US urges China to reveal whereabouts of Tibet's 11th Panchen Lama on his 33rd birthday

On the 33rd birthday of the 11th Panchen Lama which is on April 25, the United States has urged the People's Republic of China (PRC) on Monday to clarify his whereabouts, which has remained unknown since 1995. In a press statement, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price noted, "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". 

According to the statement, Ned Price revealed that the US has demanded an explanation of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima's whereabouts and well-being, and further urged to allow him full liberty to exercise his human rights and basic freedoms in accordance with the PRC's international obligations. 

Furthermore, Price stated that the PRC continues to deny Tibetans access to the Panchen Lama, the second most respected individual in Tibetan Buddhism, as identified by the Dalai Lama, and instead promotes a state-selected surrogate. 

In addition to this, Tibetans' religious freedom, as well as their unique religious, cultural, linguistic identity, are all supported by the United States, including Tibetans' right to choose, educate, and revere their own leaders, such as the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, as per to their own belief systems and without government meddling, according to the release.  

On May 17, 11th Panchen Lama was kidnapped

Following the death of the 10th Panchen Lama, the Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso and his search team in Tibet began looking for the Panchen Lama's reincarnation, and on May 14, 1995, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, a 6 years old Tibetan boy, was accepted as the 11th Panchen Lama, according to Tibet Rights Collective. Things took a turn for the worst on May 17, when the 6-year-old youngster and his family were abducted, ANI reported.  

Apart from the US, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has petitioned the Chinese government on Monday to release the 11th Panchen Lama and his family members, who have been held in Chinese detention for 27 years and have not been seen in public since. The CTA's plea comes with the 33rd birthday of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, PTI reported.  

The CTA claimed in a statement that it plans to convey a strong message to Beijing that despite China's efforts to remove Nyima from history, the globe has not forgotten about him. The CTA, also known as the Tibetan government-in-exile, said in the statement, “We call upon the Chinese government to rightfully allow the Panchen Lama and his family to live a free life they are entitled to under the international laws and treaties that China is obligated to,” PTI reported.  

Meanwhile, on the other hand, Chinese authorities have only told the world that Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family are doing well, according to Tibet Rights Collective.   

(Image: AP)