China's woes mount; Tibet joins Taiwan & Hong-Kong questions as US asks for Panchem Lama

United States has called on China to immediately make kwn whereabouts of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima who was recognized as Tibetan Buddhism’s 11th Panchen Lama. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday expressed concerns about China's ongoing campaign to eliminate religious, linguistic, and cultural identity of Tibetans. He highlighted how Panchen Lama is one of most important figures in Tibetan Buddhism with spiritual authority second only to Dalai Lama.

Pompeo said, " Department of State has me promotion and protection of religious freedom a priority, especially in China, where people of all faiths face severe repression and discrimination. China's persecution of Panchen Lama is t unusual. United States remains deeply concerned about PRC's ongoing campaign to eliminate religious, linguistic, and cultural identity of Tibetans, including through ongoing destruction of communities of worship and learning, such as Larung Gar and Yachen Gar Buddhist Institutes." 

He furr ded that Tibetan Buddhists, like members of all faith communities, must be able to select, educate, and venerate ir religious leers according to ir tritions and without government interference. Calling on China, US State Secretary said, "We call on PRC government to immediately make public Panchen Lama's whereabouts and to uphold its own constitution and international commitments to promote religious freedom for all persons." 

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US Ambassor on Panchen Lama

Earlier, Ambassor at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback h said that US government will continue to raise issue, highlighting that it is gaining traction in Congress and in places around world because of succession issues. Taking to Twitter, he h urged to "Free Panchen Lama." 

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About Panchen Lama 

Gedhun Choekyi Nyima who was recognized as Tibetan Buddhism’s 11th Panchen Lama--  second most senior figure in Tibetan Buddhism's largest school h disappeared in 1995 when he was six years old. He h disappeared just three days after Dalai Lama h declared him to be reincarnated Panchen Lama. Tibetan exiles have been calling on China to release him ever since. 

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This comes amid China coming under unprecedented global fire over its handling of Covid outbreak before it became a global pandemic. In just last few days, China's equation with Taiwan, Hong Kong and w Tibet have come under question.

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(With ANI Inputs)