China's Controversial Move: Tibetans Forced to Attend 'Fake Panchen Lama' Ceremony Amid Religious Suppression

China Forces Tibetans To Attend Ceremony Led by 'Fake Panchen Lama'

China appointed Gyaltsen Norbu as the 11th Panchen Lama in 1995.

Dharamshala:

According to a report by Phayul, Chinese authorities have allegedly forced thousands of Tibetans to attend a Kalachakra empowerment ceremony conducted by Gyaltsen Norbu, the government-appointed Panchen Lama whom many Tibetans refer to as the 'fake Panchen.' Those compelled to participate included monks, nuns, and distinguished religious figures such as the 7th Gunthang Rinpoche, the Sakya abbot, and the Sera abbot.

The religious ceremony spanned four days, from October 9 to 12, at the Kyi-kyi Nakha location within Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, the traditional residence of Panchen Lamas. This is not the first instance of mandatory attendance at Gyaltsen Norbu's teachings. In 2016, he presided over a similar Kalachakra ceremony at Dechen Phodrang near Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, which became controversial after reports emerged that Chinese officials had offered financial incentives to some Tibetans while coercing others to attend.

During the recent event, security and surveillance in the city were intensified, with substantial police and military presence. Personnel disguised as medical staff were reportedly monitoring and managing attendees at the venue. Observers suggest that this ceremony reflects the Chinese Communist Party's continuing efforts to elevate the status of a religious figure aligned with their political agenda. This action coincides with an increasing campaign of religious suppression in Tibet and systematic attempts to undermine the Dalai Lama, including prohibitions on Tibetans traveling abroad to receive his teachings, as reported by Phayul.

A major Kalachakra empowerment given by the Dalai Lama in Ladakh in 2014 was denounced by Chinese state media as an event that "provoked hatred, terror, and extremist actions." Likewise, following the Dalai Lama's Kalachakra teachings in India in 2012, numerous Tibetans returning to Tibet faced detention, extended "re-education" programs, and allegations of harboring anti-state sentiments, according to the Phayul report.

Gyaltsen Norbu was installed by Chinese authorities as part of Beijing's broader strategy to maintain control over Tibet and establish influence regarding the Dalai Lama's eventual succession. He is expected to fulfill the duties of the "official" Panchen Lama, a state-sanctioned religious leader who must demonstrate consistent loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party.

He was selected by the CCP after the legitimate 11th Panchen Lama, Gendun Choekyi Nyima, who was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in exile and revered by Tibetans as the true incarnation, disappeared forcibly in 1995. Almost thirty years later, reliable information about his whereabouts or condition remains unavailable, as emphasized in the Phayul report.