The Panchen Lama is today 20 years of age. He has spent over two-thirds of his young life in some form of detention and his well-being and whereabouts remain unconfirmed.

To date, the Chinese authorities have only grudgingly confirmed that Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is "under the government's protection". However, despite repeated requests, at no time in the past decade has any independent observer been given access to the boy or his parents, nor has the Chinese government provided any concrete evidence to verify their assertions that he is healthy and free.

It is tragic that as Tibetans mark the tenth year of the Panchen Lama's disappearance, there has been so little progress. Given Gedhun Choekyi Nyima's status as a minor, not to mention the centrality of the Panchen Lama's role in Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan culture, China's failure to address meaningfully the inquiries of UN human rights mechanisms undermines both China's stated commitment to human rights and the credibility of the United Nations and its various mechanisms.

On 19th and 20th September 2005, China reported to the UN committee for the Rights of the Child for the first time in 9 years. This provided a unique opportunity to raise the case of the Panchen Lama. Through an email action the International Campaign for Tibet urged the Chairman of the Committee, Professor Jacob Egbert Doek, to ensure that the Committee obtains access to the boy in order to ascertain his current situation.

The goal was to collect 100.000 signatures before the Committee started its meeting on 19th September 2005.  Despite the petition access has still not been provided and the campaign continues.

TAKE ACTION

To put further pressure on the Chinese authorities please take a few minutes to write to China's ambassadors to the United Nations.