of the humanitarian and cultural issues surrounding the enforced disappearance of the Panchen Lama and work towards a consensus on his release.

His Eminence Zeekyab Rinpoche, Tenzin Thupten Rabgyal, Venerable Abbot of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.

In their addresses, the Indian Members of Parliaments condemned the illegal occupation of Tibet by Communist China and called for the immediate release of The 11th Panchen Lama from Chinese captivity, who has been missing since May 1995, days after the Dalai Lama recognised him as the reincarnation of the previous 10th Panchen Lama.

Sikyong Penpa Tsering in his address highlighted the significance of the previous 10th Panchen Lama detailing the important work carried out by Tibet’s second top spiritual leader and his sacrifices for Tibet and the Tibetan people. 

His Eminence Zeekyab Rinpoche read out the official statement on the occasion:

“Today, as the abbot Abbot of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, India, on behalf of the Tibetan people, Buddhist devotees of the Himalayan region, and all who champion human rights, religious freedom, the rights of children, and the millions of devotees of the Panchen Lama lineage, I stand before you with folded hands to make an appeal to the Parliament members of the Indian government and its people for your kind support in securing the re­lease of the 11th Panchen Lama from the grasp of the Chinese government.

I make this heartfelt appeal in the context of the dire situation in Tibet. The severe oppression and inhumane restrictions imposed on the Tibetan people, their movement, and their freedoms continued to worsen. The people of Tibet suffer in silence. Today, my primary appeal is for your help in the immediate release of the 11th Panchen Lama and addressing the long-standing plight of the Tibetan people in Tibet.

In 1989, when the 10th Panchen Lama passed away under suspicious circumstances the monks and devotees of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, both within and outside Tibet, implored His Holiness the Dalai Lama to recognise the genuine reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama, as per the reports of the search committee in Tibet. His Holiness, after scrutiny of these reports, declared the child Gedhun Choekyi Nyima from Nagchu Lhari county of Tibet as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama on May 14, 1995, and bestowed him the name Jetsun Tenzin Gedhun Yeshi Trinley Phuntsok Pal Sangpo.

However, just three days later, on May 17, 1995, the Chinese government seized the 11th Panchen Lama – then only 6 years old – from his home in Tibet, disregarding his rights. For 28 years, the world has not seen him nor has known of his whereabouts; even whether he is still alive or not. The Chinese government, in blatant disregard for the rights and sentiments of the Tibetan people and followers of the Panchen Lama lineage, imposed a false Panchen Lama – another child by the name Gyaltsen Norbu – who is today a puppet used by the Chinese government as its political tool.

Therefore, we strongly appeal to the honourable members of the Indian Parliament and the Indian people for your support and help on the following six-point-appeal:

1. We appeal to the Indian Parliament members to exert every possible effort and pressure on the Chinese government to immediately release the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who is now 34 years old. We request Indian Parliament members to take legislative measures that would enable Indian government officials to have access to meet the 11th Panchen Lama and verify his safety and health condition.
2. We appeal to the Indian Parliament members to honour Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, with an award in recognition of his unimagi­nable suffering during his 28 years in the Chinese government’s captivity.
3. We request the members of the Indian Parliament to publish a joint statement expressing concern on the 11th Panchen Lama’s current situation of enforced disappearance (signed by all the MPs).
4. We urge the Indian Parliament to adopt a resolution condemning the inter­ conference of the People’s Republic of China’s government in identifying reincar­nated Tibetan Buddhist leaders and installing them as part of its efforts to maintain control over Tibet, including the long-term enforced disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama, along with his entire family members.
5. We appeal to the Indian Parliament members to call for the immediate release of Jadrel Rinpoche, the head of the search committee for the reincarna­tion of the 10th Panchen Lama, and all political prisoners of Tibet. The dire situation in Tibet is evident by the self-immolation protests of over 158 Tibetans because of the Chinese occupation of Tibet. The recent self-immolation of 25-year-old Tsewang Norbu on 25th February 2022 and 81-year-old Taphun on 27th March 2022, starkly illustrates this cry for justice.
6. We appeal to the Indian Government and its people to extend support for the realisation of His Holiness’s vision of visiting Tibet and His commitment to resolve the Tibet issue through dialogue and the Middle Way Approach.

The “Panchen Lama Awareness Initiative” event was also attended by Tibetan MP Namgyal Dolkar Lhagyari and MP Ven Geshe Atong Rinchen Gyaltsen of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Advocate Tashi Gyalson, Chairman/Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC Leh, Shartse Khensur Jangchup Choeden Rinpoche, Secretary General, International Buddhist Confederation, Tibetan Representatives, Indian Friends of Tibet, and media friends. 

Sources:

Tashi Lhunpo Monastery: https://tashilhunpo.org/panchen-lama-awareness-initiative/

Central Tibetan Administraiton: https://tibet.net/tashi-lhunpo-monastery-appeals-indian-government-to-pressure-china-into-releasing-11th-panchen-lama-of-tibet/