BEIJING: The abduction of the 11th Panchen Lama was a direct result of China's decision to prioritise political control over religious tradition. The case showcases how authoritarian regimes use religious succession to maintain power, a report has detailed.
In the mid-1990s, China and Dharamshala agreed to jointly search for the 11th Panchen Lama. China appointed Chadrel Rinpoche, a respected abbot of Tashilhunpo Monastery, to head the search committee, to find the rightful reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, a figure second only to the Dalai Lama in Tibetan Buddhism, Khedroob Thondup, nephew of the Dalai Lama, wrote in The Tibet Express.
After investigation, Chadrel Rinpoche identified Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as the reincarnation. Initially, China and Dharamshala agreed on the choice, and Chadrel Rinpoche wrote to the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to make the formal announcement. In May 1995, the Dalai Lama recognised Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as the 11th Panchen Lama.
After the Dalai Lama's announcement, China reversed its initial confirmation and termed the announcement 'illegal' and installed its own candidate, Gyaincain Norbu, as the state sanctioned Panchen Lama. Three days after the Dalai Lama's announcement, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima (six) and his family were kidnapped.
According to Thondup, the whereabouts of the 11th Panchen Lama remain unknown even after 30 years. China's refusal to provide evidence of his safety demonstrates the political nature of his disappearance. China's reversal to recognise Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as the 11th Panchen Lama showcases the fragility of negotiated understandings when spiritual legitimacy collides with political authority.
"The abduction of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was not an accident of history — it was the direct result of Beijing’s decision to prioritise political control over religious tradition. The initial agreement between Beijing and Dharamsala could have been a rare bridge across the divide. Instead, Beijing’s reversal transformed a child into a hostage of geopolitics. Until Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is seen, free, and allowed to fulfil his spiritual role, the credibility of China’s commitments to international law and religious freedom will remain in question," wrote Thondup. (IANS)
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