Dharamsala, April 23 – The National Democratic Party of Tibet, the Regional Tibetan Women’s Association and the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress have appealed to the United Nations Commission for Human Rights and the Child Rights Committee to pressurise China so that the eleventh Panchen Lama, who has been held prisoner since 1995, is released.
In a joint statement issued here today, these organisations said the Panchen Lama, who turns 15 on April 25, was incarcerated on May 14, 1995, three days after he was recognised as the eleventh Panchen Lama. He was only six years old at that time. Thus he became the youngest political prisoner.
They demanded that China should allow UN members and other human rights activists to have an audience with the young Panchen Lama to confirm his well-being.
Acharya Yeshi Phunstok, president of the National Democratic Party of Tibet, said for the past nine years, despite all efforts , there was no news about the welfare of the young Panchen Lama and his parents.
