Washington, May 19 (IANS): The United States has called on China to immediately release Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, recognised by the Dalai Lama as the Panchen Lama and one of Tibetan Buddhism’s most important spiritual figures, marking 31 years since Chinese authorities disappeared him and his family just days after his recognition at the age of six in 1995. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott renewed longstanding American criticism of Beijing’s policies in Tibet, stating that “Chinese authorities should immediately release Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family and stop persecuting Tibetans or others in China for their religious beliefs.” The statement also reiterated Washington’s support for the religious and cultural rights of Tibetans, with Pigott stressing that Tibetan Buddhists should be allowed to freely choose their own spiritual leaders – including the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama – according to their beliefs and without interference from the Chinese Communist Party.
The Panchen Lama is regarded as the second-highest spiritual authority in Tibetan Buddhism after the Dalai Lama, making his disappearance one of the most significant and longstanding human rights concerns in the region. China rejected the Dalai Lama’s recognition of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima in 1995 and instead installed another boy, Gyaincain Norbu, as the state-backed Panchen Lama, a move widely condemned by Tibetan Buddhists and human rights advocates around the world. Beijing has long maintained tight control over Tibet and Tibetan Buddhist institutions, with the latest US statement underscoring Washington’s continued support for the freedom of Tibetans to preserve their unique cultural, linguistic, and religious identity free from state interference.