THE PANCHEN LAMA: STILL MISSING

Though forensic facial reconstruction is far from a perfect or exact science, it is a worthy endeavor in situations such as Gedhun Choekyi Nyima [background story below]. I am an anthropologist and an illustrator, but cannot claim to be exceptional at either.  However, following methods used to reconstruct an adult face based upon data from a child's face only (and lacking any information about his parents' faces), combined with common skeletal attributes of Tibetan men, here is what Gedhun Choekyi Nyima may look like as a young adult.  These images are available for public use and reproduction, but are not available for commerical use without prior consent from the artist.

If you don't know about this story (or have forgotten about it), here is the abbreviated version to get you up to speed: the current Dalai Lama is one of the most famous and internationally recognized figures in the world.  His name is Tenzin Gyatso and he is the 14^th Dalai Lama. That is, he is the 14^th reincarnation of the Avalokiteshvara (the bodhisatva who is the embodiment of the compassion of the Buddhas).  The Dalai Lama is not only this profound spiritual figure, but the cultural and spiritual leader of Tibet, and actually (until recently) the political leader of this nation. And this is where things get complicated.

If you look at a number of maps, some may say "Tibet."  But most say "People's Republic of China" and name Tibet as region within it, in its southwest.  That's because in 1950 China invaded Tibet (fun fact: still to this day, China refers to it as a "liberation" of Tibet [yes: a "liberation" from its sovereignty and independence]). 

In 1951, the Tibetan government was pressured into agreeing to the "Seventeen Point Agreement" which was effectively agreeing to Chinese rule if China would cease further military action.  From 1956 to 1959, many Tibetans revolted against the Chinese "People's Liberation Army" and in 1959 the Dalai Lama fled Tibet (with many others) to live in exile in India. "The Central Tibetan Administration" was formed at this time; it is often referred to as "The Tibetan Government in Exile." They function as you could imagine: struggling to direct a nation of 3.18 million people currently occupied by The People's Republic of China, from a location in India.  Soon after this relocation, a U.S. government agency (whose initials involve the letter "C" and the word "Intelligence" and the letter "A") began the annual practice of funding The Tibetan Government in Exile, which is awesome (around $1.7 million a year; Donald Trump has cancelled this funding for 2018: total dick move). 

        

So here is where we get to the Panchen Lama.  The Panchen Lama is effectively "second in command" to the Dalai Lama.  The Panchen Lama is the focal figure in finding the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama when he dies, and vice-versa. When the current Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) dies, the 11^th Panchen Lama will find and verify his reincarnation; the 11^th Panchen Lama will find the (next) 15^th Dalai Lama.  

The 10^th Panchen Lama, Choekyi Gyaltsen, died in 1989.  And in this game of reincarnation leap-frog: on May 14, 1995 the Dalai Lama had announced that he found the reincarnation of Panchen Lama Choekyi Gyaltsen (the 10^th Panchen Lama): it is a six-year-old Tibetan boy named Gedhun Choekyi Nyima.  This child recognized and identified the possessions of Choekyi Gyaltsen as his own, among other rituals in these "finding" procedures. On May 17, 1995 (three days after this announcement), six-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family were "taken into custody" by the People's Republic of China and have not been seen since.  This act was defended by Chinese authorities as protecting the child from being taken to India by supporters of the Dalai Lama. As of this publication, it has been over 22 years since the 11^th Panchen Lama has been seen by anyone.  The last photos of this man were when he was a 6-year-old child.

As a child captive, he had been deemed by many organizations as the "World's Youngest Political Prisoner."  Requests for contact and verification that he is alive by international organizations (such as the United Nations) have been met with responses from the People's Republic of China with s%#t like "[he is living in] an excellent state of health, leading a normal, happy life and receiving a good education and cultural upbringing... he likes Chinese traditional culture and has recently taken up calligraphy... the allegation that he disappeared with his parents and that his whereabouts remain unknown is simply not true." No one has seen him or his family since 1995.

A further move by the People's Republic of China: they did their own selection ceremony and selected a different 11^th Panchen Lama, named Gyaincain Norbu [above].  Norbu's parents are conveniently members of the Communist Party and he has been placed in a number of positions and titles (such as the Vice President of the Buddhist Association of China, etc.); he is effectively China's leader of Tibetan Buddhism (not Tibet's).  Most of Tibet does not recognize him as the true Panchen Lama.  This move is also a long-term strategy by China to control Tibet: their Panchen Lama will have a role in selecting the next Dalai Lama, who will no doubt also be another tool of the People's Republic of China.  And neither of which will be recognized by Tibetan Buddhism in any true measure. If you'd like to learn more about the missing Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima , or if you'd like to join others in the campaign to have him and his family released by the Chinese government, please visit "FreePanchenLama.org"