Six Tibetans burn in two days

November 8: In more heartbreaking news coming out of Tibet, yet another Tibetan set himself on fire today in an apparent protest against China’s occupation of Tibet. Jinpa Gyatso, a Tibetan male passed away in his self-immolation protest in Rongwo town of Rebkong, eastern Tibet. Sources tell Phayul that thousands of Tibetans carried Jinpa Gyatso’s charred body to the Dolma Square in front of the Rongwo Monastery. Situation there is being described as tense with the crowd raising slogans for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and freedom in Tibet. Further details are awaited at the filing of this report. Yesterday, Tamding Tso, a 23-year-old mother of one, passed away in her self-immolation protest in the same region. In another instance yesterday, three teenaged monks of the Ngoshul Monastery in Ngaba region set themselves on fire in a triple self-immolation protest. Dorjee, 15 passed away in his protest, while the condition of Samdup, 16, and Dorjee Kyab, 16, is not yet known. Confirming today’s self-immolation protest in Rebkong, the Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration also confirmed a fifth self-immolation protest that took place yesterday, November 7, in Driru region of Nagchu, central Tibet. In two days, Tibet has witnessed an alarming escalation in the fiery protests with six confirmed self-immolations. These protests coincide with the Chinese Communist Party’s week-long 18th National Congress, which began today in Beijing. China's heir apparent Xi Jinping will be taking over the mantle of leadership, along with a new team, by the end of the meeting. The deepening crisis inside Tibet has witnessed large scale anti-China protests and a series of self-immolations that has now seen 69 Tibetans set themselves on fire, since 2009, demanding freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from exile.