London, April 25 – Tibetans and human rights activists holds a candlelight vigil and protest outside the Chinese Embassy in London on the 17th birthday of one of the world’s youngest political prisoners – the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. The demonstration, organised by campaigns groups Tibetan Youth UK (TYUK) and Students for a Free Tibet UK (SFTUK), aims to highlight the lack of religious freedom in Tibet, and to free Gedhun Choekyi Nyima from China. Monks from Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Bylakuppe, India, who are on tour to UK, joined a vigil for the immediate release of the Panchen Lama.
“For the past eleven years Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, has been detained in Chinese custody at an undisclosed location. As long as the Chinese government continues to deny all requests from the United Nations and international governments to see him, his well being cannot be confirmed. At the same time, and despite a constitution that claims to allow citizens freedom of religious belief, Tibetan Buddhists have been deprived of their religious leader and denied the entitlement to exercise their own rights,” said Alli Barnes of SFTUK.
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima has been missing since 17 May 1995, three days after His Holiness the Dalai Lama recognised the then six-year-old as the true reincarnation of the late 10th Panchen Lama, the second most important spiritual leader of Tibet.
Alice Speller, National Coordinator of SFTUK said, “The Chinese governments’ continued detainment of the Panchen Lama is a clear violation of both domestic and international law. It is part of a longstanding campaign to use religion to tighten control over Tibetan people, by a government that associates Tibetan Buddhism with separatist sympathies. Under Chinese occupation, religious practice has been severely restricted – monasteries and nunneries have been razed, expulsions from these institutions have been widespread and Tibetan people have been jailed and tortured for their loyalty to the Dalai Lama.”
Despite repeated appeals to gain access to him, no international agency or human rights organization has been granted contact with the young Panchen Lama or his family. But on the other hand, the Chinese government has always been trying to win the recognition for their appointed Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu, often called as the "Chinese Panchen". At the recent World Buddhist Forum, the first ever held in China since 1949, the Chinese government displayed of their chosen Panchen Lama is an attempt to gain support from the Buddhist communities.
“We are here, as Gedhun Choekyi Nyima turns 17 in confinement, to demand that China release the young political prisoner and meet its claims to respect religious freedom in Tibet. The young Panchen Lama must be free to receive his traditional and religious studies that befit him. The relationship between the institutions of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama has to be preserved as an established custom for the future of Tibet. So, the safety and future of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is of serious concern” said Karma Chura-Tsang of TYUK.
Students for a Free Tibet UK and Tibetan Youth in UK strongly demand the Chinese government for the immediately and unconditionally release of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. We also call upon the international community to step up their support and pressure the Chinese government for the release of the Dalai Lama recognized the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima.
Note: TYUK & SFTUK has submitted their appeal letters to the Chinese Ambassador in London, Hon’ble Foreign Secretary and Minister for Children, UK Government for the immediate release of the 11th Panchen Lama.
For further contacts:
Students for a Free Tibet, UK
Tel: +44-7786982222
info@sftuk.org
www.sftuk.org
Tibetan Youth in UK
Tel: +44-7725501995
tibetanyouthinuk@yahoo.co.uk
www.tibetanyouthuk.blogspot.com
