China forces thousands of Tibetans to attend 'Fake Panchen Lama' ceremony amid tight security

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 15 (ANI): Chinese officials have reportedly compelled thousands of Tibetans, including monks, nuns, and prominent lamas such as the 7th Gunthang Rinpoche, the Sakya abbot, and the Sera abbot, to participate in a Kalachakra empowerment led by Gyaltsen Norbu, the state-appointed Panchen Lama, commonly referred to as the 'fake Panchen' by Tibetans, according to a report by Phayul.
The four-day religious event took place from October 9 to 12 at the Kyi-kyi Nakha site of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, which is the traditional residence of the Panchen Lamas in Shigatse. There is a previous instance of authorities mandating attendance at Gyaltsen Norbu's teachings. In 2016, he conducted a similar Kalachakra ceremony at Dechen Phodrang, near Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, which sparked controversy after reports indicated that Chinese officials had financially incentivised some Tibetans and coerced others into attending.
During the recent event, the city experienced heightened security and surveillance, with a significant presence of police and military personnel. Officers posing as medical staff were reportedly observed overseeing and managing the crowd at the location. Observers claim that the ceremony highlights the Chinese Communist Party's ongoing efforts to enhance the profile of the religious figure aligned with its political interests. This action coincides with an escalating campaign of spiritual oppression in Tibet and a concerted attempt to undermine the Dalai Lama, including restrictions on Tibetans travelling abroad to attend his teachings, as stated by Phayul.
A significant Kalachakra empowerment granted by the Dalai Lama in Ladakh in 2014 was condemned by Chinese state media as an event that "provoked hatred, terror, and extremist actions." Similarly, after the Dalai Lama's Kalachakra teachings in India in 2012, many Tibetans who returned to Tibet faced detention, prolonged "re-education" programs, and accusations of holding anti-state sentiments, as noted by the report from Phayul.
Gyaltsen Norbu was installed by Chinese authorities as part of Beijing's broader strategy to reinforce control over Tibet and establish influence in the event of the Dalai Lama's eventual succession. He is expected to fulfil the responsibilities of the "official" Panchen Lama, a state-sanctioned religious leader who is anticipated to show steady allegiance to the Chinese Communist Party.
Selected by the CCP after the legitimate 11th Panchen Lama, Gendun Choekyi Nyima, was recognised by the exiled spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama and honoured by Tibetans as the true incarnation, he was forcibly disappeared in 1995. Nearly thirty years later, there is still no reliable information regarding his location or well-being, as highlighted in the Phayul report. (ANI)