Four self immolation in Tibet in 2 days

Tsephag Kyab, 21, set himself on fire in Labrang region in Sangchu County, Eastern Tibet  October 27: Four Tibetans have immolated themselves in just two days in three different regions of Tibet. Tsephag Kyab, 21, set himself on fire yesterday around 7 PM (local time) in Labrang Sangkho in Sangchu. He succumbed to his injuries at the protest site. Tsephag is survived by his wife Dorjee Dolma, 18, mother Lumo Jam and an elder brother named Tashi Dhondup. Thupten, a Tibetan living in South India with a close contact in a region said, “A large number of local Tibetans gathered in a region and prevent the Chinese forces from taking Tsephag’s body.” His charred body is currently in the hand of his family members. Thupten cited witnesses saying Tsephag raised the slogans demanding the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Tibet and Release of Panchen Rinpoche Gedun Choekyi Nyima and other Political prisoners. “Following the self immolation, a large number of Chinese Armed Forces and Chinese Security forces are deployed in the area and the situation is described as tense and under strict surveillance. Earlier the same day, Lhamo Tseten, 24, set himself on fire near the Amchok Township Court at 2:30 PM (local time) in Sangchu County in Amdo, Eastern Tibet. He succumbed to his injuries at the protest site. On October 25, Two Tibetans set themselves ablaze in Nagro Phampa township in Driru County, Kham. Tsepo, 20 and Tenzin, 25 set themselves on fire near a school in Nagro Phampa region. Tsepo is believed to be dead while there is no information on Tenzin's condition and his whereabouts. They raised slogans demanding return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and freedom in Tibet. Tenzin was a former student of TCV Suja where he had studied for around six months. Since 2009, 62 Tibetans have set themselves on fire demanding the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Tibet and Freedom in Tibet.

Third Self Immolation in Tibet in four days

Dorjee Rinchen (File photo)  October 23: News have just come in of another self immolation protest in Tibet. 3 Tibetans from Sangchu County have resorted to self immolation since Saturday to express their protest against China's policies and demand the return of the exile Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Dorjee Rinchen, 58, today set himself ablaze near the Chinese Army camp at 3:30 PM (local time) in Sangchu county where two others, Lhamo Kyab and Dhondup, had died after setting themselves ablaze on Saturday and Monday respectively. Amchok, a Tibetan living in South India with close contacts in the region, said, Dorjee Rinchen succumbed to his burns at the site of his protest and that his charred body was currently with his family member. “The monks of the Labrang Monastery offered special prayers for the deceased on the streets as they were not allowed to visit Dorjee Rinchen's house.” Following the self-immolation, a minor scuffle broke out at the site of the protest between Chinese authorities and local Tibetans. A new report by the United States Congress released this month found that the increasing use of repressive measures by the Chinese government and the failure of the stalled Sino-Tibet dialogue process were concurrent with the demands of the growing number of self-immolation by Tibetans. The bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China in its 2012 Annual Report said that during the reporting year, the incidence of Tibetans resorting to self-immolation “accelerated sharply” with the Chinese government refusing to accept its policy failure in Tibet. “The Party and government have not indicated any willingness to consider Tibetan grievances in a constructive manner and to hold themselves accountable for Tibetan rejection of Chinese policies, and handled the crisis as a threat to state security and social stability instead of as a policy failure,” the report said. Since 2009, 58 Tibetans have set themselves on fire demanding the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile and Freedom in Tibet.

Another Tibetan burns to death in protest against China, Fourth self-immolation this month

Lhamo Kyab in an undated photo. October 20: Another Tibetan has set himself on fire today in protest against China’s continued occupation of Tibet in Bora, Sangchu region of Amdo, eastern Tibet. Lhamo Kyab, 27, father of two young daughters, today set himself on fire near the Bora Monastery at around 2 pm (local time) in Sangchu district. According to eyewitnesses, he succumbed to his burn injuries at the site of his protest. According to Sonam, a Tibetan living in south India with close contacts in the region, Lhamo Kyab set himself on fire on a road near the Bora Monastery. "Engulfed in flames, Lhamo Kyab raised slogans calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and then fell to the ground after walking a few steps," Sonam told Phayul. Following the self-immolation, a minor scuffle broke out at the site of the protest between Chinese security personnel and local Tibetans, who succeeded in carrying Lhamo Kyab’s charred body inside the Monastery’s main prayer hall. "The monks began to offer prayers for the deceased, even as a large number of Tibetans started to arrive at the Monastery upon hearing about the protest," the same source said. As of latest information received, monks and local Tibetans have carried Lhamo Kyab’s body to his home. He is survived by his wife Droji Kyi and two daughters Pema Tso and Drugmo Tso, both under 10 years of age. The month of October has now witnessed four self-immolations in Tibet. Gudrub, 43,Sangya Gyatso, 27, and Tamdin Dorjee, 52, all passed away in their fiery protests. On May 27 this year, Dorjee Tseten, a native of Bora, set himself on fire in front of the historic Jokhang Temple in Tibet’s capital Lhasa, along with his colleague at work, Dhargey. On March 20 earlier this year, more than 100 monks from the Bora Monastery had marched towards the township-level government buildings carrying Tibetan flags and pictures of the Dalai Lama calling for freedom in Tibet and the return of the Dalai Lama. The next day, Chinese security officers entered the Monastery at around 2 am (local time) and arrested 40 monks, prompting a gathering of a large number of monks calling for the immediate release of fellow monks. The local security officials, fearing more protests, released all 40 monks a few hours later, but told the monks to make “personal statements” admitting that they have made a “mistake” which they will not repeat in future. Bora monastery has faced heavy restrictions since the 2008 uprisings in Tibet. The restrictions were tightened after Losar, Tibetan New Year this year when monks in the monastery displayed a picture of the Dalai Lama. The Chinese government, in the lead up to next month’s Party Congress, which will see its once in a decade top leadership change, has called for stricter measures to maintain stability and suppress dissenting voices. 56 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 in Tibet demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile.

US Ambassador to China visited Ngaba: State Department

US Ambassador to China Gary Locke October 17: The State Department has revealed that the US Ambassador to China last month visited the beleaguered Ngaba region of eastern Tibet, which remains the epicenter of the ongoing wave of self-immolations in Tibet. Ambassador Gary Locke visited the Ngaba region in September as part of a broader trip to Chongqing and Sichuan province, State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland told reporters at a regular news conference Tuesday. Nuland said Locke met with government officials and residents in Ngaba and visited villages and Buddhist monasteries to learn more about how Tibetans live and work. "When he was in Aba, he met with a number of local residents, including ethnic Tibetans. He also visited villages and monasteries to learn more about how ethnic Tibetan people live and work and to have a chance to talk to them," Nuland said. She reiterated "grave concern" by the US over the rising number of immolations and urged "better dialogue" between China and Tibet. "We have grave concerns about self-immolations in Tibet and about the underlying grievances that the Tibetan people have. And we have consistently urged dialogue between the Chinese government and the Tibetan people with regard to those grievances," Nuland told reporters. Ngaba is home to the Kirti Monastery, where the self-immolations began in February 2009. Since then, 55 Tibetans have set themselves on fire demanding freedom in Tibet and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile. Tibet's elected leader Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay has maintained that the "blame as well as the solution" for the self-immolation protests lie with the Chinese government. "We have discouraged drastic actions, including self-immolations, but unfortunately Tibetans seem to be saying this is the only form of protest left, because any other form of protest the consequences is similar - you get arrested, tortured and often die," Dr Sangay told reporters. Earlier this month, an undercover reporter for the Australia Broadcasting Corporation, who was able to gain rare access to the otherwise no-go zone of eastern Tibet, said that every Tibetan town he visited was "crawling with police." After being chased, caught, and escorted out of Tibet, the reporter summed up his short visit saying: "Behind us is fear, resentment and tragedy, along with government policies showing no sign of winning over Tibetans."

Indians carry Tibetan flag to Indo-Tibetan border, Demand end to Tibet crisis

Tibetans holding the Tibetan National Flag at Indo-Tibetan border pass of Bumla in Tawang, Arunachal PradeshOctober 16: A group of Indian supporters and Tibetans carried Tibetan national flags to the Indo-Tibetan border pass of Bumla in the Tawang region of Arunachal Pradesh calling for an end to the ongoing crisis in Tibet. Bumla is located at around 37 kms from Tawang, which China claims as ‘southern Tibet.’ 47 Indians from seven different states of India along with 36 Tibetans took part in the Tawang Yatra organised by the all-India Tibetan support group, Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch. Senior leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and chief patron of BTSM, Indresh Kumar led the Yatra, which began Wednesday from the Assamese city of Guwahati. In his address, Kumar said the rally aimed at creating awareness amongst the Indian public over China’s “barbaric rule” in Tibet and Beijing’s “indifferent policies” towards India. “This is not just a rally or journey but an initiative to tell those, who have conquered peace loving Tibet and now are claiming many parts of India to be theirs, that injustice will no more be tolerated,” said Kumar. “By visiting Tawang we Indians want to tell China that Tawang is a part of India and will always remain so”. The senior Indian leader added that India’s “horrible mistake” of regarding Tibet as a part of China can only be salvaged by supporting the cause of an “independent Tibet.” Travelling in cars adorned with Tibetan National flags, the Yatra made stopovers at different places along the road, generating awareness amongst the people and talking to the locals on the issue of Tibet. Indian and Tibetan participants of the Tawang Yatra stand at Bumla at the completion of their campaign calling for an end to the crisis inside Tibet. Tracing back the same road to Bumla, from where China had attacked India during the 1962 Sino-Indian war, the Yatra also paid homage to the Indian soldiers who fought in the war. Upon reaching Bumla, many of the Tibetan participants broke down at the sight of their country. The participants hoisted prayer flags and offered prayers and prostrations facing Tibet. Returning from the border post, the Yatra was received at the Tawang Monastery by Abbot Guru Tulku Rinpoche, who expressed his deep appreciation to the Indians for their support. Later in the evening, members of the India army posted in the region arranged the screening of documentary films on the 1962 war and the history of the Tawang region for the Yatra participants. Buoyed by the success of this years’ Tawang Yatra, Mahesh Chadda, the convenor of the relay announced that the campaign will now be held every year.

Breaking: 52nd self-immolation inside Tibet

Tamdin Dorjee's charred body lies on the ground after his self-immolation protest against China's occupation of Tibet on October 13, 2012. October 13: In confirmed reports coming out of Tibet, yet another Tibetan has set himself on fire in protest against China’s continued occupation of Tibet. Tamdin Dorjee, 52, set himself on fire around 1:00 pm (local time) on October 13th Saturday in Tsoe, Kanlho region of north-eastern Tibet. Tamdin Dorjee passed away at the site of his protest. Eye witnesses have told sources in exile that Tamdin Dorjee raised slogans for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and freedom in Tibet. According to Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration, his body was later taken to his home, following which a prayer service was conducted by monks at Tsoe Monastery. Local Tibetans are visiting his home to pay their last respects. Tamdin Dorjee is the grandfather of the 7th Gunthang Rinpoche, who is one of the most revered religious leaders in the region. The Monastery has been sealed off and Chinese Security forces have moved into the area. Intense restrictions are in place. Tsoe has already witnessed two self-immolations by Dolkar Tso and Sangay Gyatso. Both of them passed away in their fiery protests. 55 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 demanding the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile and freedom in Tibet.

“If we speak the truth, they will beat us to death”

A screen grab of the video report by Australia Broadcasting Corporation’s China correspondent Stephen McDonell. October 9: In one of the rare voices from behind the veil of China’s military lockdown in Tibet, a Tibetan woman has told an undercover international news reporter that Tibetans have no rights and are beaten to death for speaking the truth. The woman, who’s identity is not revealed, is from a region near Ngaba in eastern Tibet, the epicenter of the ongoing wave of self-immolation protests in Tibet. “We don't have any rights, even the right of speech. They tell us exactly what we have to say. If we speak the truth, they will arrest us and beat us to death,” the woman tells Australia Broadcasting Corporation’s China correspondent Stephen McDonell. When asked about the self-immolations, she says that she has heard of it. “They forced those people to die. There is something wrong with the Communist Party and this country,” she tells Stephen in Mandarin. “All countries in the world should pray together for the downfall of the Communist Party so it's not here anymore. They are extremely bad.” Although Tibet remains, for the most part, a no-go zone for foreign journalists, the team from ABC found a way to sneak into eastern Tibetan areas. In earlier instances, journalists attempting to enter Tibet have been warned, detained in some cases, and forced back. Throughout the 10-minute video report broadcast today, Stephen’s team is followed, warned, and eventually thrown out of the region. “Every Tibetan town we visit is crawling with police,” Stephen says in his narration. “We're inevitably seen, and from this point each time we walk out the door people are waiting for us. The same cars appear behind us again and again, and spotters start popping up all over the place.” At one point in the report, a Chinese government vehicle pulls the ABC team on a mountain road and tells the team members, out of “concern,” that Tibetan dogs could pose a threat to them. Recently, the Chinese government had refused to allow an investigative team of Australian officials from entering Tibet to find the causes behind the wave of self-immolations, which has seen 54 Tibetans set themselves on fire demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Tibet’s elected leader Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay has maintained that the blame and solution for the self-immolations lie with the Chinese government. “We have discouraged drastic actions, including self-immolations, but unfortunately Tibetans seem to be saying this is the only form of protest left, because any other form of protest the consequences is similar - you get arrested, tortured and often die,” Dr Sangay said. The ABC team, after a successful detour, is again traced by “angry” Chinese government officials. When Stephen asks them why they are being sent back and what is the problem, the Chinese officials simply reply: “Because you're a journalist. Because this is a Tibetan area.” “We're escorted out of town until they make sure we're leaving the area well and truly. Behind us is fear, resentment and tragedy, along with government policies showing no sign of winning over Tibetans,” Stephen sums up his short visit to Tibet.