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World Tibet Network Weekly Digest 5/12-5/18 1995
Contents
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1. Weekly Summary
2. The Dalai Lama Recognizes New Panchen Lama
3. Contact with the Chinese Authorities Regarding the Search for the
Reincarnation of the Panchen Lama
4. Dalai Lama's confirmation of Reincarnation Invalid - Xinhua
5. Nepal Deports 53 Tibetan Escapees
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1. Weekly Summary
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This week, the Dalai Lama announced that the incarnation of the Panchen
Lama had been found. This announcement is the culmination of a five years'
search, a search made difficult due to lack of cooperation by the Chinese
government and due to the hindrances of conducting the search while the
Dalai Lama is in exile. Discovery of this Panchen Lama incarnation is
highly politicized as it tests the limits of "religious freedom" within
Tibet. Chinese authorities have refused to recognized the nomad child,
discovered in the traditional manner through the use of oracles and
auspicious signs. The Chinese governement insists that selection of the
Panchen Lama, and indeed of the Dalai Lama as well, have depended on the
approval of the Chinese central government since the Qing Dynasty.
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2. The Dalai Lama Recognizes New Panchen Lama
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Press Release from the Office of Tibet, New York City, USA
NEW YORK, 14 May - His Holiness the Dalai Lama has formally
recognized Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, a six-year-old boy born in Tibet, as the
true and authentic reincarnation of the Panchen Lama.
In his recognition letter, His Holiness said, "I have recognized
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, born on April 25, 1989, whose father is Konchok
Phuntsog, and mother Dechen Chodon, of Lhari in Nagchu, Tibet, as the true
reincarnation of the Panchen Lama."
The late Panchen Lama passed away in January 1989 at Tashi Lhunpo
Monastery, his traditional spiritual seat in Shigatse, Tibet's second
largest town. The Panchen Lama was the lama who stayed behind in Tibet
after the March 1959 Tibetan national uprising was suppressed by the
People's Liberation Army of China. In the early 1960's, the Panchen Lama
in a memorandum submitted to the Chinese government made a scathing attack
on the leftist policies pursued in Tibet. For this he was imprisoned for
nine years and eight months, most of it in solitary confinement.
With the introduction of Deng Xiaoping's policy of "liberalization,"
the Panchen Lama was "rehabilitated" and some of his earlier official
positions were restored to him. Till his passing away, the Panchen Lama
remained very active as the spokesperson for the Tibetan people under
Chinese rule, particularly for their cultural and religious rights. The
Panchen Lama kept in constant touch with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and
he was greatly admired and respected for his courageous and consistent
efforts for expanding the Tibetan peoples cultural and religious rights.
While announcing the recognition of the Panchen Lama's new
incarnation, His Holiness the Dalai Lama called upon the Chinese
Government to "extend its understanding, cooperation and assistance to the
Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in enabling Rinpoche to receive proper religious
training and to assume his spiritual responsibility."
His Holiness the Dalai Lama chose 14 May because this day is Vaisaki,
the day when the Buddha gave the Kalachakra teachings, which has special
connections with the Panchen Lamas of Tibet.
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3. Contact with the Chinese Authorities Regarding the Search for the
Reincarnation of the Panchen Lama
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On January 28, 1989, when the Panchen Lama passed away in Tibet, His
Holiness the Dalai Lama proposed to send a ten-member Tibetan religious
delegation to Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Shigatse and other areas in Tibet,
such as Lhasa, Kubum and Tashi-kyil, for the purpose of offering prayers
and performing Kalachakra ceremony for the late Panchen Lama.
The Chinese authorities rejected this request.
On March 21, 1991 the Chinese Government was informed through its New
Delhi Embassy, that His Holiness the Dalai Lama wished to assist in the
search for the authentic reincarnation of the late Panchen Lama. To
facilitate this, His Holiness had wished to send a delegation of high
lamas and observe prophetic visions in the lake which would guide the
delegation to find the genuine reincarnation.
Three months later the Chinese Government responded that there was no
need for outside interference in this matter.
On July 17, 1993 Chatral Rinpoche of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery sent
through Kalon Gyalo Thondup, a letter with offerings from Beijing
concerning the search for the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama. Chatral
Rinpoche is the head of the committee constituted by the Chinese
Government to search for the Panchen Lama's reincarnation.
On August 5, 1993, a reply had been forwarded to Chatral Rinpoche
through the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi inviting a delegation from the
Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, headed by Chatral Rinpoche, to visit India in
order to discuss the search for the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama.
There has been no response to this.
On October 17 and 18, 1994 during a meeting with a private Chinese
individual who has close ties with the Chinese Government, His Holiness
the Dalai Lama conveyed to the Chinese Government that he is still
awaiting a reply to the letter addressed to Chatral Rinpoche in August
1993. During this meeting His Holiness reiterated the importance of
carrying out a search for the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama through
strictly traditional religious procedures.
In January 1995 the same Chinese individual was reminded twice
about the above discussion regarding the reincarnation of the
Panchen Lama and requested to urge the Chinese authorities for an
early response.
To date, there has been no response.
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4. Dalai Lama's confirmation of Reincarnation Invalid - Xinhua
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Beijing, May 17 (Xinhua) - A spokesman from the Bureau of
Religious Affairs under the State Council issued a statement here
today in an interview with Xinhua with regard to Dalai Lama's act
in confirming the reincarnation of a Tibetan boy for Panchen Lama
in India. The full text of the statement is as follows:
On May 14, Dalai Lama suddenly declared, in India, a boy from
Tibet is the +reincarnated child of Panchen+. This fully
demonstrates the political plot of the Dalai clique in its
continuous splittist activities by making use of Panchen Lama's
reincarnation after repeated failures in its acts abroad aimed at
splitting the motherland".
It is know to all that both the titles of Dalai Lama and Panchen
Erdine of the gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism were conferred by
the Central Government of the Qing Dynasty.
Since the central government announced the system of lot-drawing
in the 57th year of the rein of Emperor Qian Long (1792), the
finding of reincarnated child for both Dalai and Panchen should
follow a religious ritual, under which, several potential
reincarnated children were located and the reincarnated child
would be selected through lot-drawing in front of the statue of
Sakyamuni. And then, the final choice should be forwarded to the
Central Government for approval. This has been a historical
convention and a fixed rule.
Danzim Gyaco ascended the holy throne for the 14th Dalai Lama in
1940 only under the approval of the central Government at that
time.
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the
State Council showed great concern over the location of the
reincarnated child for the 10th Panchen Erdini after his death in
1989.
On January 30, 1989, the State Council made decision which
stipulates that +matters concerning the location and confirmation
of the reincarnated child are subjected to the approval by the
State Council+, and made it known to the public. A searching team
composed of people from the Tibetan Buddhism circles has done a
great deal of work in accordance with religious rituals and
procedures, and has made major progress. Now the work is still
going on.
In disregard of fixed historical convention, undermining religious
rituals, disrupting the normal searching process, and negating the
supreme authority of the Central Government in the matter
concerning the reincarnation of Panchen Lama, Dalai Lama went so
far as openly announcing a +reincarnated child for Panchen Lama +
abroad. This is totally illegal and invalid. By doing so, he
will surely meet with strong opposition from people of the Tibetan
Buddhism circles and other believers.
Despite serious disruption from the Dalai clique, we still believe
that the Tibetan Buddhism circles will remove the obstacles and
accomplish this sacred Buddhist task for the reincarnation of the
10th Panchen Lama in accordance with the religious rituals and
procedures.
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5. Nepal Deports 53 Tibetan Escapees
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Source: Tibet Information Network / 7 Beck Rd London E8 4RE UK
In the last three weeks the Nepalese authorities handed 53
Tibetans including at least 12 children over to the Chinese
police after they escaped across the Himalayas from Tibet,
according to four Tibetans who reached Kathmandu yesterday.
The four had been among the a group of 33 Tibetans deported on
6th May but had escaped from police custody in Tibet a day later
after being imprisoned by the Chinese authorities and made to
work on a road gang.
The new deportations reverse policy of the last three years, by
which the Nepalese authorities have agreed that, in accordance
with international norms, Tibetan escapees will have their cases
assessed by UN officials in Kathmandu before being allowed safe
transit to India, which grants asylum to Tibetan refugees.
According to Yithen, one of the four deportees who managed to
make a second escape to Kathmandu, Nepalese police accepted
payment for the deportations. The Nepalese police who handed him
over together with 32 other escapees at the Chinese-Tibetan
border post of Kodari on 6th May came away from the Chinese
police post carrying towels, thermoses, clothes and shoes they
had been given, he said.
[...]
The apparent shift in policy towards Tibetan escapees comes only days
after the Nepalese Prime Minister Man Mohan Adhikari were turned from a
visit to Beijing where he told Party leaders that Nepal recognised China's
claims to Tibet. "The reason for the deportations may be a change in
behaviour by the police, the Prime Minister's visit to Beijing, or just an
attempt to please China," said another observer in Kathmandu.
- end of WTN Weekly Summary-
