By Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, June 28: Beijing-appointed 11th Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu (Gyaincain, in Chinese) known widely as the “fake Panchen” is set to visit monasteries, in what is seen as a politically motivated event, in the capital city of Lhasa and will be undertaking a series of classes on Tibetan Buddhism after concluding his 13-day visit to Chamdo on Saturday, according to the Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua.
Before touring Chamdo, he was also reported to have visited Gyalthang County in Yunnan Province, Lithang, Bathang and Dhapa counties in Sichuan Province and Markham County in TAR.
Last year in August, Gyalsten Norbu grabbed headlines for pushing the Chinese claim on Tibetan Buddhism with Chinese characteristics, a vision that President Xi Jinping wants to enforce in Tibet. “Tibetans must be grateful to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),” he stated. During his visit to Lhoka city on August 2, Gyaltsen Norbu said, “Tibetans are the happiest people in the world. Without the Communist Party of China, there would be no achievements made today, and without the Communist Party of China, there would be no bright future. Therefore, we must be grateful to the Party, listen to the Party, and follow the Party.”
According to various reports, before his visit to Kham, Chinese authorities have previously warned Tibetans to turn up to welcome and receive blessings from him or face punishment or promising them 100 yuan each for turning up to welcome and pay obeisance to him.
Gyaltsen Norbu’s appointment as the 11th Panchen Lama by China since 1995 has been viewed to exert control over the selection process of high-ranking Tibetan religious figures and to undermine the influence of the Dalai Lama. Since his appointment, China has made efforts to gain recognition and acceptance from the Tibetan people whose efforts have largely failed as the Tibetan see the Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama as lacking legitimacy.
Currently, he is a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, and president of the association’s Tibet branch.
In a rare admission, a Chinese authority in 2015 said that the Panchen Lama recognized by the Dalai Lama is alive. On September 6, 2015, Norbu Dunzhub, a member of the Tibet Autonomous Region’s United Front Work Department told reporters, “The reincarnated child Panchen Lama you mentioned is being educated, living a normal life, growing up healthily and does not wish to be disturbed.”
The 11th Panchen Lama Gendun Choekyi Nyima was recognized as the reincarnation of his predecessor by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on May 14, 1995. Days later, the Dalai Lama endorsed candidate was abducted by China from his home and have never been seen since.
Gendun Choekyi Nyima is considered the true reincarnation of the 11th Panchen Lama as opposed to the Chinese appointed Gyaltsen Norbu who currently holds the mandate of only the Chinese Communist Party, of which he is a member.
One Response
Poor Gyaltsen Norbu! He is just mouthing China’s Communist Party’s propaganda. If Tibetans are the happiest people in the world under China’s occupation, why are they trying to escape from Tibet?
Where is Gedun Choekyi Nyima, the true reincarnation of the previous Panchen Lama, who was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama? The world wants to know where Gedun Choekyi Nyima is? Don’t give an excuse that he does not want to be disturbed. The world is not so stupid and naive. Let us see the real Panchen Lama.