45th Self-immolation in Protest of China's Policies: Witnesses Arrested

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" CTA holds prayer service for Tibetan self-immolators "
Phayul[Friday, November 02, 2012]
By Phuntsok Yangchen

(In Photo:-Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay addressing the special prayer service held at Tsug-la Khang in solidarity with Tibetan self-immolators on November 2, 2012. (Phayul photo/Phuntsok Yangchen)

DHARAMSHALA, November 2: Thousands of Tibetans and supporters, including the Tibetan Chief Justice Commissioners, Speaker Penpa Tsering, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, Kalons, members of the Tibetan Parliament and school students attended a mass prayer service held in honour of Tibetan self-immolators at the Tsug-la Khang, the main temple in Dharamshala today.

Special prayers were offered for Lhamo Tseten, 24, Thubwang Kyab, 23, Tsepo, 20, and Tenzin, 25, who set themselves ablaze in protest against China’s continued occupation of Tibet last week, making it the deadliest week, with seven self-immolations, since the spate of fiery protests began in 2009.

The two cousins, Tsepo and Tenzin, set themselves ablaze near a Chinese government building in their home village of Nagro Phampa in Driru on October 25, calling out for Tibet’s independence, for all Tibetans to unite, and for the return of the Dalai Lama from exile,

Tsepo is believed to have passed away while Tenzin was taken away by Chinese government officials. His current wellbeing and whereabouts still remain unknown following severe restrictions and clampdown on the internet and telephone communications in the region.

Lhamo Tseten and Thubwang Kyab set themselves on fire in Sangchu region of Amdo, eastern Tibet on October 26 in two separate incidents. Both of them succumbed to their injuries at their protest sites.

Thubwang Kyab’s last rites were performed on October 31 in his native town of Labrang Sangkho. Tens of thousands of Tibetans from the adjoining areas reportedly attended his funeral ceremony to pay their last respects.

Speaking at the prayer service today, Sikyong Dr Sangay blamed China’s failed policies in Tibet for the series of self-immolation protests.

“The seven self-immolations that occurred in just one week clearly speak of the deepening crisis inside Tibet,” Dr Sangay said. “Though the international media has failed to give the deserving attention to the self-immolations, some leaders of the world have expressed their support and solidarity.”

Last month, French Parliamentarian Lionnel Luca, while expressing his dismay over the lack of concern from the world governments to the self-immolations in Tibet, called for a boycott of all Chinese goods.

“Total indifference is triggering a succession of self-immolations of Tibetans to protest against the repression of the Chinese government against freedom of religion and culture of the Tibetan people, guaranteed by the constitution,” Luca said. “No government seems willing to react; thus, it is up to the people to do so by boycotting all Chinese goods, which will be the only means to exert pressure on a government that tramples International law.”

Following the prayer service, students of the Tibetan Children’s Village School, Upper Dharamshala, carried out a candlelight vigil from the Tsug-la Khang back to their school, in solidarity with the Tibetan self-immolators.

The deepening crisis inside Tibet has witnessed large scale anti-China protests and a series of self-immolations that has now seen 62 Tibetans set themselves on fire, since 2009, demanding freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from exile.

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Tibet continues to burn, Another Tibetan sets self on fire "
______Source:-Phayul
DHARAMSHALA, November 4: In photos and confirmed reports coming out of Tibet, another Tibetan set himself on fire this morning in an apparent protest against China's continued occupation of Tibet.

This latest incident of self-immolation protest, the 63rd in Tibet since 2009, is being reported from the Rebkong region of Amdo, eastern Tibet.

In one of the photos received by Phayul, the charred body of the self-immolator can be seen draped in Tibetan scarves lying below a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Exile sources say the unidentified Tibetan has succumbed to his injuries.

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DHARAMSHALA, November 28: Tibetan nun, Sangay Dolma, who passed away in her self-immolation protest on November 25, has left a note professing her belief in the swift return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibet’s independence.

Sangay Dolma also left a photograph of herself with the words, “Tibet independent nation” inscribed on it.

The 17-year-old nun set herself on fire in front of a Chinese government office in Tsekhog, near Rebkong (Ch: Tongren) in Malho region of eastern Tibet at around 7 pm (local time).

On a folded piece of paper, containing her last will and picture, Sangay Dolma has written: “Beloved children of the snowlion, Sons and daughters of the Land of Snows, Warriors of the snow mountain, Don’t forget your are Tibetans.”

Her last will, written in the form of a poem of six stanzas, is titled “He has returned.”

The first stanza reads: “Look up, fellow Tibetans, look at the blue twilight above, Like a heavenly tent of white mountain, My lama has returned.”


Tibetan nun Sangay Dolma, 17, who passed away in her self-immolation protest on Sunday, November 25, 2012.
In the fourth stanza, Sangay Dolma sends a strong political message of the revival of an independent nation of Tibet.

“Look up, Tibetans, look at the snow mountains. The snowland’s era has begun. And Tibet is free and independent.”

In the two closing stanzas, the 17-year-old nun pays further tribute to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, who has been missing since 1995, after he was recognised as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama at the age of six.

“His Holiness the Dalai Lama, when he lived far away, he travelled around the world, praying for the end of suffering of the red faced Tibetans, and released us from darkness, At a time when Panchen Lama is in prison, He looks out from his prison cell, prays for “the dawn of peace and happiness in my land of snow."

Sangay Dolma was a nun at the Gonshul Nunnery near the Sangag Mindrol Dhargeyling Monastery.


Following her self-immolation protest, a large number of local Tibetans gathered to carry out the last rites and pay their final respects.

Since 2009, 87 Tibetans have set themselves on fire protesting China’s continued occupation of Tibet and demanding freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from exile.

Chinese government authorities have retaliated with further restrictions and threats.

Recently, a five-point notice was issued in eastern Tibet, giving stern orders to local officials to punish self-immolators and their families; even those who had offered condolences and prayers to the bereaved family members and relatives. The notice further announced the cancellation of government aid to families of self-immolators as well as development projects in villages where similar protests have taken place.

Government authorities in the region are also collecting signed statements from each household conforming that they will not self-immolate. Refusal to sign such statements attracts immediate detention.

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HARAMSHALA, December 1: Family members of three Tibetans who set themselves on fire in protest against China’s rule met with a top US official who expressed Washington’s grave concern over the critical situation in Tibet.

The assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor, Michael Posner met with families of three Tibetan self-immolators at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department on Thursday, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Friday.

"He (Posner) expressed our deepest condolences and our grave concern for the spiraling violence and harsh crackdown in Tibetan areas as well as, you know, grief with regard to the self-immolations," Nuland told reporters without disclosing the identities of the family members.

"I think in order to protect them and their families, I won't go into any more details," she said.

The recent escalation in self-immolation protests in Tibet has witnessed 28 Tibetans set themselves on fire in the month of November alone, demanding freedom and the return of the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama from exile. An alarming total of 90 Tibetans have self-immolated since the fiery wave began in 2009.

“We remain very concerned about rising tensions that result from counterproductive policies, including those that limit freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association in Tibet,” Nuland said.

The State Department said it was disturbed over reports that Chinese police injured 20 Tibetan students earlier this week in a mass students’ protest against “a government-issued booklet which derided the Tibetan language, the Dalai Lama and self-immolators.”

"We are going to continue to raise this publicly and privately and urge the Chinese government, at all levels, to address policies in Tibetan areas that have created tensions and that threaten the distinct religious, cultural and linguistic identity of the Tibetan people," Nuland said.

She added that the State Department will issue “a larger statement” on the Tibetan situation next week.

[Ensapa]

Well, at least now there are US officials checking it out what is going on...

Breaking: Tibet self-immolation toll reaches 90, Fears over major protests in Barkham
Phayul[Friday, November 30, 2012 20:43]
DHARAMSHALA, November 30: In reports just in, a Tibetan man today set himself on fire in Shagdom region on Ngaba, eastern Tibet in an apparent protest against China’s occupation of Tibet.

The Tibetan man has been identified as Kunchok Kyab, 29, from Akyi region of Zoegey in Ngaba.

According to the exile base of Kirti Monastery in Dharamshala, the situation in the region, at the time of filing this report, is being described as 'very tense' with fears over eruption of major protests in the region.

“At around 9 am (local time) Kunchok Kyab set himself on fire near a gas station in the Shagdom region of Ngaba,” Kirti Monastery said in a release. “Shortly afterwards, Chinese security personnel arrived at the site and bundled him away after dousing the fire.”

“He was taken straight to regional headquarters of Barkham and it is not yet known whether he is dead or alive.”

According to the release, a group of young Tibetans, after seeing Kunchok Kyab being taken away, immediately followed the Chinese police vehicles. The wellbeing and whereabouts of those young Tibetans are also not yet known.

“According to latest reports coming in at 7 pm IST, a large number of local Tibetans have gathered to demand for the return of Kunchok Kyab and the young Tibetans,” Kirti Monastery said. “The crowd is planning to carry out a major protest and the situation has become very tense.”

Kunchok Kyab has two children, a nine-year-old and a six-year-old.

The deepening crisis inside Tibet has witnessed large scale anti-China protests and a series of self-immolations that has now seen 90 Tibetans set themselves on fire, since 2009, demanding freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from exile.

November alone has reported 28 self-immolations and protests by thousands of Tibetans, including by school students in Chabcha and Rebkong