Where is the Panchen Lama?
Six year old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was kidnapped by the Chinese government in 1995 after he’d been recognised as the Tibet’s 11th Panchen Lama.
He became the world’s youngest political prisoner and has not been seen since.
He has now been missing for over 27 years!
Since his disappearance the Chinese government has repeatedly dismissed requests for his release and for full disclosure about the Panchen Lama’s location and well-being.
Resources
The Panchen Lama Today
The Panchen Lama (Tib: པཎ་ཆེན་རེན་པོ་ཆེ།) is one of the most important religious leaders in Tibet. The 10th Panchen Lama, a vocal advocate of Tibet cultural and identity, and he passed away mysteriously in 1989.
In 1995 Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama.
Just weeks later, on 17 May, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was ‘removed’ from his home by Chinese authorities, along with his family; he was just six years old.
In 2019 a forensic image of what Gedhun Choekyi Nyima might look today was been produced by a forensic artist, Tim Widden, who has worked on a number of missing people cases as part of the UK National Crime Agency.
Take part in 20 Actions to build more awareness about his important case.
By taking at least one simple action every month you will build more awareness about his Gedhun Choekyi Nyima’s case, and help press for his release.
25 years on, the search continues
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Chöekyi Gyaltsen, the 10th Panchen Lama 1938 – 1989
The Panchen Lama (Tib: པཎ་ཆེན་རེན་པོ་ཆེ།) is one of the most important religious leaders in Tibet. The 10th Panchen Lama, a vocal advocate of Tibet cultural and identity until he passed away mysteriously in 1989. In 1995 Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama.
Just weeks later, on 17 May, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was ‘removed’ from his home by Chinese authorities, along with his family; he was just six years old.
Show more background information
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was 6 years old in 1995 when he was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the 11th reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, one of Tibet most important religious leaders.
He was born on April 25, 1989 in central Tibet. As soon as he was recognized as the 11th Panchen Lama, Chinese authorities took him and his family into custody. Few other people, particularly Chadral Rinpoche, the head of the search party was arrested and sentenced for leaking his information to the Dalai Lama.
The Chinese government asserted its political motive into the reincarnation search by installing another young boy, Gyaincain Norbu as the 11th Panchen Lama. The replacement was kept in Beijing and recently given a political title in the Chinese government, equivalent to that of a member of parliament or congressmen. He was routinely asked to make propaganda statement for the Chinese government.
For twenty years, concerned people and human rights entities all over the world have urged the Chinese government to release the Panchen Lama to no avail. The whereabouts and wellbeing of the Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is a serious concern and the Chinese government should heed the call of devotees and supporters for his immediate release.
Missing since he was six-years old; is this what Gedhun Choekyi Nyima looks like at 30?