World Tibet Network News Monday, April 27, 1998

From: Tibet Culture & Information Centre, Moscow

April 27, 1998

Celebration, protest meeting and hunger strike on 25th April 1998 in Moscow, Russian Republics and regions on the occasion of the 9th birthday anniversary of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedun Choekyi Nyima.

In Moscow, on 25th April 1998 at 10 A.M. about 200 Russian citizens from Moscow and Republics of Buriatia, Kalmykia, Tuva and other regions of Russian Federation and Tibetans in Moscow assembled on the opposite of Chinese Embassy to celebrate the 9th birthday anniversary of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedun Choekyi Nyima, to protest China for His incommunicado detention and press for His immediate release. The meeting was addressed by Mr. Ngawang Gelek, Representative of H.H. the Dalai Lama and Cultural Councellor Geshe Thinley and Mrs. Dulma Shagdarova, General Secretary, Tibet Friendship Society, Moscow, Mrs. Balaban Natasha, Vice President, Moscow Lama Tsongkhapa Buddhist Centre and member Mr. Arkady, Dr. Professor Urbanaeva, Representative of Buddhists of Buriat Republic who expressed their deep concern on the safety of Panchen Lama and urged the Government of People's Republic of China, in strong terms, to release the young Panchen lama immediately.

After the meeting, the gathering of 200 Russians and Tibetans marched along the opposite side of Chinese Embassy with photographs of Panchen Lama, Tibetan National flags, placards and banners reading FREE PANCHEN LAMA AND SHOUTED SLOGANS-FREE PANCHEN LAMA AND FREE TIBET, LONG LIVE H.H.THE DALAI LAMA, CHINA OUT OF TIBET. After the protest march the participants gathered on the ground opposite to the Chinese Embassy and said prayers and recited mantras for the long life of H.H. the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama. Immediately after the prayer meeting about 130 Russian citizens led by Geshe Thinley began their first day of the Three Day All Russian Hunger Strike to press for immediate release of the 11th Panchen Lama.

On 25th April 1998 the birthday anniversary of Panchen Lama was observed in the traditional Russian Buddhist Republics of Kalmykia, Buriatya, Tuva and Buddhists in St.Petersburg, Omsk, Irkutsk, Chita, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, Ijevsk, Petropavlosk-Kamchatsky and Kazakstan as per latest report.

The press conference on 23rd April 1998 in connection with the birth of Panchen Lama and the main events of celebration and hunger strike from 25th to 27th April had received wide coverage and transmission on Russian TVs, radios and the press.

During the event literatures on Panchen lama, International Commission of Jurists report and China in Tibet-striking hard against human rights in Russian language were distributed. Moreover signature campaigns addressed to the UN Secretary General and the President of PRC for the release of Panchen Lama are being organised allover Russia.

Today on the concluding day of the hunger strike,the participants will gather near the Chinese Embassy gate and shout slogans and press for their demands.