Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Dec. 12: The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), the largest pro-independence organization in the Tibetan diaspora, on Friday strongly condemned the recent remarks by the China-appointed Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen (Gyaincain) Norbu, calling them a political ploy aimed at tightening Beijing’s control over Tibetan religious affairs.
Speaking at a state-sponsored symposium in Shigatse on December 8, Gyalsten Norbu asserted that the reincarnation of ‘living Buddhas’ must “adhere to Chinese law,” obtain the Chinese government’s formal approval, and proceed “without any interference from organizations or individuals outside the country,” an apparent reference to the succession of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He further praised Beijing’s intervention in his own selection as a “legalized and standardized” process.
In a press statement issued today, the TYC said it expresses “deep concern” over Beijing’s handpicked monk’s remarks, which the organization described as politically motivated and disrespectful to Tibet’s centuries-old religious traditions. “The comments made by the Chinese-appointed monk Gyaltsen Norbu demonstrate a clear disregard for Tibet’s spiritual traditions, religious freedom, and long-held cultural rights,” the statement read. “They serve as a political maneuver to justify potential plans to install a state-selected, illegitimate 15th Dalai Lama.”
The organization said the Chinese Communist Party’s portrayal of Tibetan reincarnation practices as subordinate to Chinese law is part of a broader effort to legitimize state control. While the Qing-era golden urn system was later incorporated into Tibetan religious procedures, TYC emphasized that the CCP’s claim that reincarnation is inherently a Chinese system is a “political strategy aimed at reinforcing political sovereignty.”
TYC also highlighted the ongoing enforced disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who was recognized by the Dalai Lama in 1995. Detained at the age of six along with his family, he has not appeared in public for nearly 30 years. “His whereabouts and wellbeing remain unknown, and China continues to deny independent access to verify his safety,” the organization stated.
The statement further noted that Beijing’s claims of religious authority over Tibetan Buddhism contravene long-standing traditions, and international human rights standards, including the fundamental right to freedom of religion. “The Chinese Communist Party holds no moral, historical, or spiritual legitimacy to interfere in the sacred Tibetan reincarnation system,” it said, stressing that such traditions “belong solely to the Tibetan people and their authentic religious institutions — not to any political entity.”
Reaffirming Tibetans’ rejection of the CCP-installed Panchen Lama, TYC reiterated that the authority to recognize the future reincarnation of the Dalai Lama rests solely with the Gaden Phodrang Trust, as declared by His Holiness on July 2, 2025 at the 15th Tibetan Religious Conference in Dharamshala, he reaffirmed that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue and that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust—the institution he established—holds the exclusive authority to recognise his reincarnation.
TYC warned that any attempt by China to install its own successor to the Dalai Lama will be categorically rejected by Tibetans, the global Buddhist community, and supporters of religious freedom worldwide. It called on governments and international organizations to urge China to disclose the whereabouts of the real 11th Panchen Lama and to stop its political interference in Tibetan religious traditions.
The statement concluded by affirming the resilience of the Tibetan people in safeguarding their spiritual traditions despite decades of repression. “No amount of political pressure or propaganda can erase the truth or replace Tibet’s genuine spiritual lineage,” it said. “Our spiritual identity endures, upheld by the unwavering commitment of the Tibetan people and the authenticity of our religious traditions.”
