The Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan on Monday called on Beijing to provide details on the 11th Panchen Lama, who was kidnapped by the Chinese government 26 years ago.
The 11th Panchen Lama, born Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, was abducted along with his family by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1995 when he was six years old.
In the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism that is practiced in Tibet, the Panchen Lama is responsible for seeking out the next reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, and his authority is second only to the Dalai Lama.
Photo copied by Chen Yu-fu, Taipei Times
Network founder Tashi Tsering said no information about Gedhun or his family has been revealed since their abduction.
“The only picture we have of him is from when he was six, just before he was kidnapped. He’s the youngest political prisoner in history worldwide,” he said.
Tibetan government-in-exile representative to Taiwan Kelsang Gyaltsen Bawa said Beijing should release Gedhun to reduce his suffering amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kelsang also expressed hope for Taiwanese to weather the pandemic unharmed.
“In the past, human rights groups and Buddhists called for the unconditional release of the 11th Panchen Lama, but the Chinese government always lied. They said he was living a healthy, happy life and didn’t want to be disturbed,” Kelsang said.
Gedhun’s case is the longest-running enforced-disappearance case on record at the UN, he said, adding that the UN Human Rights Council has unsuccessfully appealed to Beijing several times for visitation rights to see Gedhun.
The US Department of State on April 22 said in a news release that “we respect 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.”
A report by the UN’s Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances on Dec. 8 last year said Gedhun’s kidnapping “violates the religious traditions and customs of Tibetan Buddhists,” and called on China to explain its actions, Taiwan Association for Human Rights secretary-general Shih Yi-hsiang (施逸翔) said.
China responded one month later, saying it was unable to confirm the whereabouts of Gedhun, he said.
“This is something the whole global community should be concerned about. China should release Gedhun at once and provide a comprehensive report to the UN’s human rights bodies,” Shih said.
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