By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, April 25: A statue of the 33rd King of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo, was unveiled today at the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lamas, in Bylauppee Tibetan settlement to mark the 27th birthday of the 11th Panchen Lama Gendun Choekyi Nyima, 21 years after his disappearance.
The Chief Guest for the modest function, Jhanpa Choeje (second in line for the Ganden Tripa’s seat) inaugurated the newly built statue outside the Tashi Lhunpo monastery.
Reportedly, it was the 10th Panchen Lama’s wish to build a statue of Songtsen Gampo in Lhasa, which remained unfulfilled due to Chinese occupation of Tibet.
Meanwhile, Tibetans in exile observed the day with Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) and Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) hosting a celebratory cake cutting ceremony here at the main square in McLeod Ganj.
To mark the 21st year since his enforced disappearance, Dolma Yangchen, President of TWA, said that they are celebrating the young Buddhist leader’s 27th birthday in absentia.
“It is sad to see him still captive but we must all continue to remember him and make efforts for his release. Since every Tibetans hold high regards for Panchen Lama and wish to see him free. So on this occasion I wish him on his birthday and pray for his release,” said Sonam Tsering, a Tibetan born in the same year as the Panchen Lama.
Along with the celebration, the NGOs also organized a signature petition addressed to Zhu Weiqun, Chairman of the ethnic and religious affairs committee to appeal for the Panchen Lama’s release.
On 6 September 2015, Norbu Dhondup, a senior official with the United Front Work Department of TAR claimed that Panchen Lama was living ‘a normal, happy life and receiving a good cultural education’ and that he ‘does not want to be disturbed.’
Addressing the media, Tsering Tsomo, Director of Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, said that failing to provide any concrete evidence of Panchen Lama’s health conditions, whereabouts and proof of life makes the Chinese government guilty of his enforced disappearance.
“The Chinese government can never hope to win the hearts and minds of the Tibetan people by using religion for political ends. The failure of the Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu, to command genuine devotion and loyalty from the Tibetan people attests to this fact,” she added.
On 17 May 1995, three days after the Dalai Lama recognized him as the 11th Panchen Lama, he and his parents disappeared. He was only 6-years-old, which made him the youngest political prisoner.
