Global community urges China to release 11th Panchem Lama

New Delhi [India], April 26 : On the occasion of the 34th birthday of the 11th Panchem Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the global community on Tuesday urged China to provide proof of life and account for his whereabouts.

Thirty Spsh senators called on the Chinese government on Tuesday to allow the Panchen Lama to exercise his fundamental freedom in accordance with the PRC's international commitments and call for the immediate release of the Panchen Lama, his family and all other Tibetan political prisoners, reported The Tibet Post.

The Spsh Senators said, "Tibet remains the third least free country in the world, tied with Syria and South Sudan. Tibet has been under the tight control of China for more than six decades. This type of repressive regime is best exemplified by the case of the Panchem Lama".

"We call on the Chinese authorities to allow him to fully exercise his fundamental freedoms, as established in the international commitments of the Chinese Communist Party. And we call for the prompt release of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his parents, immediately and unconditionally, together with all Tibetan political prisoners," the Senators added.

The Inter-Parliamentary Group for Tibet in the Spsh Senate demanded China provide proof of life and account for his whereabouts, reported Central Tibetan Administration.

The inter-parliamentary group for Tibet in the Senate was established and launched earlier in February this year at the initiative of Senator Robert Masih Nahar, and this is one of its first political activities.

US Republican Senator Jim McGovern also called the Chinese government to release Gedhun Choekyi Nyima.

"On his 34th birthday, I call on the Chinese government to release Gedhun Choekyi Nyimathe Panchen Lamaone of the highest positions in Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetans deserve to venerate their leaders without interference, and he and his family should be released immediately," tweeted McGovern.

Member of the European Parliament also asked whether the EU will adopt an official position on succession of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

In their joint statement on the 34th birthday of Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, Els Van Hoof, President and Samuel Cogolati, Vice-President, of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Belgian Federal Parliament condemned the Chinese government's interference in the selection and recognition of the reincarnation of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, reported Central Tibetan Administration.

They further stated that the system of recognising reincarnated spiritual beings is a religious practice unique to Tibetan Buddhism and should solely be the prerogative of the present Dalai Lama himself and no one else.

In addition, they also strongly support Tibetan people's right to freedom of religion, cultural and linguistic identity.

On the occasion of the 34th birthday anniversary of the 11th Panchem Lama, 11 Members of the European Parliament from across the political spectrum led by MEP Mikulas Peksa submitted a written question to the EU High Representative Josep Borrell over his release.

On the occasion, eleven MEPs, including Mikulas Peksa, Antoni Comin I Oliveres, Carles Puigdemont I Casamajo, Clara Ponsati Obiols, Miriam Lexmann, Marketa Gregorova, Fabio Massimo Castaldo, Reinhard Butikofer, Hannes Heide, Ausra Maldeikiene, Salima Yenbou, from across the political spectrum, have submitted a written question to the EU High Representative, Josep Borrell, asking whether he will raise the issue of the 11th Panchen Lama's enforced disappearance with his Chinese counterpart at the EU-China strategic dialogue and whether the EU will consider adopting an official position on the succession of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, similar to that of the US.

The Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) of the Central Tibetan Administration issued a statement on the 34th Birth Anniversary of the 11th Panchen Lama, and stated, " Today marks the 34th birth anniversary of one of Tibet's important religious leaders, the 11th Panchen Lama, who has been in Chinese custody for more than 27 years since he was initially abducted at six along with his entire family. What was meant to be a sacred and joyous day for Tibetans and Buddhists around the world to celebrate the birth anniversary of their religious leader has instead become a painful reminder of China's abduction and disappearance of the Panchen Lama."

Meanwhile, Tibetans in Toronto celebrated Panchem Lama's birthday, calling for his "immediate release."

Around 150 Tibetans in Toronto gathered at the Tibetan Canadian Cultural Centre to celebrate the 34th birthday of the 11th Panchem Lama, who was abducted in 1995 and they expressed their support for his immediate release.

Four Tibetan non-governmental orgsations in Dharamshala, Tibetan Youth Congress, and Students for a Free Tibet, Tibetan Women's Association and National Democratic Party of Tibet orgsed a prayer service for Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama of Tibet, in the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala on the occasion.

Tenzin Phakdon, an activist from Students for a Free Tibet said that they are celebrating the birthday to remind the world that a six-year-old boy was kept in prison by China. She called on the world to ask China about the whereabouts of the 11th Panchen Lama.

Speaking to , Tenzin Phakdon said, "Today we are celebrating the 34th birthday of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. The whole world doesn't know about his whereabouts except the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Xi Jinping because they captured him when he was six years old. He was actually recognized by the 14th Dalai Lama and since then he is imprisoned and for the last 28 years, we don't know about him."

The 11th Panchen Lama of Tibet will be 34 years old on April 25, 2023. He was abducted by the Chinese communist government at the age of six after His Holiness the Dalai Lama recognised him as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama. He has since disappeared and become the world's youngest political prisoner.