Wednesday, 18 May | PNS | Nainital
Members of the Tibetan community in Nainital undertook a protest fast in support of their demand for release of Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima from Chinese captivity. The protesters also demanded that the Government of India and human rights organisations should ascertain the whereabouts of Nyima.
Members of the Tibetan Women Congress and Tibetan Youth Congress organised the demonstration in the Mallital area on Tuesday. They said that Nyima had been declared the 11th Panchen Lama by the 14th Dalai Lama in 1995. The Panchen Lama is considered the second most religiously important position after the Dalai Lama. Three days after he was announced as the Panchen Lama, the then six-year old Nyima was allegedly kidnapped by the Chinese authorities and his family was taken into custody. His whereabouts have remained unknown since then. The protesters demanded that the Chinese government provide information about the Panchen Lama. They also said that the Government of India and human rights organisations should also look into this matter. As the whereabouts of the Panchen Lama and his family have remained unknown for about 27 years now, Tibetans across India protest in support of their demand for his release on May 17.
