Recent weeks have seen an increasing number of cases of self-immolations within Tibet. On the late afternoon of Wednesday, 24 October, exiled Tibetans and their supporters peacefully gathered at the Main Temple of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala. They recited prayers to mark the latest loss of life which had occurred the day before near a Chinese Army camp in Sangchu County, North-eastern Tibet.
Dorjee Rinchen, age 58 and a layman, apparently set himself on fire while shouting slogans in protest of the ongoing oppression of Tibetans by the Chinese Government and the continued illegal occupation of Tibet. Sources indicate that he passed away at the scene of his protest. Following his death, minor confrontations erupted between local Tibetans and Chinese police, however, his body is now safely with his family. The monks of Labrang monastery offered special prayers at the temple.
This recent protest puts the number of self-immolations in Tibet up to six this month alone, with a total of 58 since 2009, and the third self-immolation in Sangchu County within four days.
At the beginning of the month, on 4 October, Gudrup, age 43, torched himself in Nagchu town in Central Tibet. Before carrying out his self-immolation protest, Gudrup left a last message online, “My brothers and sisters of the land of snows, although, looking back at our past, we have nothing but a sense of loss, anger, sadness, and tears, I pray that the coming new year of the Water Dragon brings you health, success, and the fulfillment of aspirations. We must distinguish and give prominence to our pride in ourselves as a people and even in the face of loss and suffering, must never lose our courage and spirit in our endeavor to uphold our unity.”
Just two days later, on 6 October, Sangay Gyatso, age 27 and a father of two, set himself on fire near the Dokar Monastery in Tsoe region of Kanlho, north-eastern Tibet. In the photos of his fiery protest, Sangay Gyatso’s body is seen completely charred.
On 13 October, Tamdin Dorjee, age 52, set himself on fire in Tsoe, Kanlho region. He passed away at the site of his protest and his body was removed to his home following a prayer service conducted by monks at Tsoe Monastery. Tamdin Dorjee was the grandfather of the 7th Gunthang Rinpoche, who is one of the most revered religious leaders in the region.
On 20 October, Lhamo Kyab breathed his last by self-immolating himself near Bora monastery in Sangchu region of Amdo, Eastern Tibet. Age 27 and a father of two young daughters, Lhamo Kyab took this drastic measure protesting against the continued Chinese occupation of Tibet. Despite being engulfed in flames, he raised slogans calling out for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and then fell to the ground after walking a few steps. The local Tibetans succeeded in getting Lhamo’s charred body to the main prayer hall of the Bora monastery.
Less than 48 hours later, Dhondup, age 61, of Hor Khagya, set himself ablaze on the main road near Labrang Monastery in Sangchu County. He became the oldest Tibetan from Tibet to end his life by self-immolation. Eyewitnesses said that people circumambulating the monastery formed a human cover around Dhondup’s charred body to stop it from getting into the hands of Chinese authorities.
Many graphic images of these protests have surfaced through the media, prompting strong messages of solidarity and unity amongst Tibetans inside Tibet and more activism from Tibetans- in-exile.
The past year has seen an increasing pattern of ordinary lay Tibetans, from many different walks of life executing these drastic protests with the scope of the protests expanding across the Tibetan regions of Kham and Amdo, and even into what China calls the ‘Tibet Autonomous Region’. The Chinese Government has responded to these protests with crackdowns and severe human rights violations.
A Special General Meeting of Exiled Tibetans has expressed serious concern over the extensive loss of life through these protests and has blamed China’s policies and its illegal occupation of Tibet as the reason behind the self-immolations.
UPDATE:
On 26 October, Lhamo Tseten, age 24, set himself afire near the Amchok Township Court in Sangchu County. He succumbed to his injuries at the protest site and his charred body is currently with his family.
A few hours later that day, Tsephag Kyab, age 21, set himself on fire in Labrang region in Sangchu County. His body is in the hands of his family members.
In the wake of these self-immolations, large numbers of Chinese Security and Armed Forces are being deployed to the Sangchu area. The situation is quite tense.
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