Panchen Lama's birthday celebrated

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On the occasion of the 13th birthday of the Panchen Lama, whose whereabouts are unknown since he was taken into Chinese custody seven years ago, the Tibetan community in McLeodganj today offered prayers for his long life safety and well-being.

With the 13th year in one's life being considered most inauspicious, the Tibetan community is worried for the safety of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who happens to be the youngest political prisoner in the world. The community, including monks, nuns, schoolchildren and officials of the exiled government attended the prayers held at the main temple outside the palace of the Dalai Lama.

A function was also organised by the Akhil Bhartiya Tibet Sahyog Manch on the occasion of the birthday of 11th Panchen Lama.

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Bay Area Tibetans and supporters commemorate Panchen Lama's Birthday

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San Francisco was shrouded in somber evening light, the sky downcast, wind chilly, as if mourning the continued captivity of 11th Panchen Lama, to commemorate whose 13th birthday some 50 Tibetans and Tibet supporters had turned up outside the Chinese consulate. From glossy color posters and black-and-white placards, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima stared into the occasional traffic while burning candles in the hands of protestors threw solemn shadows upon their features young and old. At the two ends of the protesting crowd, one elderly Tibetan and one Western friend each held a Tibetan national flag; in between them fluttered a long banner calling for Tibet's freedom written in bold Chinese characters.

"A child chosen by his people's collective destiny to be their spiritual leader, later marked out by Chinese politics for horrendous suffering and humiliation, this then is the story of Panchen Lama," said Topden Tsering, President of Bay Area Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC). "Another pawn in the greater chessboard of Chinese occupation of Tibet, it is over his tiny shoulders that China today wages its battle against Tibetan aspiration for religious and political freedom."

Topden Tsering pointed out to the gathering the recent releases from Chinese imprisonment of Ngawang Choephel, Chadrel Rinpoche and Tanak Jigme Sangpo and said there was no reason why if the pressure on China was kept up Panchel Lama's release couldn't be secured sooner or later. "It's just a matter of holding on to hope. And hope has an amazing capacity to defy all odds, however daunting they might appear."

Taking on the mike next, Giovanni Vassallo from Bay Area Friends of Tibet (BAFT) condemned the Chinese government for its blatant interference in Tibet's religious tradition and called upon the international community to express its outrage against such injustice that has become an everyday reality for Tibetans everywhere. "It is in China's best interest to negotiate over Tibetan freedom with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Only China stands to lose the most if it fails to recognize the incredible friend it has in His Holiness."

Tenzin Woeser and Ugyen Tsering from Tibetan Association of Northern California (TANC) renewed the pledge on behalf of Tibetan community here to intensify campaigns for Panchen Lama's release in particular and Tibet's freedom in general. The protestors chanted Om Mani Pedme Hum, recited Prayer of Truth, and shared a common anxiety over the plight of the 13-year-old Panchen Lama whose whereabouts remains unknown seven years after his abduction in

By the time the candle light vigil was over, a glossy Free Panchen Lama poster stared from the opposite end, plastered onto the door of the Chinese consulate by one of the daring protestors. Even if for one night, China had its conscience knocking at its gate, that in the full view of San Francisco traffic.

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Panchen Lama's Birthday in India

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Activities in Delhi To follow up International Tibet Support Network Panchen lama campaign, Himalayan Committee For Action On Tibet has organise a prayer to mark the 13th birthday of of Panchen Lama shri Gendhun Choekyi Nyima at Gandhi Samadhi, Rajghat on 25th April'2002.. Prayer was participated by monk from Ladakh, member of Himalayan Committee for Action on Tibet and leaders from Tibetan communities and Indian support groups.In a press statement it demanded immediate release of Panchen Lama shri Gedhun Choekey Nyima.

Activities in Meerut Anter-Rashtriya Bharat-Tibet Sahyog Samiti has organised Prayer meeting for immediate release of Panchen Lama ( Gendhun Choekyi Nyima) on his 13th birthday. It was organise at the office of Kalyanam Karoti, Meerut (Uttar Pradesh) in India. Prayer was offered to the photo of Panchen Lama.

The Public meeting was chaired by Ms. Shakuntala Goyal, freedom fighter. Prominent speaker among others were Shri K.B.Bakshi ( Chairman, Kalyanam Karoti and President of Anter-Rastriya Bharat- Tibet Sahyog Samiti), Dr. K.C.Gupta, Shri Deepak Sharma and Dr.

Kuntal Aggarwal. The speakers strongly criticize the imprisonment of the youngest political prisoner. They highlighted the continuous human rights violation in Tibet and not accepting the Dalai Lama's proposal for unconditional dialogue. They urged Government of India to take initiative for unconditional dialogue between Dalai Lama and People's Republic of China.

Later it passed a resolution urging Government of India to put pressure on Government of China for release of world youngest Political Prisoner Gendhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama of Tibet.

Manoj Kumar Co-covenor, Panchen Lama Sub Committee- ITSN Co-ordinator, India Programme,TPPRC, New Delhi