Self-immolation, again, now in Lhasa

[Big Uncle]

I read an excellent article on the main dorjeshugden website and I think it is brilliant because it expounds a wonderfully pragmatic way to achieve the same results that self-immolation is suppose to bring. With all due respect to the deceased, self-immolation is just killing off precious Tibetan lives but it does little to further the Tibetan cause.

The Chinese authorities are definitely upset but their reaction is not to concede with the Tibetans as they are hoping for but are instead taking more and more hardline approaches in handling the Tibetan self-immolations. Therefore a radically different approach should be employed by the Tibetans in handling the Chinese if they were smarter. Here's the article and I will highlight important points in this article.

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( http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/operation-make-friends/ )

Operation Make Friends

The area in front of the Potala Palace is not a small space and to fill it up with people is no small feat. This mass gathering of people in July 2011 to listen to Xi Jinping (Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, and future leader of China) is indicative of the huge and growing support for and interest in larger China, even among the population of Tibet.

It would seem that with this kind of presence and government in Tibet, the chances of the Dalai Lama, his Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and the exiled Tibetan community in India / Nepal returning peacefully to Tibet are becoming smaller and slimmer by the day. Any continued defiance, unrest and belligerent attitudes towards China would do nothing for the Tibetans but to shoot themselves in their own foot.

Rather, the best course of action for the Dalai Lama and his government, the CTA, would be to make friends with China, not rally against them. It would serve the Dalai Lama and CTA better to stop trying to lobby the support of Western nations against China but instead to request them, with humility and respect, to assist them in befriending China and strengthening diplomatic ties.

Fearing the Giant
It is important to acknowledge that the G7 nations no longer have any real standing to fight against the might of China. The world’s current financial, economic and political situation necessarily dictates this. For example, China is potentially the key to the new European Union bail-out and China is a buyer of the European Financial Stability Facility. As China is the key to providing stronger economic stability for entire regions, it is clear that everyone now wants to get on its good side, not antagonize a nation as economically powerful as this. So while the CTA may be sincere in its urgent wish to ‘free’ Tibet, their fight today against China has little more effect than hurling an egg against a mountain.

Unfortunately, no matter how empathetic the rest of the world may be to the plight of the Tibetans, the harsh reality is that displaying support for the Tibetan cause brings little return for them, politically or economically. They may lend moral and emotional support to the Dalai Lama, but when push comes to shove, we have seen nothing in writing nor any firm governmental policy from any country about the Tibet issue. The CTA is not even recognized as a government by any country, which was possibly the reason for its change of name from Tibetan Government-In-Exile to the CTA.

If the West was really angered by the actions of China towards Tibet, why haven’t they taken any firm and definite action, such as imposing economic, trade or political sanctions against China? Whenever countries of the Middle East contravene international policies, the West has been very quick to impose sanctions against them – why are they not doing the same with China, with regards to the Tibet issue? As countries that are not even Buddhists, the UK, US, nations of the European Union etc. receive not even the slightest benefit from supporting Tibet against China. The US has probably been the most supportive and the CIA has even been reputed to be funding the Dalai Lama – but only behind the scenes. When the Dalai Lama visited the White House last year, he had to leave by the back entrance next to the garbage. (In any case, the CIA support of the Dalai Lama may not necessarily be for Tibet’s freedom, but for the Americans to use the Tibet issue as a tool to keep China ‘in check’ and maintain a political upper hand.)

China itself remains completely unfazed by the Free Tibet protests, self-immolations and political rallies. In fact, the harder the Tibetans push their stance, the more the Chinese will resist their pleas. For example, after the 1989 Tibetan uprising, Hu Jintao had wanted to soften the Chinese Communist Party’s hardline stance against Tibet. A decree was proposed to “protect Tibetan culture” but Hu lost party consensus when the Dalai Lama accused China of “cultural genocide.”

The Chinese are clearly not at all embarrassed by their annexation of Tibet – if they were, they would surely have responded to all these protests and given Tibet their independence. No amount of international pressure would affect China. Even at times when China would have most needed Western support – such as in the 1980s or for the 2008 Olympics – they have not relented on the Tibet issue. Why would they budge now, when they are emerging stronger than any of their Western counterparts?

It is unlikely that anything can come in the way of China’s policies. The fact that it has been well over six decades and China looks no closer to returning Tibet’s independence is indication enough that they aren’t going to any time in the near future. Clearly, the approach of the Dalai Lama and CTA so far has not yielded any result. It’s time to change tactics.

Build Friendships
Making friends with China would actually better the chances for the Dalai Lama to return to his homeland. Once there, instead of fighting for total independence, the Dalai Lama should request for Tibet to be developed as a Chinese Special Administrative Region – much like the status of Hong Kong. Once the Tibetans concede to the terms of the Chinese and agree to it being a province within China, the Chinese will be more likely to help them preserve their culture, give them financial and even political support on a global scale. It is simple psychology – appease the giant and please him first, then he’ll then be more than likely to help you with the things you want. There is a clear example of this in Hong Kong – while it is clearly regarded as a part of China, Hong Kong still has self-autonomy and given the economic, political ‘perks’ of being a part of this superpower. They get the best of both worlds.

Looking at the situation objectively, China has poured in tremendous financial resources into developing infrastructure for Tibet, creating jobs and improving their standard of living and education. For example, in July 2011, China’s State Council announced that “the central government will invest 138.4 billion yuan (US$ 21.38 billion) in the [Tibet Automonous Region] over the next five years to support 226 major construction projects involving a total investment of 330.5 billion yuan. The Projects envisage construction of facilities for TAR’s public services and infrastructure such as railways, highways, airports and hydropower plants.” (Jayadeva Ranade, “China uses 60th Tar Anniversary to Undermine Dalai Lama”, Centre for Air Power Studies, 16 August 2011.)

Tibet has no industries, no international trade and no economic strength. If China was to suddenly stop pumping in funds, the economy would fall flat and Tibet would be back to the agriculture-based farming community it has been for centuries. Economically, it is undeniable that the situation within Tibet in China far surpasses that of the exiled Tibetan community in India (as kind and generous as India continues to be to them). A genuine friendship with China and towing the line they set would bestow the Tibetans far more benefit than if they were separate entities.

This approach of friendship would then facilitate not only the Dalai Lama’s peaceful return to his home country but also to work from within to preserve Tibet’s ancient, rich culture, traditions, language and religion. Would it not be more effective and swift for the Dalai Lama to work peaceably within Tibet, maintaining friendly relations with China, than to continue fighting forever from the outside?

We would like to humbly suggest that His Holiness the Dalai Lama now work on an international platform with influential nations of the West and Asia-Pacific to establish good, friendly relations with China. At the same time, His Holiness should tell the Tibetans to stop fighting with China because each time there is unrest, the situation becomes worse for the Tibetans, creating an inescapably vicious cycle. As the Tibetans have such tremendous faith in the Dalai Lama, issuing a clear instruction like this to his people would most definitely have an impact and they will listen.

The Lamas Who Are Paving The Way
There are many examples of high lamas who are now befriending the Chinese and the government of China. This has softened the Chinese stance towards the Tibetan people and their culture. These lamas have done a great service to the Tibetans and it is because of their influence that China is now actively promoting Tibetan culture, religion and people, supporting them financially and providing resources to the largest monastic institutions there.

These great lamas include the incomparable teachers like Gangchen Rinpoche, Gonsar Rinpoche, Serkong Tritul Rinpoche, Yongyal Rinpoche, Lama Thubten Phurbu, Pabongka Rinpoche, 101st Gaden Trisur Rinpoche and Zawa Rinpoche. Sadly, all of them have been cast out of the mainstream Tibetan exile community, branded as traitors to the Dalai Lama and the cause for Tibet simply because they have chosen to continue their religious worship of the Protector deity Dorje Shugden.

Upon closer inspection however, anyone will see that these very lamas are the ones who are actually paving the way for Tibetans to return to Tibet, for China to open its doors again to the Tibetans, and Dharma to endure within Tibet. For example, H.H. Gaden Trisur Rinpoche has paid an official visit to the Panchen Lama who is backed by the Chinese; Gangchen Rinpoche has paid several visits to China and Tibet which has included attending the World Buddhist Forum in Hang Zhou and the 1st China Tibetan Culture Forum ; other lamas such as Yongyal Rinpoche, abbot of Shar Gaden Monastery, Zemey Rinpoche and Gaden Trisur Rinpoche have also been supportive of and attended initiations hosted by other lamas within China districts. This doesn’t look like the action of people who are against the Dalai Lama and their fellow Tibetans. This looks like people who are actually doing something for the cause of Tibet, rather than just talk and campaign for it.

We urge His Holiness and his government to consider using this same friendly approach towards China instead of the confrontational methods they have been using, which clearly have not brought the desired results. Time is of the essence now, especially as the Dalai Lama is getting older. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the Tibetans could build such strong ties with China that the Dalai Lama would be allowed to return to his homeland before he passes away? Some of the greatest Buddhist masters today are already starting to do this. Imagine if the rest of the exiled Tibetan community, its government the CTA and the Dalai Lama himself extended this same peaceful friendship with China? And on that glorious day that the Dalai Lama returns again to Tibet, Tibetan culture, language and religion will stand the greatest chance they have had in six decades to revive and endure.

[DharmaSpace]

There are quite a lot of Self Immolation videos on youtube and it is open to commenting. I also believe the CTA is trying to use this to get sympathy for their cause as well.

Anyways I have left this message for CTA hope everyone can leave one of the same nature too, cut off their support from the world if they try to ignore the Dorje Shugden cause and not lift the ban 

Tibet Burning	Small | Large

What's China doing in Tibet?

Tibetan protester sets himself on fire ahead of China President's visit to Delhi

India and the world should know what goes on within the borders of India.

[Ensapa]

He died for Tibetan unity, but how can Tibet be united when even Ganden Shartse is split to two? These people throw their lives away for a united Tibet, but that will not happen because even in Dharamsala itself is split: Pro or against Dorje Shugden.

Honouring self-immolators’ calls Tibetans pledge unity
Phayul[Tuesday, January 15, 2013 23:27]
DHARAMSHALA, January 15: Honouring the calls made by Tibetan self-immolators for unity among the Tibetan people, hundreds of Tibetans in Tawu region of eastern Tibet have pledged not to indulge in any internal conflicts or in-fighting.

According to exile media reports, a monastery in the Minyag Nagtren region of Tawu initiated the move, encouraging local Tibetans above 15 and below 60 years of age to take the pledge to never fight among themselves.

Respecting the last testaments of Tibetan self-immolators and paying heed to the monastery’s advice, around 400 Tibetans in the region are believed to have taken the pledge so far.

Since 2009, as many as 97 Tibetans have set themselves on fire protesting China’s continued occupation of Tibet and demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile. Many of the self-immolators have also called for an end to internal conflicts and pleaded for unity among the Tibetan people.

Lobsang Gendun, 29, a monk, at the Penag Monastery, who passed away in his self-immolation protest in Golog Pema region of eastern Tibet on December 3, 2012, raised slogans urging Tibetans to be united and avoid in fighting while engulfed in flames.

Before his fiery protest, he called one of his friends and left a message of hope for the unity and solidarity of all Tibetans.

“I am right now preparing to self-immolate,” Lobsang Gendun told his friend (name not revealed). “I have already doused my body with petrol. I am only left with the battery water to drink before I burn myself.”

“Although I wanted to leave a note, but for my poor handwriting, I could not. So, I am calling you,” Lobsang Gendun said. “My hope is for Tibetans from all the three provinces of Tibet to be united, have solidarity with each other, and not to indulge in internal quarrels. Our aspirations will be fulfilled if we all do this.”

A few days later, on December 8, another Tibetan, Pema Dorjee, 23, passed away in his self-immolation protest in the Luchu region of eastern Tibet while raising slogans for the "return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, independence of Tibet, unity of Tibetans and for the land of Tibet to be ruled by Tibetans."

[WisdomBeing]

"Despite repeated appeals by the exile Tibetan administration to refrain from such drastic acts, Tibetan self-immolations have persisted." Sad to say, it seems like the CTA is saying one thing and doing another. How can the CTA tell people to refrain from self-immolation and then Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay pays "tribute" to those who have self-immolated?? How contradictory!! By paying tribute, you are telling Tibetans that they SHOULD self-immolate so that they will become martyrs! How contradictory and cruel. Please don't play games with people's lives. Please stop paying tribute. Please stop the immolations. Please stop the ban on Dorje Shugden. It's time for the CTA to do something positive already.



Dharamshala offers prayers for Tibetan self-immolators
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=32903&article=Dharamshala+offers+prayers+for+Tibetan+self-immolators
Phayul[Wednesday, January 23, 2013 22:26]

DHARAMSHALA, January 23: The Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration today organised a special prayer service for Tibetan self-immolators Drubchog and Kunchok Kyab at the Tsug-la Khang, the main temple.

The prayer service led by H.E the 11th Kirti Rinpoche was attended by hundreds of Tibetans and supporters including the Tibetan Chief Justice Commissioners, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, Kalons, and Tibetan Parliamentarians.

Speaking at the prayer session, Sikyong Dr Sangay, the elected head of the Tibetan people, paid tribute to Drubchog and Kunchok Kyab.

Drubchog torched his body in protest against China’s rule on January 18 in Khyungchu region of eastern Tibet. He passed away at the site of his protest.

According to eyewitnesses, Drubchog, before setting himself on fire said ‘Gyalwang Tenzin Gyatso’ (His Holiness the Dalai Lama) with his hands joined together in prayer.

His father Kyogpo, later told a group of visitors who had come to offer their condolences that he doesn’t have “an iota of regret” as his son “died for the justice and freedom” of the Tibetan people.

Drubchog is survived by his wife and two children.

Kunchok Kyab, 26 self-immolated on January 22 near the Bora Monastery in Labrang region of eastern Tibet. He passed away in his fiery protest following which a large number of Chinese armed forces and special security personnel were deployed in the region.

Kunchok Kyab is survived by his wife Kharmo Thar and their infant son.

Since 2009, as many as 98 known Tibetans have set themselves on fire in Tibet protesting China’s continued occupation and demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile.

Despite repeated appeals by the exile Tibetan administration to refrain from such drastic acts, Tibetan self-immolations have persisted.

The CTA maintains that the current situation in Tibet has stemmed from “several decades of Chinese misrule in Tibet” and discontent of the Tibetan people arising from “political repression, cultural assimilation, economic marginalisation, and environmental destruction.”

Currently, three delegations of the Tibetan parliament are leading lobbying campaigns all over India as part of the exile administration’s attempts at garnering wider support for international intervention in the ongoing crisis inside Tibet.

The Kashag and the Tibetan parliament will also be jointly organising an intensive four-day solidarity campaign in the Indian capital New Delhi from January 30 – February 2, featuring prayer sessions, day-long fast, peace marches and speeches by prominent Indian leaders.

[icy]

DHARAMSHALA, January 24: A teenaged Tibetan was found dead with his body doused with kerosene and lighters in his hand due to suspected poisoning in Luchu region of eastern Tibet.

On January 19, the body of Jigjey Kyab, 17, soaked with kerosene and with two lighters in his hands, was recovered from a busy street in the Shigtsang Pungkor region of Luchu.

"Jigjey Kyab made an attempt to self-immolate but he apparently died before he could set himself on fire" said Lhamo Kyab, a former political prisoner living in Dharamshala. "He had reportedly consumed poison prior to his self-immolation protest to ensure that he didn’t fall into the hands of the Chinese authorities alive.”

In earlier instances, surviving Tibetan self-immolators have suffered amputations of all limbs, verbal abuse, interrogations, and maltreatment by doctors and Chinese officials at the hospitals. The condition of more than a dozen Tibetan self-immolators remains unknown.

Following the incident, local Chinese security personnel visited the deceased’s family for interrogations.

In a last note left by his bedside, which was later found by his family members, Jigjey Kyab has called on Tibetans to rise up.

"I pray that my aspirations will be fulfilled. If you are your mother’s son - rise up. Sons of the Land of Snows - rise up. Singers of the Snow Land - rise up. May His Holiness the Dalai Lama live for thousands of aeons. My respect to the white snow lion (symbol of Tibet). My prayers for happiness in Tibet."


Jigjey Kyab's last hand written note.
He further made an emotion appeal to his parents in his handwritten note written in Tibetan, dated January 19, the day of his self-immolation attempt.

"Father and mother, it is my hope that you will take care of yourselves. You are the most loving people in this world. I will repay your kindness in my next life."

According to the same source, Jigjey Kyab was cremated three days later on January 22, after perceived pressure and warnings from the Chinese authorities.

Jigjey Kyab is survived by his father Dhugkar Kyab, mother Dekyi Tso and sister Choekyong Tso.

Jigjey Kyab’s parents remember him as “an obedient and well-mannered boy, who was patriotic and felt strongly for the Tibetan self-immolators.”

Last month, Pema Dorjee, 23, passed away in his fiery protest in Luchu, while raising slogans for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibet’s independence. Four self-immolations have occurred in the Luchu region alone.

Since 2009, as many as 98 known Tibetans have set themselves on fire in Tibet protesting China’s continued occupation and demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile.

[samayakeeper]

Just as the series of self-immolation of Tibetan monks seemed to taper off, now it happened again in Lhasa itself, the heart of Tibet. When it happened among the outskirts of Tibetan community it did not raise as much attention as when it happened in Lhasa, the center of attention of the whole world, the tension is like that during the 2008 riot again, if not more serious.

Why isn't the Dalai Lama making a public announcement condemning self-immolation and asking the monks to stop it as it is not really a Buddhist way of protesting? The Dalai Lama can be very firm and adamant when he bans Dorje Shugden, and many go all out to carry out the ban, more than what the original ban should be, so if the Dalai Lama put his foot down in condemning self-immolation, I am sure it will stop completely. So why isn't the Dalai Lama doing that?


http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=46,10924,0,0,1,0

Two Tibetan Buddhist monks set themselves on fire in protest of Chinese rule
By Claire Cozens, AFP May 28, 2012

Beijing, China -- Two Tibetan Buddhist monks have set themselves on fire in Lhasa, US-based broadcaster Radio Free Asia said, in the first-ever reported self-immolations in the capital of China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.

The monks reportedly set themselves on fire on Sunday outside the Jokhang temple, a renowned centre for Buddhist pilgrimage in Lhasa, which has been under heavy security since deadly riots broke out in 2008.

Radio Free Asia said the two were believed to be among a few Tibetan youths who gathered to protest against Chinese rule outside the temple, and that they appeared to have died in the blaze.
“The security forces arrived immediately and put out the fire and all the tourists in the area were cordoned off from the site,” a witness told the broadcaster.

“Within 15 minutes, the area was cleaned and not a trace of the incident was left.”

Radio Free Asia quoted a source as saying the situation in Lhasa was now “very tense” and the city was filled with police and paramilitary forces.

One Lhasa resident contacted by AFP on Monday also reported an increased police presence in the city, adding officers were carrying out identity checks in the street and the mobile signal was blocked.


However, security authorities in Lhasa contacted by telephone refused to comment on the incident.
“We are not clear about the situation yet. Wait until the media makes an announcement,” said an official who declined to give his name.

More than 30 people have set themselves on fire in China’s Tibetan-inhabited regions since the start of March 2011 in protest at what they say is religious and cultural repression by the Chinese authorities.

Robbie Barnett, a Tibet expert at Columbia University in New York, said Sunday’s incident marked the first protest in Lhasa since anti-Chinese government riots broke out 2008, before spreading to other Tibetan areas.

“This is the first incident of any significance in four years. It’s a big setback for the authorities,” he told AFP by telephone from New York.

“These self-immolations are very troubling for the Chinese because it is a new method of protest that it very hard to prevent.”
Tibetans have long chafed under China’s rule over the vast Tibetan plateau, accusing Beijing of curbing religious freedoms and eroding their culture and language.

The tensions have intensified over the past year, but Beijing insists that Tibetans enjoy religious freedom and have benefited from improved living standards brought on by China’s economic expansion.

Most of the suicide attempts have taken place around the Kirti monastery in China’s southwestern province of Sichuan, which has become a flashpoint for the mounting anger at Chinese domination over Tibet.

The only previous case in Tibet itself was in December, when a former Buddhist monk set himself alight in Changu prefecture shouting anti-Chinese slogans. He was taken to hospital and later died of his injuries.

Chinese media made no mention of the latest immolations. Internet searches for the Chinese name of the temple where they reportedly occurred, Dazhaosi, were blocked in China on Monday.

LATEST NEWS FROM LHASA
The 7th Reting Rinpoche, Dinga Rinpoche Pasang Namgyal, Gyatso Ling Rinpoche Thubten Drapa and other top political advisers advised against the act of self-immolation. Taking one's own life and others will lead to rebirth in the three lower realms of existence.

The Chinese government claimed that the acts of self-immolation were incited and supported by the 14th Dalai Lama and the CTA. Those who incite others to commit self-immolation and those who survived self-immolation were hauled to the court and charged with intentional homicide.

[Ensapa]

[video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9uKE7i3Xxg

Not sure how to embed a video, but the video above is a very chilling video of several instigators of self immolators.

China's account:

BEIJING - National broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) has released a documentary on self-immolation in the country's Tibetan-inhabited areas.

The documentary debuted at 9:27 pm on Dec 23 on CCTV-4, an international channel mainly targeting overseas viewers in Chinese language.

It also aired on CCTV's English channel, Spanish channel, French channel, Arabic channel and Russian channel on Monday.

The documentary, titled "Facts About Self-Immolation in Tibetan Areas of Ngapa (Aba)," discloses the truth about self-immolations that have occurred in Aba, a Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture in Southwest China's Sichuan province.

The documentary contains interviews with the masterminds and victims of the self-immolations. It states that the monks in Aba were acting on orders sent from overseas to convince people to self-immolate, as well as sending information about the self-immolations abroad, as they have claimed that the acts were a form of "protest" against Chinese rule in Tibetan areas.

The documentary also states that the Dalai clique masterminded the self-immolations in order to split China.

Phayul's account:

China intensifies media war over Tibet self-immolations with new documentary
Phayul[Wednesday, December 26, 2012 04:21]
DHARAMSHALA, December 26: China has intensified its propaganda blitzkrieg over the self-immolation protests in Tibet, this time with the release of a documentary which claims to “disclose the truth” about the protests.

According to Xinhua, the state news agency, the documentary titled ‘Facts About Self-Immolation in Tibetan Areas of Ngapa (Aba)’ was broadcast on CCTV-4, an international channel targeting overseas viewers of Chinese language on Sunday night. The documentary was later aired on CCTV's English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Russian channels on Monday.

According to Xinhua, the documentary contains interviews with the "masterminds" and "victims" of the self-immolations and further alleges that the monks in the region were "acting on orders sent from overseas."

“The documentary also states that the Dalai clique masterminded the self-immolations in order to split China,” the report said.

Since 2009, as many as 95 Tibetans have set themselves on fire protesting China’s continued occupation of Tibet and demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile. The month of November, during which China held its 18th Party Congress, was the deadliest since the wave began with 28 self-immolations and major protests involving thousands of Tibetans.

In recent weeks, China’s state run newspapers have devoted an increasing number of editorials, reports, and opinion pieces by “Tibet scholars,” all aimed at reinforcing Beijing’s official line of blaming the Tibet crisis on exile Tibetans.

China’s foreign ministry has repeatedly expressed opposition and dissatisfaction over international calls to address the grievances of the Tibetan people, terming them as “gross intervention in China's internal affairs.”

Earlier this month, the Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration challenged Beijing to prove its allegations after authorities detained a monk and his nephew and accused them of instigating self-immolations of eight Tibetans on the instructions of the Dalai Lama.

“If China genuinely wishes to end the self-immolations, instead of resorting to the blame game it should allow unfettered access to international bodies to Tibetan areas to investigate the root causes for these self-immolations,” Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, the elected head of the Tibetan people said.

Despite repeated international calls for restraint and reconsideration of its policies, China has hardened its stance on the self-immolation protests and announced stricter measures including pressing of murder charges against anyone caught aiding or inciting self-immolations and cash rewards for those “exposing crimes” related to the protests.

China continues to cut off Tibet from the rest of the world even as international clamour over diplomatic access and visits by foreign media has grown in recent weeks. The United Nations, European Union, US, UK, and Canada have blamed China’s policies for exacerbating the situation in Tibet and urged Beijing to allow investigative visits to the region.

The Dalai Lama has repeatedly called for “serious investigation”” in to the self-immolations and noted that the protests were a symptom of problems that Tibetans did not create.

Compare both accounts, watch the video and you'll know which one would be the more reliable answer to the whole self immolation thing.

[Ensapa]

Spare us please, CTA.

Political repression, cultural assimilation trigerring Tibet immolations: White paper
Phayul[Monday, January 28, 2013 23:46]


Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay releasing the white paper, 'Why Tibet is Burning?' at the Kashag Secretariat on January 28, 2013.

DHARAMSHALA, January 28: Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, the elected head of the Tibetan people, today released a research publication explaining the fundamental reasons behind the ongoing wave of self-immolations inside Tibet and the alarming escalation in the protests witnessed in the past few months.

The white paper titled 'Why Tibet is Burning?' is also the first book published by the Tibet Policy Institute under the Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration.

Releasing the book, Sikyong Sangay said the current critical situation in Tibet is being "fuelled by China's total disregard for the religious beliefs, cultural values and reasonable political aspirations of the Tibetan people."

The de facto Tibetan Prime Minister expressed his hope that the report will help to illuminate the deeper layers of the current crisis in Tibet.

"With this goal in mind, we offer this report to global citizens and leaders,” Sikyong Sangay said. “It presents in-depth examination and analysis of the policy areas that relentlessly rob Tibetans of their culture and language, and undermine their chosen way of life."

The principle reasons for Tibet’s fiery protests as listed in the 91-page report are: Political Repression - Chinese Communist leader's views of and Policies on Tibet; Cultural Assimilation - Destruction of Tibetan Buddhism; Social Discrimination - Strangling the Tibetan language; Environment Destruction - Tibetan Nomads and ending their way of life; and Economic Marginalisation - Population transfer and western China Development Programme.

Since 2009, almost 100 known Tibetans, most of them in their teens and early twenties, have set themselves on fire in Tibet protesting Chinese rule and demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile.

The white paper explains that young Tibetans in Tibet have seen and experienced “China's constant assault" and their decision to set themselves on fire is a "stark judgment of Chinese rule in Tibet."

The most number of self-immolations in a month, 28, was recorded in November 2012, coinciding with the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. As many as five Tibetans set themselves on fire on the eve of the meeting.

Tibetan self-immolators have also called for the preservation of Tibetan language and in some cases carried out their protest outside Chinese mining sites in their region.

The Tibet Policy Institute is a think-tank that functions as a research-oriented intellectual platform for the CTA.

[Ensapa]

Looks like China is really getting serious with the incidents of self immolations that has been happening:

China begins self-immolation trial, Makes more arrests
Phayul[Tuesday, January 29, 2013 14:04]


A screen shot of the two Tibetans standing trial in a Chinese court in eastern Tibet.

DHARAMSHALA, January 29: A Chinese court in eastern Tibet began trial on two Tibetans, including a monk of the Kirti Monastery, on alleged crimes of inciting self-immolations in the Ngaba region.

China’s official Xinhua news agency on January 26 cited a statement issued by the Intermediate People's Court of Aba Prefecture as saying that Lobsang Konchok, 41, and his nephew Lobsang Tsering, 31, have been accused of “intentional homicide.”

Proceedings of the trial have been widely broadcast and publicised in China via national media and television channels.

The report said the two Tibetans arrested in August last year were guilty of instigating eight Tibetans to self-immolate, resulting in three deaths.

Last month, Chinese authorities stated that the two had acted on the instructions of the Dalai Lama and his followers, a charge which the exile Tibetan administration vehemently denied.

The Central Tibetan Administration challenged China to prove their assertions and said it was ready for a probe by the Chinese authorities and invited them to send an investigative team to the exile Tibetan headquarters in Dharamshala.

CTA said, “such statements from a state known to resort to torture and detention of individuals without due judicial process can only be received with scepticism from the international community.”

“If China genuinely wishes to end the self-immolations, instead of resorting to the blame game it should allow unfettered access to international bodies to Tibetan areas to investigate the root causes for these self-immolations,” Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, the elected head of the Tibetan people said.

Also last week, China announced the arrest of two more Tibetans in the Rebkong region of eastern Tibet for “crimes” related to the ongoing wave of self-immolation protests.

According to Xinhua, Dolma Kyab, 25, a monk at the Dowa Monastery was arrested on November 19 after he was found to have stored gasoline in a hotel room, while Phagpa, 27, was held on charges on inciting Dolma Kyab to self-immolate.

The report cited police as saying that Phagpa had maintained close contact with key members of the Tibetan Youth Congress, the exile based largest pro-independence group.

Earlier this month, TYC had dismissed similar charges, calling them “baseless and fallacious.”

“Instead of hurling such baseless and fallacious allegation, the Chinese government should heed to the fiery cries of the Tibetan people inside Tibet demanding to reinstate our leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama in an Independent Tibet,” Tsewang Rigzin, president of TYC said.

Despite repeated international calls for restraint and reconsideration of its policies in Tibet, China has hardened its stance on the self-immolation protests and announced stricter measures including pressing of murder charges against anyone caught aiding or inciting self-immolations and cash rewards for those “exposing crimes” related to the protests, which include offering condolences to families of the deceased.

The Dalai Lama has repeatedly called for “serious investigation” in to the self-immolations and noted that the protests are a symptom of problems that Tibetans did not create

[DharmaSpace]

http://www.news24.com/World/News/Tibetans-in-exile-to-pressure-China-20130130

New Delhi - The Tibetan government-in-exile in India on Tuesday announced plans for a four-day campaign to bring global pressure on China in a bid to end a string of self-immolations in their Himalayan homeland.

Penpa Tsering, speaker of the exiled Tibetan parliament based in the northern Indian town of Dharamshala, said the drive would include rallies and meetings and begin in New Delhi on Wednesday.

"The situation is getting more and more grim," Tsering said at a joint news conference with Lobsang Sangay, who in 2011 took over political duties from revered Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and was named prime minister.

The two leaders said 99 Tibetans had set themselves on fire between 2009 and January 22 this year in protest against Chinese rule in Tibet. Of that number, the government-in-exile says 83 have died.

"Instead of trying to address the main causes as to why self-immolations are taking place, as to why Tibetans are protesting in various other forms, the Chinese government has resorted to a blame game," Sangay said.

"They blame us for the tragedy in Tibet which is absolutely baseless because Tibet has been under China's occupation for the last 50 years," the Harvard-educated scholar said.

Sangay said India, home to tens of thousands of Tibetan exiles, "ought to speak out forcefully on Tibet".

The four-day campaign will call for visits to Tibet by UN fact-finding teams and the publication of details of human rights discussions between Beijing and foreign powers, Sangay said.

He said the Tibetan government as well as the parliament, which has been based in Dharamshala since the Dalai Lama fled after a failed uprising against China in 1959, were determined to highlight "repression of Tibetans in Tibet".

Self-immolation

Both the Dalai Lama and the prime minister have appealed to Tibetans not to resort to self-immolation.

"We are against drastic action but we must highlight it (the situation in Tibet) to the international community," Sangay said.

Many Tibetans in China accuse the government of religious repression and eroding their culture, as the country's majority Han ethnic group increasingly moves into historically Tibetan areas.

China rejects that, saying Tibetans enjoy religious freedom. Beijing also points to huge ongoing investment that it says has brought modernisation and a better standard of living to Tibet.

The Tibetans are really desperate it seems and nowhere to turn to and reminds me in a way of the suicide bombers in Middle East. I wish all our Tiebtan Dharma brothers to look not to CTA and what it represents as hope but perhaps turn to a unlikely source the Dorje Shugden Lamas.  The Dorje Shugden Lamas are the only significant group of people who have made contact with China not to harm Tibet, or harm the cause of Tibet but to engage for the flourishing of Buddha Dharma. The Dorje Shugden lamas as the ones mentioned below have significant presence and ability to turn things around, some have their base in the West whereby they have influential people as their students.
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/how-five-powerful-lamas-are-changing-the-world/

NKT has over 1000 centers worldwide they also have significant influence over the rest of the world.

Unless one is attained acts of immolation will just be a cause of bad rebirth.

It would seem to me that the CTA on their phayul website if they do not show overt support they are certainly showing it subtly. CTA these are your people who are burning themselves to death and will get a negative rebirth as a result of their negative last thoughts which is NOT a positive one in pain, agony, frustration , despair, attachment and that leads to a spirit rebirth. SO CTA is not doing their people a favour to allow and encourage them to burn. * shakes head*

As long there is breath in our bodies there is HOPE and there is hope on the form of Dorje Shugden lamas look at all their peace works and the influence, all they have gone with China that CTA has not had a whiff after the last Olympics in China. And China appreciates the Dorje Shugden Lama who are a stabilising influence on communities in Tibet.







 

[Ensapa]

http://www.news24.com/World/News/Tibetans-in-exile-to-pressure-China-20130130

New Delhi - The Tibetan government-in-exile in India on Tuesday announced plans for a four-day campaign to bring global pressure on China in a bid to end a string of self-immolations in their Himalayan homeland.

Penpa Tsering, speaker of the exiled Tibetan parliament based in the northern Indian town of Dharamshala, said the drive would include rallies and meetings and begin in New Delhi on Wednesday.

"The situation is getting more and more grim," Tsering said at a joint news conference with Lobsang Sangay, who in 2011 took over political duties from revered Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and was named prime minister.

The two leaders said 99 Tibetans had set themselves on fire between 2009 and January 22 this year in protest against Chinese rule in Tibet. Of that number, the government-in-exile says 83 have died.

"Instead of trying to address the main causes as to why self-immolations are taking place, as to why Tibetans are protesting in various other forms, the Chinese government has resorted to a blame game," Sangay said.

"They blame us for the tragedy in Tibet which is absolutely baseless because Tibet has been under China's occupation for the last 50 years," the Harvard-educated scholar said.

Sangay said India, home to tens of thousands of Tibetan exiles, "ought to speak out forcefully on Tibet".

The four-day campaign will call for visits to Tibet by UN fact-finding teams and the publication of details of human rights discussions between Beijing and foreign powers, Sangay said.

He said the Tibetan government as well as the parliament, which has been based in Dharamshala since the Dalai Lama fled after a failed uprising against China in 1959, were determined to highlight "repression of Tibetans in Tibet".

Self-immolation

Both the Dalai Lama and the prime minister have appealed to Tibetans not to resort to self-immolation.

"We are against drastic action but we must highlight it (the situation in Tibet) to the international community," Sangay said.

Many Tibetans in China accuse the government of religious repression and eroding their culture, as the country's majority Han ethnic group increasingly moves into historically Tibetan areas.

China rejects that, saying Tibetans enjoy religious freedom. Beijing also points to huge ongoing investment that it says has brought modernisation and a better standard of living to Tibet.

The Tibetans are really desperate it seems and nowhere to turn to and reminds me in a way of the suicide bombers in Middle East. I wish all our Tiebtan Dharma brothers to look not to CTA and what it represents as hope but perhaps turn to a unlikely source the Dorje Shugden Lamas.  The Dorje Shugden Lamas are the only significant group of people who have made contact with China not to harm Tibet, or harm the cause of Tibet but to engage for the flourishing of Buddha Dharma. The Dorje Shugden lamas as the ones mentioned below have significant presence and ability to turn things around, some have their base in the West whereby they have influential people as their students.
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/how-five-powerful-lamas-are-changing-the-world/

NKT has over 1000 centers worldwide they also have significant influence over the rest of the world.

Unless one is attained acts of immolation will just be a cause of bad rebirth.

It would seem to me that the CTA on their phayul website if they do not show overt support they are certainly showing it subtly. CTA these are your people who are burning themselves to death and will get a negative rebirth as a result of their negative last thoughts which is NOT a positive one in pain, agony, frustration , despair, attachment and that leads to a spirit rebirth. SO CTA is not doing their people a favour to allow and encourage them to burn. * shakes head*

As long there is breath in our bodies there is HOPE and there is hope on the form of Dorje Shugden lamas look at all their peace works and the influence, all they have gone with China that CTA has not had a whiff after the last Olympics in China. And China appreciates the Dorje Shugden Lama who are a stabilising influence on communities in Tibet.

Thanks Dharmaspace. Phayul and other Tibetan websites, as well as Dharamsala is showing passive support for the self immolations by celebrating the self immolators as heroes or by doing elaborate pujas for them and then advertising the pujas. I think that itself is quite bad and by doing that itself, it makes people think that self immolation is the way to go for a free Tibet when it will only cause more suffering and pain for people around them. It hurts the families of the self immolators a lot. And phayul writes them as if they were sob stories that deserve the pity of people and how bad China is to drive them to immolate themselves. If the Tibetans were lemmings and not people, being pressured to commit suicide would be acceptable but they're people. It is horrible of how the CTA is using human lives to champion their own agendas....

[Tenzin Gyatso]

Tibetans are a brave lot and will sacrifice their lives for freedom and justice.

Amazing!! 

[icy]

DHARAMSHALA, January 31: In a first of its kind court sentence passed down in relation to what China calls “crimes” associated with self-immolations in Tibet, one Tibetan has been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve and another to ten years.

China's official state agency Xinhua, reported today that the Intermediate People's Court of the Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Aba passed the sentence on Thursday.

According to the court verdict, Lobsang Konchok, 40, a monk of the Ngaba Kirti Monastery was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve and has been stripped of his political rights for life. His nephew, Lobsang Tsering, 31, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and has been stripped of his political rights for three years.

The two Tibetans have been convicted of “intentional homicide” for “inciting and coercing eight people to self-immolate, resulting in three deaths.”

The court further charged Lobsang Konchok of sending out information regarding self-immolations, which it said was “used by some overseas media as a basis for creating secessionist propaganda.”

However, the Xinhua report didn’t carry any mention of earlier charges made by Chinese police accusing the two of working at the instructions of the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his followers.

Speaking today at a panel discussion in New Delhi on the sidelines of the ongoing Tibet solidarity campaign, H.E. Kirti Rinpoche, the head lama of the Kirti Monastery, said the “admission of crimes” by the two Tibetans as claimed by the Chinese government, is a result of torture.

“To impose and to assert their claim that outsiders are instigating the self-immolations, the Chinese authorities have rounded up lots of Tibetans and are forcing them to confess crimes under severe torture in prison,” Kyabje Kirti Rinpoche said. “This is how they are collecting their so called evidence.”

The exile Tibetan administration had earlier contested China’s claims of “confession” saying that statements from a state “known to resort to torture and detention of individuals without due judicial process can only be received with scepticism from the international community.”

“If China genuinely wishes to end the self-immolations, instead of resorting to the blame game it should allow unfettered access to international bodies to Tibetan areas to investigate the root causes for these self-immolations,” the Central Tibetan Administration said.

[Ensapa]

More news.

Six Tibetans sentenced up to 12 years for rescuing self-immolator
Phayul[Friday, February 01, 2013 20:33]

DHARAMSHALA, February 1: China has sentenced six Tibetans to heavy jail terms of up to 12 years for their alleged roles in trying to rescue a Tibetan self-immolator from falling into the hands of Chinese officials.

The Xiahe County People's Court passed the sentence on January 31, the same day when a Chinese court in Ngaba, eastern Tibet, sentenced Lobsang Kunchok, to death with a two year reprieve for “instigating” self-immolations and Lobsang Tsering to 10 years.

The court in Sangchu sentenced Pema Dhondup to 12 years, Kalsang Gyatso to 11 years, Lhamo Dhondup to seven years, and a female Pema Tso to eight years on charges of intentional homicide.

According to China’s state agency Xinhua, two other Tibetans, Dugkar Gyal and a female Yangmo Kyi were convicted of "picking quarrels and provoking troubles" and sentenced to four and three years in prison, respectively.

The Tibetans were sentenced in connection with the self-immolation protest of Dorjee Rinchen, 57, who set himself on fire in Sangchu region of eastern Tibet on October 23, 2012. He carried out his protest near the local PLA recruiting center in Labrang and succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

However, Xinhua in its report said that Dorjee Rinchen self-immolated “near a shopping center,” while omitting to provide reasons for his fiery protest.

The Central Tibetan Administration in a statement released today following the court sentences noted that “even mere expression of sorrow on the loss and sharing of news by families can lead to criminal prosecution.”


Dorjee Rinchen engulfed in flames in Sangchu region of eastern Tibet on October 23, 2013.

“This and other forms of brutal crackdown reflect the draconian measures adopted by Chinese leadership and as feared, criminal prosecution and undue process carried out to target the families and friends framed to be involved in the self-immolations,” the exile administration said.

Dharamshala based rights group Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy today said the court sentencing comes in the backdrop of “relentless crackdown on self-immolation protests including arbitrary arrests, detention, intimidation, monetary inducements, and long prison terms.”

The group pointed out that China’s criminalisation of the self-immolations as “murder” is a “highly condemnable” misuse of legal provisions for fulfilling political objectives.

TCHRD further noted that the “politicised nature of Chinese judiciary allows government and Party officials to interfere in politically-sensitive cases.”

“The Chinese government needs to seriously address the real causes of self-immolation protests; it needs to acknowledge that the burning protests are a direct result of its destructive policies,” the rights group said.

“Far from acting as a deterrent to self-immolation or damaging the reputation of the “Dalai clique”, such arbitrary and unjust sentencing will only aggravate the already explosive situation in Tibet.”

[Ensapa]

Self immolation does harm others... and this is proof

Mass arrest of Tibetans in connection with self-immolations
Phayul[Friday, February 08, 2013 10:59]


Tibetans and foreign supporters carry photos of self-immolators during the final day of the four-day solidarity campaign in New Delhi on Febraury 2, 2013. (Phayul photo)

DHARAMSHALA, February 8: In a first of its kind mass arrest in connection with the ongoing wave of self-immolation protests in Tibet, Chinese authorities have arrested 70 Tibetans in eastern Tibet.

Chinese state media Xinhua on Thursday cited police in the Malho region as saying that the “criminal suspects” were captured in connection with a “string of self-immolations that have occurred since November 2012.”

As many as 99 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 protesting Chinese rule and demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile.

The report cited a senior police official as saying that more efforts will be exerted to “thoroughly investigate the cases and seriously punish those who incite innocent people to commit self-immolation.”

Lyu Benqian, who heads a special police team investigating the self-immolations also blamed “the Dalai Lama clique” for “masterminding and inciting” the protests.

“Personal information, such as photos of the victims, were sent overseas to promote the self-immolations,” the report cited him as saying.

"Some of the victims were frustrated and pessimistic in life, and they wanted to earn respect by self-immolation," Lyu added.

The report also carried stories of several individual self-immolators, claiming that their personal problems were the reason for their protests.

Among those arrested, the report cited one Phagpa, a young Tibetan in Dowa, Rebkong region, who was arrested for attending the funerals of six self-immolators, offering donations to their family members and working to spread ideas related to separatism and "Tibetan independence."

Last month, Chinese courts sentenced a Tibetan Lobsang Kunchok to death with a two-year reprieve and Lobsang Tsering to 10 years on charges of “intentional homicide.” The same day, another court sentenced six Tibetans to varying jail terms of 12 to three years in jail on similar charges.

Following the sentencing, New York based global rights group, Human Rights Watch, said Chinese authorities should “immediately release” Kunchok and Tsering, while noting that their conviction “relied solely on confessions they gave during five months in detention.”

“These prosecutions are utterly without credibility,” said Sophie Richardson, China director. “The Chinese government seems to think it can stop self-immolation by punishing anyone who talks about it. But in pursuing these ‘incitement’ cases, the government compounds the tragedy of these suicide protests.”??

HRW noted that it has documented “endemic use of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and coercion of Tibetans in detention.”

“Self-immolations take place in the context of the Chinese government’s long-standing repressive policies in the Tibetan areas that have seen severe restrictions on Tibetans’ rights,” HRW said.

The Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration also condemned the harsh sentences, blaming the Chinese leadership as “solely responsible for the growing unrest and deteriorating situation in Tibet.”

“The series of rushed sentences clearly show that Tibetans in Tibet are denied basic human rights,” the exile Tibetan administration said. “It is also evident that these are done in utter disregard to the Tibetan aspiration and deep anguish at the continuing self-immolations in Tibet.”