US urges China to account for whereabouts of Tibet's 11th Panchen Lama

On the 33rd birthday of the 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the United States on Monday (local time) urged the People's Republic of China (PRC) to account for his whereabouts, who remains missing since 1995.

"Today marks the 33rd birthday of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, who remains missing since PRC authorities abducted him as a six-year-old child on May 17, 1995," US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

The PRC continues to deny members of the Tibetan community access to the Dalai Lama-designated Panchen Lama, the second most revered figure in Tibetan Buddhism, and instead continues to promote a state-selected proxy, said the statement.

"We urge PRC authorities to account for Gedhun Choekyi Nyima's whereabouts and well-being immediately and to allow him to fully exercise his human rights and fundamental freedoms, in line with the PRC's international commitments," the statement said.

According to the statement, the United States supports Tibetans' religious freedom and their unique religious, cultural, and linguistic identity, including Tibetans' right to select, educate, and venerate their own leaders, like the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, according to their own beliefs and without government interference.

After the death of the 10th Panchen Lama, Dalai Lama and his search party (in Tibet) started searching for the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama and finally on May 14, 1995, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, a 6-year-old boy in Tibet was recognized as the 11th Panchen Lama, reported Tibet Rights Collective.

However, things turned worst when the 6-year-old boy and his family were kidnapped on May 17.

For nearly 27 years, Tibetans have not seen their 11th Panchen Lama pictures. The Chinese officials have only given words to the world that Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family are doing well, reported Tibet Rights Collective.

Last Panchen Lama, the 10th Panchen Lama stayed back in the region after the revolt broke out between Tibet and Chinese officials. While he was in the region, he submitted a 70,000-word petition to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) which led to his arrest.

Dalai Lama, another head of the Gelugpa sect, took shelter in India and garnered international support, and made the people of the world aware of the atrocious acts that were happening in Chinese occupied Tibet.

( With inputs from ANI )