Published by World Tibet Network News - Saturday, 2 December 1995

Department of Information and International Relations Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamsala, India

Tempa Tsering, Secretary

For immediate release December 2, 1995

CHINA'S CHOICE OF RIVAL PANCHEN LAMA CONTRADICTS ITS OWN POLICY

200 FRENCH MPS ADOPT GEDHUN CHOEKYI NYIMA AS YOUNGEST PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE

DHARAMSALA, 2 December - It has turned out that the parents of the rival Panchen Lama whom Communist China has imposed on the Tibetan people are dedicated Communist Chinese Party members. This shows that for the sake of political expediency Communist China is willing to compromise even its own policy and the political ideology.

The fact is not only is Communist China anti-religious but it has repeatedly proclaimed in Tibet in recent times that Tibetan cadres must remain atheist upon pain of punishment according to Party rule. It also proclaimed that Tibetan parents should reject any recognition of their sons as reincarnations of Lamas. Such a weird sense of respect for Tibetan people's religious freedom show that Communist China's religious policy has become totally bankrupt.

China claimed on 28 November that the mother of the late Panchen Lama, 79-year-old Sonam Dolma, a Vice-Chairman of TAR CPPCC, spurned the Dalai Lama's choice. This is not true. In fact, in October this year, she told a leader of China's United Front Department that since there could be only one Panchen Lama, she being of old-age, would like to go to Dharamsala to meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama over the issue. But she was not allowed to go.

The Chinese actions have provoked world-wide condemnations. Over two thousand Tibetans staged a demonstration today, raising slogans such as "Only His Holiness the Dalai Lama Can Recognise the Panchen Lama's Reincarnation", "How Can We Accept a Religious figure imposed on Us by the Enemies of the Faith?", "China Stop Interfering in Tibetan Religion", and "Reincarnation is Purely a Religious Matter, Not a Political Issue".

Two hundred members of the French Parliament issued an official protest today against the Chinese actions. They expressed support for Gedhun Choekyi Nyima whom they all agreed to sponsor as the youngest political prisoner of conscience.