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THE SNOW LION NEWSLETTER
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, approx. 1995
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U.N. Asks to See Panchen Lama
September 30, 2005
Amsterdam
The 40th session of the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) this morning called upon the Chinese authorities to allow an independent body to verify the fate of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 16-year-old Panchen Lama of Tibet. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the disappearance of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his parents following their abduction on 17 May 1995.
The CRC asked that the Chinese authorities "allow an independent expert to visit and confirm the well-being of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima while respecting his right to privacy, and that of his parents."
"This case involves the abduction of a child and this independent and responsible human rights body of the United Nations has today delivered one of the strongest ever signals of concern to China that the case of Panchen Lama must be resolved. It is a crystal clear message to China that as a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, action is needed now," said Ms. Tsering Jampa, Executive Director of International Campaign for Tibet-Europe.
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The CRC's comments come less than a month after UN human rights chief Louise Arbour visited China and included the young Panchen Lama in a list to the Chinese authorities of 10 prisoners of concern to the U.N.
"The UN has now raised the Panchen Lama's case at the highest level in China and the importance of this young boy to the international community cannot have escaped Beijing. It is now more crucial than ever that the U.N. ensures China's implementation of its international obligations and obtains access to this child," said Ms. Jampa.
In addition to its comments on the Panchen Lama, the CRC also raised concerns about the restrictions placed on the freedom of religion in Tibet saying that children have had restrictions placed on their ability to study and practice their religion. The CRC asked the Chinese authorities to "repeal any ban instituted by local authorities on children of any age from participating in Tibetan religious festivals or receiving religious education."
A report by TibetInfoNet using statistics recently available from inside the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) reveals that the proportion of the local population that cannot read or write increased by more than 10 percent, to 54.9 percent, between 2002 and 2003. The Chinese government claims that it is conducting large-scale development in Tibet, but projects are generally controlled from Beijing and aimed at consolidating China's grip on Tibet. The International Campaign for Tibet has repeatedly called on China to do more to enable local-led initiatives to invest in "soft" infrastructure like hospitals and schools, which would deliver much needed benefits for Tibetans.
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