Derechos Humanos / Human Rights

Very little is said about Tibet and much less about the tragic story of the Panchen Lama, kidnapped by the Chinese government. He is second only to the Dalai Lama in spiritual authority and he is expected to reincarnate in a child. Following the death of the 10th Panchen Lama, a search was undertaken to discover his reincarnation. In 1995 the Dalai Lama recognized six-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as the 11th Panchen Lama, but this choice was rejected by the Chinese government, which took the boy into custody. Instead, the Chinese government "appointed" Gyancain Norbu the 11th Panchen Lama in late 1995.

This year, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima would be 34 years old. Three days after he was recognized the Chinese authorities abducted the Panchen Lama —a six-year-old child— and his parents, imprisoning them in an unknown location. Since then, nobody knows where he is, or even if he is alive, let alone whether under indoctrination he is even aware of his past or his important role in the future of Tibetan Buddhism.

In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the Panchen Lama has traditionally played a role in the recognition of the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, just as the Dalai Lama, in turn, recognizes the Panchen Lama. China’s intentions here are brutally obvious. The Communist regime abducted the Panchen Lama recognized by the Dalai Lama and, against our spiritual process, selected a boy of their own so that they can hope to control the identification of the next Dalai Lama.

Meanwhile, the repression to achieve the complete subjugation of the Tibetan people and the eradication of their culture and national identity continues in force.

“The Taliban de facto authorities’ announcement banning Afghan women from working with the United Nations in Afghanistan is utterly despicable.

It is the latest in a series of steps taken that have eroded the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls – including a ban on girls attending school above the sixth grade, ban on university education for women and girls, restrictions on women’s freedom of movement in public spaces, orders regarding women’s clothing, banning women from working in the administration and commercial enterprises, and banning their employment in NGOs.

Presentan también una denuncia ante las Naciones Unidas sobre los casos penales de los prisioneros de conciencia en Cuba.

 Madrid, Feb.23.– El próximo jueves 2 de marzo se reunirán los demandantes para presentar su denuncia a las 10 am en el Salón de Actos del Consejo General de la Abogacía Española.

Participarán Dita Charanzová, Vicepresidenta del Parlamento Europeo; Giulio Terzi Di Sant'Agata, Senador de la República Italiania; Javier Nart, Miembro del Parlamento Europeo; Antonio Ledezma, abogado, escritor y político venezolano; Blas Jesús Imbroda, Presidente de la Subcomisión de Extranjería y Protección Internacional de CGAE; Fernando Almeyda, Coordinador Legal Internacional de Prisoners Defenders; y Javier Larrondo, Presidente de Prisoners defenders; entre otros.

Prisoners Defenders nos envía esta nota que reproducimos a continuación:

Since its introduction five months ago, the Resolve Tibet Act has already received impressive support from Congressional leaders. It represents an important next step by making clear the US government has not forgotten Tibet, and it expects the Chinese to return to the negotiating table. It empowers the Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues to counter Beijing's disinformation campaigns head-on, especially important in the face of the Chinese Communist Party's increasing capacity and willingness to engage in transnational repression.

Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Conflict Act or Resolve Tibet Act, the bill (H.R. 8365) will:

• Pressure China to resume negotiations with the Dalai Lama’s envoys, which have not resumed since 2010;
• State that the China-Tibet conflict remains unresolved in violation of international law;
• Recognize the Tibetan people’s right to self-determination and fault the Chinese government for violating that right;
• Reject as “historically false” China’s claim that Tibet has been part of China since ancient times;
• Empower the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues to counter Communist Party propaganda about Tibet and Tibetans, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama;
• Make clear that Tibet includes not only the so-called “Tibet Autonomous Region” of China but also Tibetan areas of Gansu, Sichuan, Qinghai and Yunnan provinces.

This legislation [introduced by Jim McGovern (D-Mass) and Michael McCaul (R-Texas)] will position the United States to more forcefully encourage China to address the unresolved issue of Tibet, which is only possible through genuine negotiations with the Dalai Lama and the elected Tibetan leaders in exile,” said Franz Matzner, Director of Government Relations of ICT.