By Thubten Samphel, Information Office, Dharamsala

To the United Nations China cites ill-health and to Tibetans "lost of political direction" for Chadrel's Rinpoche's demotion

DHARAMSALA, 25 May - The recent 6th Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee (CPPCC) of the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region ("TAR") stripped Chadrel Rinpoche, the Chinese-appointed head of the Panchen Lama search party, of his membership of the "TAR" CPPCC and of the vice-chairmanship of the "TAR" CPPCC, according to the Radio Lhasa broadcast of 22 May.

The "TAR" CPPC resolution which stripped Chadrel Rinpoche of these posts said, "Chadrel Jampa Trinlay broke major rules of the CPPCC, went against the fundamental stand of the nation, and lost his political direction. As such we have been given permission by the Central Chinese Communist Party to strip him of both his membership of the TAR CPPCC and of his post of the vice-chairman of the TAR CPPCC. In doing this, we have purged the CPPCC of bad elements and have made it clean, and we have managed to gain the support of the broad masses for the CPPCC in its stand to safeguard the unity of the motherland."

"In view of the intensified religious repression underway in Tibet, stripping Chadrel Rinpoche of these largely ceremonial posts is not surprising. This is another indication of the nervousness of the Chinese authorities," said Kalon Tashi Wangdi, the minister for the Department of Information and International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration.

"For the Chinese authorities Chadrel Rinpoche was an establishment figure, loyal and trustworthy. But his defiant and brave stand, and his refusal to be manipulated by the Chinese authorities in the search for the genuine Panchen Lama and that they could no longer use him as their moutpiece made the authorities totally disillusioned, and suspicious of every Tibetan of importance within the Chinese establishment," said Kalon Tashi Wangdi.

In the summer of last year, Chadrel Rinpoche was put under house arrest on suspicion of passing information to His Holiness the Dalai Lama which, according to the Chinese authorities, enabled him to recognize Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama.

Chadrel Rinpoche was relieved of the post of the head of the management committee of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the traditional spiritual seat of the Panchen Lamas of Tibet. He was also relieved of his post of the head of the search party for the Panchen Lama.

But in its official response to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, China officially gave another version for relieving Chadrel Rinpoche of his post at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. China told the Group, "Chadrel Rinpoche, the Living Buddha of Trashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, after leaving Beijing in mid-May 1995 on his way to Tibet, was suddenly taken ill and had to be hospitalized. Considering the fragile state of his health, the Managing Committee of the Trashilhunpo Monastery thought it best to relieve him of his function as the Administrator. He is at present under medical care."

How is it that China says one thing in its official broadcasts and another to the United Nations on the same person?