Days before his 90th birthday, the 14th Dalai Lama declared that the institution of the Dalai Lama would continue, and only the Gaden Phodrang Trust, based in India, has the sole authority to recognise his successor. The Tibetan spiritual leader said, “no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter.”
In response, China’s Foreign Ministry said that the succession “must comply with Chinese laws and regulations as well as religious rituals and historical conventions.”
China’s record on Panchen Lama raises concern
The Dalai Lama’s announcement once again brings attention to China’s longstanding interference in Tibetan religious matters, most notably the case of Gendun Choki Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, who disappeared in 1995 after being recognised by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the second-highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism.
Gendun Choki Nyima was taken into custody by Chinese authorities on May 17, 1995, three days after his recognition. He was only six years old at the time and has not been seen in public since. According to Human Rights Watch, his case remains one of the world’s longest unresolved enforced disappearance cases.
Recognition and disappearance
Gendun Choki Nyima was born on April 25, 1989, in Lhari County, Tibet Autonomous Region. On May 14, 1995, the 14th Dalai Lama declared him the 11th Panchen Lama, a position traditionally considered second in importance only to the Dalai Lama within Tibetan Buddhism. Soon after the recognition, the boy and his family disappeared. Since then, Chinese authorities have declined repeated requests to confirm their location or condition. The government has only offered unverified statements claiming the child is “living a normal life” and “does not want to be disturbed.”
International pressure for clarity on his status continues, with calls from governments, rights groups, and the United Nations.
Importance of the Panchen Lama
The Panchen Lama is historically tasked with helping identify the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, making the position both spiritually and politically sensitive. The title was formalised by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century, and the Panchen Lama has traditionally been based at Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse.
China’s alternative Panchen Lama
In 1996, China appointed Gyaincain Norbu as the official Panchen Lama. His parents were reported to be members of the Chinese Communist Party. The appointment was widely rejected by Tibetans and international observers, who see it as an attempt to control Tibetan religious institutions.
“The Chinese government kidnapped a 6-year-old and his family and have disappeared them for 30 years to control the selection of the next Dalai Lama and thus Tibetan Buddhism itself,” said Yalkun Uluyol, China researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Concerned parties should press the Chinese government to end this cruelty and secure the freedom of Gendun Choki Nyima and his family.”
Surveillance and suppression in Tibet
Jadrel Rinpoche, the senior monk who led the search for the Panchen Lama, was also detained along with more than 30 monks. Their whereabouts remain unknown. According to the Dalai Lama, Beijing has steadily tightened its control over Tibet, especially since 2008. Human Rights Watch reports widespread surveillance, restricted movement, forced relocations, and punishment for even mild dissent.
Mandarin Chinese is required in schools, traditional Tibetan lifestyles are being discouraged, and foreign communication is penalised.
China’s control over reincarnations
In 2007, Chinese authorities passed new regulations stating that all reincarnated Tibetan lamas must be born within China and receive government approval. High-ranking reincarnations must also be selected using the “Golden Urn,” a lottery method from the 18th century that was rarely used in Tibetan tradition before being mandated by the state.
As the Dalai Lama’s succession draws nearer, the global debate over who controls Tibetan spiritual leadership is likely to intensify. Human Rights Watch and other organisations continue to call for transparency, religious freedom, and an end to enforced disappearances in Tibet.
(With inputs from TOI, NYT and HRW)
In response, China’s Foreign Ministry said that the succession “must comply with Chinese laws and regulations as well as religious rituals and historical conventions.”
China’s record on Panchen Lama raises concern
The Dalai Lama’s announcement once again brings attention to China’s longstanding interference in Tibetan religious matters, most notably the case of Gendun Choki Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, who disappeared in 1995 after being recognised by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the second-highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism.
Gendun Choki Nyima was taken into custody by Chinese authorities on May 17, 1995, three days after his recognition. He was only six years old at the time and has not been seen in public since. According to Human Rights Watch, his case remains one of the world’s longest unresolved enforced disappearance cases.
Recognition and disappearance
Gendun Choki Nyima was born on April 25, 1989, in Lhari County, Tibet Autonomous Region. On May 14, 1995, the 14th Dalai Lama declared him the 11th Panchen Lama, a position traditionally considered second in importance only to the Dalai Lama within Tibetan Buddhism. Soon after the recognition, the boy and his family disappeared. Since then, Chinese authorities have declined repeated requests to confirm their location or condition. The government has only offered unverified statements claiming the child is “living a normal life” and “does not want to be disturbed.”
International pressure for clarity on his status continues, with calls from governments, rights groups, and the United Nations.
Importance of the Panchen Lama
The Panchen Lama is historically tasked with helping identify the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, making the position both spiritually and politically sensitive. The title was formalised by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century, and the Panchen Lama has traditionally been based at Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse.
China’s alternative Panchen Lama
In 1996, China appointed Gyaincain Norbu as the official Panchen Lama. His parents were reported to be members of the Chinese Communist Party. The appointment was widely rejected by Tibetans and international observers, who see it as an attempt to control Tibetan religious institutions.
“The Chinese government kidnapped a 6-year-old and his family and have disappeared them for 30 years to control the selection of the next Dalai Lama and thus Tibetan Buddhism itself,” said Yalkun Uluyol, China researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Concerned parties should press the Chinese government to end this cruelty and secure the freedom of Gendun Choki Nyima and his family.”
Surveillance and suppression in Tibet
Jadrel Rinpoche, the senior monk who led the search for the Panchen Lama, was also detained along with more than 30 monks. Their whereabouts remain unknown. According to the Dalai Lama, Beijing has steadily tightened its control over Tibet, especially since 2008. Human Rights Watch reports widespread surveillance, restricted movement, forced relocations, and punishment for even mild dissent.
Mandarin Chinese is required in schools, traditional Tibetan lifestyles are being discouraged, and foreign communication is penalised.
China’s control over reincarnations
In 2007, Chinese authorities passed new regulations stating that all reincarnated Tibetan lamas must be born within China and receive government approval. High-ranking reincarnations must also be selected using the “Golden Urn,” a lottery method from the 18th century that was rarely used in Tibetan tradition before being mandated by the state.
As the Dalai Lama’s succession draws nearer, the global debate over who controls Tibetan spiritual leadership is likely to intensify. Human Rights Watch and other organisations continue to call for transparency, religious freedom, and an end to enforced disappearances in Tibet.
(With inputs from TOI, NYT and HRW)
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