Letters to the Panchen Lama
Photo: SFT Facebook
Tibetans in exile haven’t forgotten about the Tibet’s missing lama. Every year, they mark the Panchen Lama’s birthday and call for his release despite the Chinese government showing a deaf ear. This year marks the twenty first anniversary of the enforced disappearance of six year old Gendhun Choekyi Nyima.
Tibetan non-government organisations (NGOs) in Dharamshala join forces with the exile Tibetan government in calling for justice and for the attention of the international community to the Panchen Lama’s plight.
The three NGOs: the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC); Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) and the Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) jointly organised an event Letters to the Panchen Lama in the main square in Mcleod Ganj. Tibetans and supporters wrote messages to His Holiness the Panchen Lama as well as letters to the Chinese government demanding the Panchen Lama’s release. The NGOs also organised the Run for the 11th Panchen Lama, an open marathon race.
“The disappearance of Panchen Rinpoche at the age of six is one of the most heartbreaking news that Tibetans have to face. But we have not given up hope and will continue to resist till China gives an answer on his whereabouts,” said Tenzin Tselha, SFT India’s National Director
Forty seven Tibetans from around India participated in a cycle rally, Cycle Rally for the Panchen Lama, which aims to spread awareness about the Panchen Lama’s abduction by the Chinese government and also to highlight the critical situation of Tibetans in Tibet living under the hardline policies of the Chinese government. The six –day rally started in Dehradun on May 17, the day Panchen Lama was abducted in 1995, and will end on May 23 in Delhi. It was organised by the (TYC), one the largest Tibetan NGOs in exile. TYC is demanding the Chinese government to give concrete evidences that the Panchen Lama recognised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama is alive. They are also appealing to the United Nations and international communities to put pressure on the Chinese government to provide proper information on the case.
Cycle Rally from Dehradun to Delhi
Photo:TYC Facebook
The Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) of the Tibetan exile government has organised a drawing and essay writing competition at Sherab Gatsel Lobling, a school for newly arrived Tibetans from Tibet to mark the anniversary, with the theme Remembering 21 years of Enforced Disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. A documentary film on the Panchen Lama’s disappearance Tibet’s Stolen Child was also screened to the students and teachers at the school.
The Indo-Tibet Friendship Association together with Indian Tibet Support groups based in Dharamshala hosted a discussion 21 years of Enforced disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. The educationist and author Professor PN Sharma and Ms Kalden Tsomo from the Department of Information and International Relations of the exile government were guest speakers at the event.
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is 27 years old this year. He was born in Lhari County in Tibet and was recognised as the 11th Panchen Lama in 1995 by the exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Three days later, the six years old boy along with his parents was abducted by Chinese officials. Since then China has been ignoring the protests and pleas to provide details about them.
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