The Norwegian Tibet Committee organized a protest on 25 April 2024 in front of the Embassy of China in Oslo in solidarity with the 11th Panchen Lama on his 35th birthday. The spiritual leader is in detention of the Chinese authorities, and the protestors demanded releasing him without further delay.
They carried the Tibetan flag and photographs of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedun Choekyi Nyima, to both represent their Tibetan identity and the hardships of the spiritual leader. During the protest, they posted a letter through the Embassy’s letterbox, which encouraged the Chinese officials to release the 11th Panchen Lama.
Officials at the Chinese Embassy called the Norwegian police to stop the protest as they deemed the protest to be so-called “anti-China activity”.
The 11th Panchen Lama was taken in to Chinese custody 29 years ago, when he was a 6-year old boy, and his whereabouts are still unknown. The Panchen Lama is the second-highest spiritual leader in the largest sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Gedun Choekyi Nyima was named the 11th reincarnation of the Panchen Lama by the Dalai Lama. He was taken into custody along with his family and his teacher, as he was seen as a threat to the Communist Party’s authority.
Source: The Sentinel
