GJM state plan has tribals too

In a U-turn, the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha on Sunday said it was withdrawing its proposal for an interim set-up, scheduled to be taken up at the next tripartite meeting and wanted a separate state.

GJM chief Bimal Gurung told a rally at a school campus, five km from here, that they would henceforth carry on the movement for a separate state which would be known as the ‘Gorkha-Adivasi Parishad’ and not Gorkhaland.

The new pradesh will include the Terai region, the entire Dooars region and Siliguri, the GJM leaders announced.

The demand will be placed formally before the Central government soon, Bimal Gurung, president of the Morcha announced.

Among others who addressed the rally were Amar Lama, Roshan Giri, Harka Bahadur Chetri, Benoy Tamang, all Morcha central committee members, and Jaswant Singh, Darjeeling MP, who is all set to re-join BJP.

“The new state will have Gorkhas and Adivasis in it and for this we have talked to the Adivasi Kalyan Parishad of North Bengal. They have agreed to our proposal and we have told them that while we will have the state headquarters at Darjeeling, a branch of the headquarters will be set up at Jalpaiguri too,” Gurung said at the rally that was attended by about one lakh people.

Jaswant Singh, who came to Darjeeling about one month back and got a very lukewarm reception from the Morcha, said that he was in favour of Gorkhaland Adivasi Pradesh. “My support for this legitimate demand of the people of Darjeeling will remain,” Singh said.

The GJM has also called off the 10-day bandh it had called from June 12 to June 21. “The people of the hills have suffered a lot following the death of Madan Tamang and that is why we cancelled this bandh,” Gurung said.

The central committee of the Morcha will meet on June 14 and will decide on its next course of action, according to the Morcha leaders.

Tibetans living-in-exile surprised over China’s opposition to Dalai Lama’s visit

Gangtok, Sep 17 (ANI): Members of the exiled Tibetan community living at Gangtok said China’s opposition to the Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh is “surprising”.

The Dalai Lama plans to visit Arunachal Pradesh soon. China has claimed part of Arunachal as its territory.

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader’s aide said the Dalai Lama would be in Arunachal Pradesh state in the second week of November.

The intended visit has already sparked off controversy. China claims about 90,000 sq km of Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory.

The Dalai Lama’s travel plan was announced a week after the completion of his visit to Taiwan, a self-ruled island claimed by Beijing. China denounced the trip.

“This time round when they (Chinese Authorities) are making some kind of pressure or some kind of opposition to the upcoming visit of his holiness to Arunachal Pradesh it is really very surprising.

Why would they complain when the government of India has no problem in his holiness visiting Arunachal Pradesh? So why should people of republic of china have some problem?” said Zimba Bhutia, Tibetan youth committee member.

“Chinese authorities have always been against the trip of Dalai Lama. So I think that they should know why Dalai Lama has been there. Dalai Lama has been welcomed by the people of Arunachal Pradesh as the spiritual and a Buddhist monk,” said Dhondup Dorjee, Tibetan welfare officer of Sikkim.

A visit to Arunachal Pradesh could now draw further attention to China’s treatment of Tibetan activists and the Dalai Lama’s calls for cultural and religious freedoms and autonomy. (ANI)

After Ladakh, Chinese incursions now reported in Uttarakhand

Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Sep.13 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has reportedly informed the Central Government about possible incursions by the Chinese in his state.

Pokhriyal, quoting reports from locals in Rimkhim in Chamoli district, said the Chinese entered the state on September 5 and left behind biscuit packet wrappers and cigarettes.

He informed both Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Home Ministry about this development and sought their help in curbing what he calls frequent incursions in his state.

He said, “We have shared the information with the Centre and we have demanded for more patrolling force at the Indo-China border.”

About a fortnight ago that the Chinese had ventured as far as the Pangong Lake in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir. According to reports, Chinese military helicopters had air dropped food packets in the region.

In another provocation, Chinese troops entered 1.5 kilometres into Indian Territory near Mount Gya-recognised as International border by India and China. Chinese troops painted rocks, boulders in Indian Territory red and labeled them “China”. The Chinese Government, however, has denied this charge through its foreign ministry.

Private television channel TIMES NOW quotes the Leh Deputy Commissioner as mentioning in a letter every instance of Chinese incursion and threats to sheperds in the region. The letter states that the Chinese are not only disputing territory, they are actually claiming the land as their own.

China has also raised a stink over proposed visit to Tamang in Arunachal Pradesh by Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. (ANI)

Popular sculpting statue in Sikkim

Gangtok, Sep 3 (ANI): An art school is preserving the oldest form of traditional and religious art of statue making, influenced by Buddhist teaching in Sikkim.

The Traditional Arts School for Thangka Painting at 5th mile, a half an hour drive from state capital Gangtok, is under the supervision of Ecclesiastical Affairs Department, Government of Sikkim. The school is exclusively for the monks (boys).

Monks from different monasteries located throughout the state come to the institute and learn the art free of cost.

The school was started as a separate branch of Enchey School, which was a monk school then in 1909 for teaching the art of statue making to monks at the time of Chogyal (King).

However during 1950s, the school came under the Ecclesiastic Affairs Department.

Ndar Lama, an instructor at the Vocational Arts School, Gangtok, revealed that the art of making the statues came from Bhutan.

However, to popularise the art among local monks, the state government felt the need to set up one institute in Sikkim, Lama said.

“The art of making this mud statue came from Bhutan. Earlier, Chogyal (King) used to call the instructors from Bhutan and they used to make the statues. In fact, most of the statue in big monasteries here was made by the Bhutanese. Even I learnt the art from one Bhutanese person. But now the government of Sikkim felt the need to open one such vocational training institute even in Sikkim,” Lama added.

Students at the school said that they hope to teach the art to the future generation so as to keep the Buddhist culture alive.

“After learning the art of statue making, I will go to the monastery and teach the art to our future generation so as to keep our Buddhist culture and art of statue making alive,” said Dawa, a student.

Besides teaching the art, the school also helps the monks in becoming self-reliant. (ANI)

Dalai Lama urged to keep politics out during his Taiwan visit

New Delhi, Aug 31 (ANI): Taiwan officials hope that Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama stays clear of politics during his visit to comfort victims of Typhoon Morakot.

The Dalai Lama arrived in the island on late Sunday. More than 10 Taiwan political organizations denounced the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for inviting him, calling the move unethical and politically motivated.

Seven Taiwan mayors and county chiefs from the DPP last Wednesday invited the Dalai Lama to join religious activities for victims of the typhoon.

Taiwan allowed the Dalai Lama to visit in 1997 and 2001, the China Daily reports.

Morakot, the worst typhoon to hit Taiwan in 50 years, has claimed at least 461 lives and left 192 missing and 46 injured, Taiwan’s disaster response authorities said.

“We believe the Dalai Lama will have the wisdom to distinguish between religious empathy and political maneuvering,” said Wu Poh-hsiung, chairman of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT).

“Because Taiwan has been badly hit by the typhoon, his visit should help the island instead of adding difficulty to it.”

Wu said he sought input from Beijing about the visit, but he did not give details or say whether Beijing responded.

Taiwan authorities, including Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou, have said that they will not meet the Dalai Lama publicly or privately.

A spokesman for the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Taklha, has denied the visit has any political subtext. “It is a spiritual visit. The purpose is to offer prayers for the victims and to offer comfort and succor to those who have survived,” Takhla said. (ANI)

79.5-kms-long Ganesha Chathurthi convoy sets record in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Aug. 24 (ANI): Malaysia’s longest convoy of 213 lorries participated in Vinayagar Chathurthi celebrations on Sunday, marking the birthday of Hindu Lord Ganesha.

The 79.5 kilometres long convoy, which included an elephant to signify the deity, achieved a new feat in the Malaysia Book of Records.

Hundreds of devotees walked beside the lorries, which had been decorated with portraits of the elephant-headed Hindu god, in a procession that began from the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Kampung Sungai Kayu Ara, the Star Online reports.

The procession stopped briefly at various places, including the Kottu Malai Pillaiyar temple in Jalan Pudu Lama.

Among the devotees at the Kottu Malai temple was J.K. Vassanthi, a school teacher, who has been taking a fast of silence in homage to Lord Ganesha’s birthday for the past 28 years.

Another devotee who came to offer her prayers there was a Chinese woman, who embraced Hinduism three years ago.

“I feel calm and serene in this temple,” said the woman, who only wanted to be known as Adeline.

The 32-year-old fitness trainer said she often prayed at a nearby temple but decided to drop by Kottu Malai after finding out about the festival.

Clerk C. Minatchi, 31, said she had been going to the temple every week for six years since her prayers had been answered.

“My brother had gone into coma after an accident. I prayed to Lord Ganesha and 10 days later, my brother recovered,” she said.

Port company executive C. Kaleappan, 51, said he had been travelling all the way from Penang with his family to celebrate the occasion at Kottu Malai for the past 18 years.

“I feel a special bond with this temple and with the blessings of the Lord, my family is prosperous and healthy,” he said, who came with his wife and three daughters. (ANI)

Dalai Lama urges China to exercise restrain in dealing with ethnic tension

Dharamsala, July 9(ANI): Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Thursday asked the Chinese government to exercise restraint in dealing with the ethnic violence in Urumqi, the capital of China’s Xinjiang Uighurs province, which has claimed 156 lives and left thousands injured.

“I am deeply saddened and concerned with the worsening situation in East Turkistan (Xinjiang), especially with the tragic loss of lives. I earnestly urge the Chinese authorities to exercise restraint in dealing with the situation in a spirit of understanding and far-sightedness,” said Thubten Samphel, spokesperson of the Tibetan government-in-exile while reading the message of the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala.

“I offer my prayers for those who lost their lives, their families and others affected by this sad turn of events,” he added.

About 1,434 people have been arrested in the unrest between Han Chinese and Muslim Uighurs since Sunday in Urumqi.

It is being feared that demonstrations and rioting could break out in other parts of the vast region, especially in areas which are heavily populated by minority Muslim Uighurs. (ANI)

Dalai Lama urges China to exercise restrain in dealing with ethnic tension

Dharamsala, July 9(ANI): Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Thursday asked the Chinese government to exercise restraint in dealing with the ethnic violence in Urumqi, the capital of China’s Xinjiang Uighurs province, which has claimed 156 lives and left thousands injured.

“I am deeply saddened and concerned with the worsening situation in East Turkistan (Xinjiang), especially with the tragic loss of lives. I earnestly urge the Chinese authorities to exercise restraint in dealing with the situation in a spirit of understanding and far-sightedness,” said Thubten Samphel, spokesperson of the Tibetan government-in-exile while reading the message of the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala.

“I offer my prayers for those who lost their lives, their families and others affected by this sad turn of events,” he added.

About 1,434 people have been arrested in the unrest between Han Chinese and Muslim Uighurs since Sunday in Urumqi.

It is being feared that demonstrations and rioting could break out in other parts of the vast region, especially in areas which are heavily populated by minority Muslim Uighurs. (ANI)

Dalai Lama meets Advani

New Delhi, July 8 (ANI): Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama called on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader Lal Krishna Advani at his official residence here today.

The visit was termed as a courtesy call.

During his birthday celebrations here on Monday, he termed his stay in India for the past 50 years as an enriching experience.

“Fifty years passed since I came to this country because of some tragedy beyond human control. When I look back last 50 years, I think my life has not been wasted. I got the opportunity to learn from other religious traditions,” he said.

The Dalai Lama was born in 1935 in a hamlet at Takster in Tibet.

The Dalai Lama has lived in Dharamsala with thousands of his followers ever since a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. (ANI)

Oz Foreign Minister defends Dalai Lama meeting in Dharamshala

Melbourne, July 5 (ANI): Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has maintained that the Australian parliamentary delegation’s decision to meet the Dalai Lama in India was entirely appropriate despite Chinese condemnation.

“This is a reflection of Australia’s democratic strengths. It is entirely appropriate for a parliamentary delegation to visit India and entirely appropriate for a parliamentary delegation to make contact with the Dalai Lama if it so chooses,” The Age quoted Smith, as saying.

According to Smith, Chinese officials had made a low level condemnation of a meeting between the Australian parliamentary delegation and the Dalai Lama in India last week.

Smith said Australia had made strong calls for China to engage in dialogue with the Dalai Lama, and strong remarks about Chinese human rights abuses in Tibet.

He added that Australia had also made the point to China that it needed to be more transparent in explaining the strategic justification for the enhancement of its military forces.

Earlier, Australia’s former Prime Minister Paul Keating had criticised the Kevin Rudd government for being excessively defensive towards China in the new Defence White Paper.

On this, Smith said Australia wasn’t being defensive at all, and enjoyed a positive, productive and forward-looking relationship with China.

“On the question of China and its military modernisation … the Australian government, including the prime minister and I, have made the point to China that as China emerges as a growing economy and as an economic power, of course its military capacity and its military deployments and its military assets will increase,” he said.

“That is a natural thing. What we do need to have more from China is what is the particularly strategic underpinning of this military enhancement.”

Smith said China talked of emerging into a harmonious environment while Australia talked in terms of China being a responsible international stakeholder.

“We are confident that will occur but we are not starry-eyed about our relationship with China. There are a range of things where we have differing views with China including human rights issues,” he said. (ANI)

Australia to hold ‘Harmony March’ in solidarity with Indian students

Dharamsala, July 4 (ANI): Australian lawmaker Michael Danby has said that Australia will hold a ‘Harmony March’ in Melbourne in solidarity with Indian students on July 12.

Talking to reporters here on Friday, Danby, who is heading a six-member Australian parliamentarian delegation said, “We are joining the premier of Victoria in a march to express the views of the overwhelming majority of Australians condemning these attacks. On July 12 something called the “Harmony March” which will be taking place in Melbourne…will be a public expression of the vast majority of Australians…about these attacks on Indian students.”

He also condemned the unending spate of attacks on Indian students in Australia recently.

“We want to react very strongly to these attacks on Indian students, because it is not the way of the Australians…it’s not Australia, all and all,” he said.he group of Australian lawmakers arrived in Dharamsala on Wednesday to meet the exiled Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama, and representatives of Tibet’s government-in-exile.

The six-member delegation comprises, Labour lawmakers Michael Danby and Melissa Parke, Liberal lawmaker Peter Slipper, Independent Senator Nick Xenophon and Greens Senators Scott Ludlam and Sarah Hanson-Young.

The delegation are due to stay in Dharamsala till July 6. They are is accompanied by a handful of lawyers, journalists and activists.

The delegation met the Dalai Lama and sought greater access to Tibet for parliamentarians from across the world and media.

“We want that a group of Australian parliamentarians like European and Indian parliamentarians be allowed to visit Lhasa in Tibet, we want to (see) with our own eyes the condition of Tibetan people. We have told this to the Chinese authorities and we hope in good faith that they will respond to it,” said Danby. (ANI)

Buddhists pray for longevity of revered monk

Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh), June 30 (ANI): Buddhist monks, nuns and civilians assembled at the Drugtharpa Choeiling Buddhist monastery in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur District and prayed for the long life of Yulgyula Rinpoche, a revered Buddhist monk.

71-year-old Rinpoche is the head of the Drugtharpa Choeiling Buddhist monastery, situated at Tashigang in Kinnaur district.

After seeking approval from Rinpoche, devotees offered prayers for his longevity.evotees believe that if they offer this prayer then the Lama will remain with them for another ten more years.

“Rinpoche is the eighth reincarnation. We are offering prayers for his long life,” said Devi Lama, a Buddhist monk.

During the ceremony, fairies are also worshipped, which the devotees believe will help in increasing the life of Rinpoche.

“Even the fairies are worshipped and it’s believed that the fairies get together and work for the long life of the guru. During the ceremony, monks chant prayers and people offer prayers. It’s believed that all these will help in increasing the age of the guru,” said Roshan Lal, a resident.

Devotees had offered similar prayer ten years back for the Lama when he was 61-year-old. (ANI)

Buddhist monk performs once-in-a-life religious ceremony in Himachal

Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh), June 29 (ANI): Gigmed Choekyi Syingey, a revered Buddhist monk performed the unique religious ‘Chakrasamvara Abhisheka’ ceremony in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday.

Syingey who is believed to be eighth reincarnation of Yulgyula Rinpoche performed the ceremony at Drugtharpa Choeiling Buddhist monastery, situated at Tashigang in Kinnaur district.

In the ceremony, Yulgyula Rinpoche imparted religious teachings according to Drukpa Kagyud school of Buddhism to the devotees. This religious ceremony is performed once in a life wearing rare ornamental dress.

Hundreds of Buddhists from different parts of the country assembled to take the blessings and teachings from the priest.

Devotees described the experience as a proud moment for Buddhists.

“He (Yulgula Rinpoche) performs this ceremony once in his life wearing the rare ornamental dress. This is for the last time that he is performing this ceremony. This is a proud moment for all the Buddhists in the world,” said Gyalu Lama, a Buddhist monk.

Some foreign tourists also visited the monastery during the ceremony.

Edward Jones, a tourist from Germany who has been to different parts of India considered himself lucky to be the part of the ceremony.

“Today we are in Tashigang. I am very lucky to be here and part of this ceremony. And we are looking forward to it very much,” said Jones.

Drukpa Kagyud is an independent branch of Kagyu school of Buddhism. Within Drugpa school of thought there are further sub schools, most notably the eastern Kham tradition and middle Drukpa school which prospered in Ladakh and surrounding regions. (ANI)

Dalai Lama’s special teaching session on Buddhism

Dharamshala, June 24 (ANI): Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Wednesday started a two-day special teaching session for Buddhist students in Dharamsala.

Thousands of Buddhist students from across the world gathered at the Tibetan Children Villa School for the teachings on the text of thirty-seven practices of Bodhisattvas.

“We are very happy to gather here. All the Tibetan youngsters are here so we could learn something on Buddhist (Buddhism),” said Tenzin Namgyal, a Tibetan student.

Many Buddhist monks and nuns and other local people also gathered to attend teachings of the spiritual leader.

Tibetans believe that Dalai Lama follows a different approach to teaching and explains basics of everything.

“This is very important particularly the approach his holiness takes is very different. And this is very much in tune with audience here. He is putting everything in perspective, not just going about the traditional way of explaining things. But rather really touching on the very basics of it and then making sense of everything that he teaches. And thereby making them get the essence of Buddha teaching which is to bring about a positive transformation in their mentality,” said Damdul Namgyal, a monk.

Dharamsala, which is also called ‘Little Tibet’, is home to thousands of Tibetans who found a new haven to preserve their unique faith, culture and identity.

Tibetan exiles are protesting around the world by reviving the spirit of the Tibetan national uprising of 1959, engaging in non-violent direct action, to end China’s occupation of Tibet.

An estimated 134,000 Tibetans live in exile, a majority of them in India and Nepal. (ANI)

Dalai Lama’s visit to France ‘could hurt ties’, warns China

Beijing, May 28 (ANI): Chinese observers believe an invitation from Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe to Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, could derail Sino-French relations.

Delanoe’s spokesman, Laurent Fary, confirmed that the mayor has invited the Dalai Lama to Paris in early June to collect the title of honorary citizen of the city, which he was awarded in 2008.

Earlier this month, Beijing urged Paris not to interfere in China’s internal affairs by meeting the Dalai Lama.

The French foreign ministry played down the significance of the invitation, saying it was made independently by the city and “should have no impact on the caliber of our relations with China”.

But Wu Baiyi, an expert on European studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the China Daily that Paris, as part of France, is obliged to coordinate its acts according to a communiqui agreed by the two foreign ministries on April 1 that stated that France fully recognized “the sensitivity of the Tibet issue” and that France would not support “Tibet independence” in any form.

“France will need to act upon the promise as a whole, though political parties in France might take different views,” Wu said.

Feng Zhongping, chief of European studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said Paris should be “very careful” with future moves related to Tibet to avoid sparking a renewal of protest in China.

He pointed out that Sino-French relations were dampened after French President Nicolas Sarkozy met the Dalai Lama in Poland last December. The relationship did not get back on track until early April. (ANI)

Hackers can’t hack top-secret data of military: Internet scientist

Beijing, May 21 (ANI): An acclaimed Internet scientist has said that there is no way hackers could access top-secret data by penetrating the firewalls of military on government networks.

Former National Computer Network Emergency response team’s Director Professor Fang Binxing said there is no scientific basis to blame either China’s military or the government for hacking other nations’ networks because most of them are “out of reach”.

Binxing’s statement came after the foreign media blamed the Chinese authorities of infiltrating military networks and government computers in more than 100 countries.

A specialist on Internet security said that Networks containing sensitive intelligence are impenetrable, because the militaries isolate their networks completely from the public domain to prevent hacking.

“If there have been cases of key intelligence being stolen, I believe there would have been undercover agents within the organizations facilitating the theft you cannot simply do it with computer technology,” he added.

Fang Xingdong, a Beijing-based Internet technology expert, said China has become a staging post for hackers worldwide, who use the country’s network security vulnerability to launch attacks on other countries.

“Hackers often use computers based in China as their ‘springboard’. That makes it confusing even for the US military,” he added.

According to an Internet security report released on April 15 by Symantec, the California-based anti-virus software maker, about 71 percent of the computers hacked in the Asia-Pacific region are based in China, which has a cyber population of 300 million.

At the same time, 38 percent of hacking attempts worldwide originate in the US, compared with 13 percent in China, the report said.

“The US military is picking on China because it wants to make its claims appear more plausible,” Fang Binxing said.

Canadian-based researchers have also claimed that a cyber spy network based mainly in China hacked into classified documents from government and private organizations in 103 countries, including the computers of the Dalai Lama and Tibetan exiles.

The researchers also dubbed the alleged infiltration “GhostNet” but “whether it’s called ‘GhostNet’ or something else, it’s just an expression, not a technical term in any sense,” Fang said.

The academician also rebutted reports by foreign newspapers claiming that China’s indigenously-built security operating system “Kylin” has links to military use. (ANI)

Innovative apparel designs by Sikkim women

Gangtok, May 20 (ANI): Banking on their creative traits, women of Sikkim have emerged in the forefront of apparel designing.

The credit for this could be attributed to the Directorate of Handloom and Handicraft of Sikkim for setting up an Apparel Training and Design Centre (ATDC) where young girls and women undergo extensive training in fashion designing.

The main aim of the training programme conducted by this institute is to upgrade the artistic designers in the garment industry.

Apart from basic skills, the students are taught and given exposure to the apparel manufacturing technology, textile design, knitting garments, embroidery, fashion sampling, patterns and cutting, ornamental creations, sewing machine operation and apparel merchandising among others.

Although this training programme is open for both men and women, it is the eves who have been more enterprising and coming forth to learn and master various aspects of apparel designing.

” I was interested in the fashion designing world. I was waiting for this kind of opportunity,” said Ashwina Lama, a trainee.

Apart from imparting the art of apparel design, the Directorate of Handloom and Handicraft has also set up an apparel unit solely for women at the ATDC.

“By this training we would like to give them employment opportunities not only within the state but outside the state also. Especially, you must have now come to know that placement is guaranteed in this training programme. So, it is not necessary for our young girls and boys after completing this training programme to go and join garment industry available in the other states but now they can start their own unit,” said Namrata Thapa, Director of Handloom and Handicrafts, Sikkim and Director, ATDC.

The women who have ‘graduated’ from ATDC have several vocational options like making uniforms for police, army and different other professions.

Apparel industry in India plays a significant role related to the textile industry. The fashion designing as a profession is maintaining its pace with the new trends and allied techniques. By Tashi Pradhan (ANI)

Tibetan exiles protest against Panchen Lama’s detention

New Delhi, May 17 (ANI): The Regional Tibetan Women Association (RTWA) organised a peaceful protest march here on Sunday for the detention of eleventh Panchen Lama, who they allege has been held captive by China.

The eleventh Panchen Lama, also known as Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, is said to be under detention for the past 13 years.

Holding banners and raising slogans against the Chinese government, the protestors asked China to furnish verifiable information about the young Panchen Lama.

“We appeal to the United Nations (UN) and the World Human Right Organisation (WHRO) to pressurise the Chinese leaders to confirm the whereabouts of eleventh Panchen Lama. We also appeal to our international supporters, peace loving countries, NGOs and individuals to take up our cause at all levels to ensure early restoration of human rights in Tibet,” said Rinzing Ongmu, RTWA President.

Born on April 25, 1989, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was named by the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama as the eleventh Panchen Lama on 14 May, 1995, when he was aged six years.

However, three days later, on May 17, he and his parents were reportedly missing.

On May, 15, 1996, the Chinese government admitted to holding the eleventh Panchen Lama and his parents in their ‘protective custody’.

Over the years, China has provided conflicting reports about the whereabouts and well being of the Panchen Lama, ranging from rumours of his death towards the late 1999 to a set of photos that Chinese officials displayed briefly, but did not hand over to European human rights activists.

Reportedly, the photos showed the young Gedhun Choekyi Nyima playing table-tennis and writing Chinese characters on a blackboard.

In 2001, the International Campaign for Tibet obtained a new photo purporting to be of 12-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. However, nothing is known of the authenticity of the photograph.

Lately, China claimed that the Panchen Lama is attending school and leading a normal life somewhere in China, and that his whereabouts are kept undisclosed to protect him, but all requests for access to Gedhun Choekyi Nyima have been repeatedly refused so far.

Tibetan Government-in-exile based at Dharamsala in India claims that the young Panchen Lama and his family continue to be political prisoners, and have called him the ‘youngest political prisoner in the world’ while a few others have named him as ‘The Stolen Child of Tibet’. (ANI)