US report says Tibet self-immolations sign of Beijing’s policy failure

A young Tibetan Buddhist monk holds a photo of Tamding Thar's charred body during a solidarity candle light vigil in Dharamshala on June 15, 2012. Since 2009, 50 Tibetans have set themselves on fire, demanding freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from exile. (Phayul file photo/Norbu Wangyal) August 24: A special report by the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China, on the ongoing wave of self-immolations inside Tibet, notes that the Chinese government is unwilling to address the grievances of the Tibetan people and has refrained from admitting policy failure in Tibet. “The Party and government have not indicated any willingness to consider Tibetan grievances in a more constructive manner and to hold themselves accountable for Tibetan rejection of Chinese policies,” the report says. “The Party and government have handled the crisis as a threat to state security and social stability instead of a policy failure.” The CECC says the “frequency, geographic spread, and diversity” of self-immolations in Tibet has increased since its last report in December 2011. The special report, released August 22, maintains that the wave of self-immolations is “concurrent with increasing Chinese Communist Party and government use of legal measures to repress and control core elements of Tibetan culture, and with the failure of the China-Dalai Lama dialogue process to achieve any sign of progress.” The report titled, ‘Special Report: Tibetan Self-Immolation Rising Frequency, Wider Spread, Greater Diversity,’ covers the period from January to August 10, 2012 and documents 33 instances of self-immolations within that period. The CECC studies the spread of the fiery protests to other parts of Tibet and notes the greater involvement of laypeople in the protests. “As of August 10, 2012, an additional 33 Tibetans reportedly have committed similar self-immolation protests (29 reported fatal). Of these 33 self-immolations, 13 took place outside Sichuan province and 14 were persons who did not have a monastic background (i.e., laypersons),” the report reads. The Commission believes that several factors and trends that “developed or worsened” following the major Tibetan uprisings in March 2008 “may have contributed” to the current situation forcing Tibetans to self-immolate as a last resort of protest. The report lists multiple political, social, and environmental factors, including the “erosion or elimination” of future potential for ethnic autonomy as China “promotes demographic transformation” and the “deteriorating outlook” for the Tibetan culture, language, and environment in the face of the government “continuing to prioritise development initiatives that accelerate infrastructure construction and resource exploitation.” The US Congressional Commission also notes that the “steepening decline” in the status of religious freedom; the ongoing security crackdowns and enforced “education” campaigns; and the “lack of hope” of China engaging in substantive discussions with the Dalai Lama’s envoys are factors leading to the rise of self-immolations inside Tibet.