Published by World Tibet Network News - Friday, December 1, 1995

Dharamsala, 1st December 1995

The atheist Chinese government has announced the name of a six year old child as the new Panchen Lama, despite the fact that His Holiness the Dalai Lama announced the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, Gendun Choekyi Nyima, a six year old boy, in May this year.

Gyaltsen Norbu, a six year old child from Lhari, in Nagchu, north-eastern Tibet was declared to be the new Panchen Lama.

The Chinese ceremony that was held to select the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama not only contradicted His Holiness the Dalai Lama but also defied Tibetan religious tradition.

This violation of religious freedom in Tibet should not be able to stand up in the 1990's. Chadrel Rinpoche, the previous head of the Panchen Lama Search Committee, who was accused of secretly colluding with His Holiness in the proclamation of Gendun Choekyi Nyima as the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, is still being detained by Chinese authorities.

The safety of Gendun Choekyi Nyima, the six year old reincarnation of the Panchen Lama is now seriously in doubt. The Chinese authorities have denounced the young Panchen Lama and his parents after five months of silence as to their whereabouts. The statement denouncing the boy stated that the boy had " once drowned a dog" and described his parents as "notorious for speculation, deceit and scrambling fame and profit", and declared that the family's attempts to "cheat the Buddha would not be allowed by all ordinary pious Tibetans".

We urge Tibet supporters to appeal to the following people to:

* demand the release of Chadrel Rinpoche;

* demand that the whereabouts of the Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his parents be made public, so as to ensure their safety.

* communicate to the Chinese government that they are violating the right to freedom of religion in Tibet, by interfering in the process of the selection of religious leaders, which is purely a religious matter;

1. President, Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Government

Gyaltsen Norbu Zhuxi

Xizang Zizhiqu Renmin Zhengfu

1 Kang'angdonglu

Lasashi 850000

Xizang Zizhiqu

People's republic of China

2. Director, Tibet Autonomous

Regional Department of Public Security

BAIMA Doji Tingzhang

Gong'anting, Linkuodonglu

Lasashi 850000

Xizang Zizhiqu 850000

People's Republic of China

3. Premier of the PRC

Li Peng Zongl

Guowuyua

9 Xihuangchengenbeijie

Beijingshi 100032

People's Republic of China (PRC)

Telexes: 210070 FMPRC CN or 22478 MFERT CN

Faxes: +86 1 512 5810

4. UN Special Rapperteur on Religious Intolerance

Mr. Abdelfateh Amor

Center for Human Rights

United Nations

8-14 Avenue la Paix

1211 Geneva 10

Switzerland

Human Rights Desk

Department of Information & International Relations

Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamsala 176 215 (H.P), India

Please contact the above address for further information regarding the Panchen Lama.