Contact is taking a holiday!

Contact is taking a break after 25 years of bringing you news of Tibet and Tibetan issues. We are celebrating our 25 years by bringing you the story of Contact and the people who have made it happen, and our archive is still there for you to access at any time, and below you can read the story of Contact, how it came into being and the wonderful reflections of the people who have made it happen over the years.

When and how Contact will re-emerge and evolve will be determined by those who become involved.

Self-Immolations

Apr 19: 2012, Sonam, Status; deceased Two Tibetan self-immolated on 19th April 2012 both in their twenties and their names are Choepak Kyab and Sonam. They set himself on fire near to a local government office in Barma township near Jonang Dzamthang Gonchen Monastery in the Tibetan are of Dzamthang (Chinese: Rangtang) country, Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan. Although paramilitary troops were deployed immediately, local people managed to prevent them from taking away the bodies of the two Tibetans, who had died following the self immolation, according to the exile Tibetans, who were in contact with Tibetans in the area, the bodies were taken to the monastery in order to carry out prayers, and many other Tibetans are gathering there. It is expected that a cremation and funeral service will be held soon.

Apr 19: 2012, Choepak Kyab, Status; deceased. Two Tibetan self-immolated on 19th April 2012 both in their twenties and their names are Choepak Kyab and Sonam. They set himself on fire near to a local government office in Barma township near Jonang Dzamthang Gonchen Monastery in the Tibetan are of Dzamthang (Chinese: Rangtang) country, Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan. Although paramilitary troops were deployed immediately, local people managed to prevent them from taking away the bodies of the two Tibetans, who had died following the self immolation, according to the exile Tibetans, who were in contact with Tibetans in the area, the bodies were taken to the monastery in order to carry out prayers, and many other Tibetans are gathering there. It is expected that a cremation and funeral service will be held soon.

Apr 6: Tulku Athup alias Thupten Nyendak Rinpoche, 47, and his niece, Atse, 25, self-immolated at the former’s residence in Dzogchen monastery in Kham in eastern Tibet.  It has now been confirmed that it was a self-immolation and not an accidental fire.  Fearing closure of the monastery, officials at the time told the Chinese police that they had died due to accidental fire with butter lamps.  The police withdrew from the monastery but have since imposed severe restrictions across the region and cracked down on local Tibetans leaving many of them severely injured.

Mar 30: 2012 Tenpa Darjey, status; Deceased He was 22 years old monk from Tsondun monastery in Ngaba, set fire to himself, along with fellow monk Chimey Palden outside the prefectural government office in Barkham, Ngaba. The area is now under lockdown by armed troops. Tenpa Darjey studied philosophy at kirti monastery in Ngaba county, Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, from 2003-2009. He then returned to Tsodun where he was regarded as one of the best students in the logic and debating class. He was the youngest of four brothers and sisters.

Mar 30: 2012 Chimey Palden, Status; Deceased He was 21 years old monk from Tsondun monastery in Ngaba, set fire to himself along with fellow monk Tenpa Darjey outside the prefectural government office in Barkham, Ngaba. The area is now under lockdown by armed troops. Chimey Palden went to kirti monastery in Ngaba as a philosophy student in 2009, but stayed only a few months. In 2010, on a visit to Lhasa, he was searched by public security personnel, who found a photo of the Dalia Lama, a picture of the Tibetan national flag and a Tibetan song on his mobile phone. He was detained for more than a month.

Mar 28: 2012, Lobsang Sherab, Status; Deceased He was 20 years old monk at Ganden Tenpeling monastery in Rasuwa, Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province (Tibetan are of Amdo). Paramilitary police in Ngaba removed Sherab’s body immediately following his self-immolation, ignoring pleas for his body to be handed over to his family. Sherab had been a monk at the small Ganden Tenpeling monastery in Raruwa since the age of nine. Last October he went to study at kirti monastery in Ngaba, but he returned home on March 26, 2012.

Mar 17: 2012 Sonam Dargye, status; Deceased He was 44 years old father of three from the town of Rongpo set him-self on fire near the center of Rongpo town. Images and footage that emerged almost immediately from Tibet shows thousands of Tibetans in Rebkong (Chinese: Tongren), Malho (Chinese: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai (Tibetan area of Amdo) gathering to mark the passing of sonam Dargye.

Mar 16: 2012 Lobsang Tsultrim, Status; Deceased He set himself on fire near Ngaba county town in ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonoous Prefecture, sinchuan province (the Tibetan Area of Amdo). He set himself on fire and proceeded to march along the main road in the upper part of Ngaba county town, shouting slogans of protest against the Chinese government. As he walked on from the site of his self-immolation, armed police came running to intercept him, at which he turned and ran back in the other direction, continuing to shout. He was then knocked to the ground by a police officer, and the police extinguished the flames and threw him into the back of a pickup vehicle. He was held down by police officers, but was seen to raise his arms. He joint Kirti monaster at the age of eight, and studied at the ‘buddhist youth academy’ of monastery school. Once that institution was closed down in 2003, he entered the monastery’s Tantric college. He was eldest of four brothers and sisters.

Mar 14: 2012 Jamyang Palden,  Status; Deceased He was in his thirties from Rongpo monastery in Rebkong (Chinese: Tongren) Amdo set himself on fire in Dolma square, near Rongpo monastery, which is the main monastery in Rebkong. Monks and local people took him to hospital, but it seems that he has since been moved back to the monastery. Despite the buildup of troops local people gathered at the scene of his self-immolation, quietly praying for him.

Mar 10: 2012 Rinchen,  Status; Deceased She was 32 years old, mother of three Children. She self-immolated near a military camp in the Vicinity of Kirti monastery in Ngaba (Chniese: Aba) town in Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan (the Tibetan area of Amdo). According to Tibetan monks from kirti who are now in exile, she shouted,”Return His hoiness to Tibet” and “We need freedom.” She died soon afterwards. Rinchen was the eldest of eight siblings in her family, from Jiashang town-ship in Ngaba.

Mar 10: 2012 Gepey,  Status; Deceased He was 18 years old; he set himself on fire near a Chinese military camp location 1.5 kilometers from kirti monastery in Ngaba (Chinese Aba) Tibet and Qiang Autonomous Preecture, Sichuan. According to VOA, “Chinese authorities took Gepey’s body and forced cremation of his body the same night, according to UK-based advocacy group free Tibet. Lobsang Yeshi, spokesperson of Kirti monastery in India told VOA Tibetan that Gepey is survived by his mother and two brothers, who are also monks at the Kirti monastery in Ngaba.”

Mar 5: 2012 Dorjee, Status; Deceased He was 18 years old, he set himself on fire around 6:30 p.m. local time and walked towards the local government office in Cha (Chinese: Jia) township, Ngaba (Chinese: Aba) county, Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province. Dorjee shoued slogans against the Chinese government’s policies on Tibet, It is believed that he died at the scene and that authorities took away his body.

Mar 3: 2012 Tsering Kyi, Status; Deceased She was 20 years old, a student at the Tibetan middle school in machu set herself on fire in the vegerable market of machu town (Chinese: Magu) in Kanlho (Chinese: Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture), Gansu. Authorities have blockaded the school. And have imposed a tight military lockdown in the area following the incident, with people’s cell phones being investigated in an attempt to prevent dissemination of any images or footage that may have been taken of the self-immolation.

Feb 19: 2012, Nangdrol,  Status; Deceased He was 18 years old from Choeje village, Barma township, Dzamthang, the Tibetan area of Amdo self-immolated in Dzamthang (Chinese: Rangtang) county, Ngaba (Chinese:Aba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan. His body was taken back to the monastery where traditional Buddhist rituals were carried out for him. Nangdrol cared passionately about Tibetan culture and language and had urged fellow Tibetans to be united, and to preserve their cultural and religious identity.

Feb 17: 2012 Damchoe Sangpo, Status; Deceased He was 38 years old a monk, self-immolated in Themchen (Chinese: Tianjun) county in Tsonub (Chinese: Haixi). Mongolian and Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Qinghai province, Damchoe Sangpo was a member of Bongthak monastery’s democratic management committee, the government-established body that runs the monastery, according to Tibetan exile sources. Voice of America (VOA) Tibetan service, reported that he died after setting himself ablaze after monks were banned from marking a religious ceremony, while other sources reported that he had objected to a rigorous “patriotic education” campaign at his monastery.