FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 25, 2019
 

Open Letter to the Missing Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima on His 30th Birthday

Your Holiness Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima,

Tashi Delek or Happy 30th Birthday Your Holiness. As much as the Chinese government wants us to forget you, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) wishes you happy birthday and we unanimously advocate for your immediate release.

It is heartbreaking that you have been forcibly disappeared since age six and still remain in captivity and China has censored even basic information on you and your whereabouts. However, Tibetans’ faith in Your Holiness is unshakable. During a personal visit I made last August to your monastery in exile—the Tashi Lhunpo Monastic University—India, I met with His Eminence Ngagchen Rinpoche and other prominent monastic leadership and had a discussion of your wellbeing. We all shared the same deep concerns for Your Holiness. On a positive note, it is my honor and privilege to inform you that your monastic university in exile is thriving with monk scholars engaged in a rigorous and systematic curriculum of Buddhist studies and practices. We all have been thinking of you and praying for your long and healthy life. As I wrote you last year, with each passing year, our resolve to find you and restore you to your rightful role becomes stronger.

Your Holiness, your tragic situation reflects China’s sinicizing and politicizing Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan reincarnation system. Communist China considers religion a poison, demonizes His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and forces monasteries and Tibetans inside Tibet to worship Communist Party leadership; yet it claims the right to recognize incarnations of His Holinesses Panchen Lama and Dalai Lama. Most recently, in a Reuters’ interview, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said that he may reincarnate in a free country, and if there were two reincarnations of his, nobody will trust and accept China’s selection. Thus, China cannot control the next reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama as they did with you. The U.S. Senate passed a resolution supporting His Holiness’s reincarnation right and Tibetan people’s religious right. And just this month, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Asia Subcommittee Chair Senator Cory Gardner said, “Let me be very clear. The United States Congress will never recognize a Dalai Lama that is selected by the Chinese.” Your Holiness, despite the Chinese government’s systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations, nobody can change the fact that you are the 11th Panchen Lama as recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. As a Tibetan-American and USCIRF Chair, it is my honor, privilege, and responsibility to advocate on your behalf. Congressman Jim McGovern joined me in adopting you as our Religious Prisoner of Conscience and we coordinate our advocacy efforts for your freedom and wellbeing. I urge our president and secretary of state to impose sanctions on Chinese officials and agencies under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for perpetrating religious freedom violations and to continue to implement the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2018 to seek access to you and press for your immediate and unconditional release.

Your Holiness, on behalf of all Tibetans, I offer you traditional mandala for your long and healthy life along with fervent prayer for your freedom and receiving your blessing in person.

Most respectfully,
Tenzin Dorjee

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2019

USCIRF Condemns Cuban Authorities’ Crackdown on Homeschooling Pastor and Wife
 

WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today condemned Monday’s sentencing of two Christian homeschoolers, Pastor Ramón Rigal of the Church of God in Cuba, and his wife Ayda Expósito, for refusing to send their children to government-run schools. Charged with “acting against the normal development of a minor,” Pastor Rigal has stated that his desire to homeschool his children is based on his religious beliefs and his concern about Cuban schools’ promotion of socialism and atheism.

“This crackdown on Christians homeschooling their children is part of the Cuban government’s systematic assault on religion, which includes singling out religious leaders and activists for harassment and discrimination,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Kristina Arriaga. “We urge the Cuban government to immediately cease all intimidation tactics and release Pastor Rigal and his wife along with others detained for homeschooling their children according to their religious beliefs.”

USCIRF is further alarmed that Roberto Jesus Quinones Haces, an independent lawyer who wanted to observe the trial, was detained and severely beaten. Two other fathers were recently detained for enrolling their children in the same program as Pastor Rigal’s family.

USCIRF will be speaking on religious freedom conditions in Cuba and throughout the world at the release of its 2019 Annual Report on Monday, April 29, at 10 AM. You can read more about the event here.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2019
 

USCIRF Strongly Condemns Easter Sunday Bomb Attacks in Sri Lanka
 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) strongly condemns today’s bomb attacks on hotels and churches in Sri Lanka targeting Christians and other innocent civilians. The bombings have left at least 200 dead and hundreds more injured.

“We profoundly mourn the loss of all those killed and extend our sincerest condolences to all affected by these horrific attacks targeting Christians as they gathered to worship and celebrate Easter Sunday, the end of Holy Week,” said USCIRF Chair Tenzin Dorjee. “We urge the authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable to fullest extent possible under the law. As we have said before and will continue to say: No one should fear for their safety because of their faith—least of all inside houses of worship. We applaud people of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, and Muslims, joining hands to help those affected by this horrible tragedy.”

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.