British Tibetan diaspora holds protests outside Chinese embassy in London

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Tibetan activists in the UK organised a protest outside the Chinese embassy in London to commemorate the 26th anniversary of the "disappearance" of the 11th Panchen Lama on Monday.<br />
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The protestors raised slogans against the Chinese occupation of Tibet and shouted in support of the spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. Armed with Tibet flags and posters of the Panchen Lama, the people belted out slogans – "Free Panchen Lama", "China out of Tibet", "Free Tibet" and "Long Live the Dalai Lama".<br />
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They were protesting against the disappearance of their spiritual leader – the 11th Panchen Lama, who had been recognised as the reincarnation of the current leader – the 10th Dalai Lama. On 17 May 1995 – within days of the announcement of the reincarnation, the six-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima disappeared along with his parents. China also announced a search committee for the successor of the current Dalai Lama, to much opposition by the Tibetans across the world.<br />
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The protest was organised by civil society groups – the Tibetan Community UK and Free Tibet. Organisations in the UK also marked the anniversary with seminars and discussions on Tibet and religious persecution in China.</p>