Dharamshala, April 26 -- The exiled Tibetan community on Saturday reiterated the call for the Chinese government to release the 11th Panchen Lama, who was abducted in 1995, as they marked the 37th birthday of the spiritual leader whose whereabouts and well-being still remain unknown. Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, considered by Tibetans to be second only to the Dalai Lama, was abducted by China in 1995 when he was only six-years-old. He was born in Chinese occupied Tibet on April 25, 1989. On May 14, 1995, the 14th Dalai Lama had publicly announced the young boy as the 11th Panchen Lama and officially bestowed him the name Jetsun Tenzin Gedhun Yeshi Trinley Phuntsok Pal Sangpo. Three days later, on May 17, the young Panchen Lama 'disappeared' along with his parents and Chadrel Rinpoche, the abbot of the Panchen Lama's seat at Tashi Lhunpo monastery. Beijing later installed another boy, Gyaltsen Norbu, in his place, who lacks legitimacy among exiled Tibetans. "For thirty-one years, no country in the world has known his whereabouts, no one has been able to meet him in person, nor even see a recent photograph of him. Nevertheless, hope remains unwavering, said Tibetan Women's Association, on Saturday. They urged the United Nations and the international community to take more decisive action regarding the "enforced disappearances" carried out by the Chinese government. Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), general secretary, Tenzin Lobsang, said that China has pursued a systematic policy of assimilating Tibetans since its occupation of Tibet. "We mark the 11th Panchen Lama's birthday in exile, in his absence a child who was abducted at just six years old under Chinese state policy. This is not merely about one individual. It reflects a broader reality of repression imposed on an occupied nation and its people. The fact that a government fears a six-year-old child reveals the depth of its insecurity and the political significance of his identity," he said. "We call on China to immediately release the world's youngest political prisoner and to uphold its obligations under international human rights law," he added. In Tibetan tradition, there exists a long-established practice in which the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama are traditionally involved in the recognition of each other's successive reincarnations. In recent times, the 9th Panchen Lama helped identify the current 14th Dalai Lama, who in turn, recognised the 10th Panchen Lama and the present 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. Throughout Tibet's religious and political history, the two spiritual leaders have provided enduring guidance to the Tibetan people, exemplifying wisdom, compassion, and moral leadership, and leaving behind a profound and inspiring legacy. Meanwhile, the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) group, has also urged the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues Riley Barnes to directly address the Panchen Lama's disappearance in discussions with the Chinese government, including during President Trump's upcoming summit meeting with President Xi Jinping. "The United States should fully implement the Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020, which rejects Chinese interference in Tibetan Buddhism and the selection of the next Dalai Lama," the ICT said....