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

The United States has called on China to immediately make known the 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 the religious, linguistic, and cultural identity of Tibetans. He highlighted how the Panchen Lama is one of the most important figures in Tibetan Buddhism with spiritual authority second only to the Dalai Lama.

Pompeo said, "The Department of State has made the 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 the Panchen Lama is not unusual. The United States remains deeply concerned about the PRC's ongoing campaign to eliminate the religious, linguistic, and cultural identity of Tibetans, including through the ongoing destruction of communities of worship and learning, such as the Larung Gar and Yachen Gar Buddhist Institutes." 

He further added that Tibetan Buddhists, like members of all faith communities, must be able to select, educate, and venerate their religious leaders according to their traditions and without government interference. Calling on China, the US State Secretary said, "We call on the PRC government to immediately make public the 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 Ambassador on Panchen Lama

Earlier, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback had said that the US government will continue to raise the issue, highlighting that it is gaining traction in Congress and in places around the world because of succession issues. Taking to Twitter, he had 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-- the second most senior figure in Tibetan Buddhism's largest school had disappeared in 1995 when he was six years old. He had disappeared just three days after Dalai Lama had declared him to be the reincarnated Panchen Lama. Tibetan exiles have been calling on China to release him ever since. 

Read: People should unite to give coordinated response to COVID-19: Dalai Lama

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

Read: US asks China to release Panchen Lama, says 'no right to appoint next Dalai Lama'

(With ANI Inputs)