Tibetans concerned over safety of Panchen Lama

dharamsala: thubten samphel, secretary, department of information and international relations, tibetan government-in-exile, has expressed concern over the safety and well-being of the 11th panchen lama, who is now in the custody of the chinese authorities.
samphel said that the panchen lama was taken into custody by china in 1995 when he was only six years old, but even after seven years, the communist regime seemed to be in no mood to release him.
he said that the chinese authorities should free the panchen lama so that he could come to tibet to pursue his religious studies.
on being asked why china was reluctant to free the 11th panchen lama chosen by the dalai lama, samphel said that china thought that releasing the panchen lama would mean a huge loss of face in the international community.
the secretary said a case of the 11th panchen lama was still pending with the un child disappearance commission.