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http://www.phayul.com Tibetans observe the 25th birthday of the Panchen Lama with mixed feelings Bylakuppe / Dharamshala April 25: Tibetans in exile observed the 25th birthday of the 11th Panchen Lama -- one of Tibet's most important spiritual leaders -- with mixed feelings of joy and pain, as they noted the lack of any concrete proof from the Chinese government over the well being of the young lama who has been missing for nearly two decades. The 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, was only six years old when the Chinese government abducted the young lama, shortly after he was recognized by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama as the rightful incarnate of the Panchen Lama. Even after 19 years in custody, the Chinese authorities have refused to provide any verifiable information or proof of the physical and mental well being of the 11th Panchen Lama. "On one hand, it gives us immense joy that His Holiness the Dalai Lama was able to recognize the authentic reincarnation of the Panchen Lama. But this joy is profoundly undermined by the memory of the time when the Panchen Lama and his family were taken captive by the Chinese authorities," said Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the democratically-elected political head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). Sangay was speaking at the birthday celebration organized by the CTA's Regional Organizing Committee of His Serenity the 11th Panchen Lama at the Bylakuppe-based Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama. Both Sangay and Penpa Tsering, the Speaker of the Tibetan parliament in exile, were the guests of honor at the event, with Ganden Tri Rinpoche, the head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, as the chief guest. During the ceremony, the monks of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery led the Tibetan people in prayers for the well being of the Panchen Lama. In its official statement marking this auspicious occasion, the monastery expressed its gratitude to the Tibetan exile administration for leading the Tibetan people in observing this historic event. "This year, the CTA has organized this event to mark 25 years since the birth of the 11th Panchen Lama -- a much-needed endeavour on the part of the government given the political, spiritual and historical significance of the Panchen Lama," said Venerable Lobsang Dorjee, President of the Central Association for the Panchen Lama, Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. "Tibetans in Tibet and in exile welcome the CTA's move and are unified in our expression of gratitude to the CTA for this undertaking, and, without doubt, regard this as one of Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay's key achievements," he said. The monastery also thanked the individuals and organizations -- both governmental and non governmental -- that have relentlessly campaigned for the release of the Panchen Lama, as well as the parents of the Panchen Lama and Chadrel Rinpoche, the head of the Search Committee of the 11th Panchen Lama -- all of whom were taken into custody in 1995 and have been missing ever since. The monastery and Sangay were united in their plea to the global community to continue to urge the Chinese government to release the Panchen Lama. REMEMBERING THE 10TH PANCHEN LAMA In particular, they noted the extraordinary contributions and sacrifices made by the previous Panchen Lama for the Tibetan people and the Tibetan identity, including the 70,000 Character Petition which he penned and presented to Mao Zedong at the young age of 24. In the document, the Panchen Lama provided a detailed account of the Tibetan people's suffering under the Chinese rule, and sharply criticized the Chinese government's policies in Tibet. Sangay quoted from the previous Panchen Lama's 1962 petition: “I will certainly not allow any trace to be left in my history which would tarnish my reputation as a descendant of the hardworking and brave Tibetan nationality.” "He remained completely true to this vow," said Sangay. Despite suffering 14 long years of imprisonment and untold mental and physical torture, the Panchen Lama was unwavering in his crusade to improve the social, economic, political, and environmental conditions in Tibet and, most importantly, to promote and revive the Tibetan language, religion, and culture. The previous Panchen Lama passed away under mysterious circumstances at the age of 52, shortly after he gave a public speech in which he was openly critical of the Chinese government's repressive and destructive policies in Tibet. "The experiences of the previous and the current Panchen Lamas, undoubtedly, serve as strong testimony of the Chinese government's conscious and deliberate efforts to control every aspect of the Tibetan way of life, which, in effect, has and is still continuing to provoke the self-immolations protests," Tashi Lhunpo Monastery's Dorjee said. The birthday of the 11th Panchen Lama was marked by simultaneous ceremonies and prayer services in several parts of the Tibetan world, including in Dharamshala - the seat of the Tibetan exile administration where an official function was held at the Tsuglakhang courtyard. The official function was attended by Department of Religion and Culture Pema Chinjor, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Deputy Speaker of Tibetan Parliament in exile, officials from the Central Tibetan Administration, representatives from various non governmental organizations and institutes. Addressing the ceremony, Kalon Pema Chinjor said, “The commemoration of the 25th birthday of the 11th Kunzik Panchen Choekyi Nyima is an occasion of both joy and great pain. On one hand, it gives us immense joy that His Holiness the Dalai Lama was able to recognize the genuine reincarnation of the Panchen Lama. But this joy is profoundly undermined by the memory of the time when the Panchen Lama and his family were taken captive by the Chinese authorities.” Chinjor further said that recognition of the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama and other spiritual masters is a religious prerogative that falls solely within the domain of Tibetan spirituality and that Chinese Communist Party does not hold any right to identify and select any Tibetan spiritual leaders. The brief ceremony also observed a minute’s silence to pay respects to all the martyrs as prayers were offered by monks of Namgyal monastery. Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Deputy Speaker of Tibetan Parliament in exile said, “China has repeatedly said that Panchen Lama is alive, therefore it is the Chinese government’s responsibility to provide detail about the Panchen Lama to the Tibetans and the world.” Various non-governmental organizations here also carried out various activities marking the day. Visitors and the general public participated in a birthday cake - cutting event where they also wrote messages on a banner for the Panchen Lama. The event was jointly organized by the regional chapters of Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women’s Association and Students for a Free Tibet, India,. Geshe Monlam Tharchin, Member of Tibetan Parliament; Serta Tsultrim, Member of Tibetan Parliament and Tsering Wangchuk, senior researcher in the Kashag spoke at a panel discussion organized by the Tibetan Women’s Association - ‘The indomitable spirit of the 70,000 character petition’.
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