Tibet Burning

[michaela]

Tibet Burning

Please read this interesting article about self-immolation for Tibetan cause. http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/guest-writers/tibet-burning/

Self-immolation for Tibetan cause has been going on for many years. Most self immolation in recent years are associated with Tibet or Tibetan cause. We can only watch in horror as the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan leadership in exile refused to condemn or speaks against self-immolation to prevent any future incidents. Staying silence for whatever reasons can be deemed as encouraging future more Tibetans to sacrifice their own lives by burning themselves in the name of Tibetan cause.

If the purpose of the CTA to coerce the Chinese through this method, definitely it has not been successful. In fact China has become more suspicious of the Dalai Lama and the CTA. I really hope the Dalai Lama and the CTA will discourage any future self-immolation and find a healthier way to reach out to China.

[bambi]

You are right! After all the years of self-immolation, I do not understand why HHDL and the CTA is not saying anything to stop it! What does it even mean? To see your own people committing suicide! They should speak up and protect their people, educate them the right way. How to get a country back by burning yourself. After 3 days, nobody will even remember the person.

The same goes for anti Dorje Shugden supporters. So much violence, discrimination, hatred, yet HHDL and CTA just keep quiet. Whether or not they are Dorje Shugden practitioners, they are still TIBETANS!! How can they treat their own people with so much hatred just because the practice Dorje Shugden. It is illogical to do that. Then why do they even want Tibet back? So they can continue to mistreat their own people? Then what is the difference between them and China? People of Tibet, please, committing suicide will not help get your country back. Please think of better strategies than waste your precious life for nothing.

[Belinda Mae]

I find that the Tibetan leadership and the CTA are fooling themselves. Instead of bringing their people together, they can totally ignore their people who sets themselves on fire just to fight for FREEDOM. Why must the Tibetan leadership and CTA blame CHINA & blame DORJE SHUGDEN for anything that is not going on right for them? They should contemplate and see that the fault is with them. Are they really so cold blooded? They really should do something before more and more people take their own life.

[michaela]

I find that the Tibetan leadership and the CTA are fooling themselves. Instead of bringing their people together, they can totally ignore their people who sets themselves on fire just to fight for FREEDOM. Why must the Tibetan leadership and CTA blame CHINA & blame DORJE SHUGDEN for anything that is not going on right for them? They should contemplate and see that the fault is with them. Are they really so cold blooded? They really should do something before more and more people take their own life.

Dear Belinda

Thank you for your comment. I do agree that Dorje Shugden has nothing to do with CTA's failure to  give the welfare that Tibetans in exile deserve and to initiate negotiation with Beijing to secure autonomy. Instead, the CTA keep encouraging the Tibetan refugees to continuously perform activities that caused suspicion on China's side (e.g., self-immolation, using derogatory language when referring to China, etc.). The CTA needs to take full responsibility of the result of the actions and stop blaming Dorje Shugden for everything that went wrong with their government.

Michaela

[kris]

My question is, why didn't ALL the CTA people go and burn themselves instead of asking/provoking others to burn themselves? If CTA is really selfless, and self-immolation is really helpful, why didn't they ALL go do it? I am sure if all CTA does it, it would create more impact to the world.

The only reason I can think of that CTA themselves didn't self immolate is because they are only selfish, and they only want to grab the money from westerners for their own benefit. CTA would even ask their people to sacrifice their live for their own benefit. This is how cruel they are.

[michaela]

Another self-immolation in Tibet. If the Dalai Lama continue to not say anything to discourage self-immolation, China’s suspicion on the Dalai Lama and the CTA will only increase. This does not serve Tibetan leadership goal to obtain meaningful autonomy from China.

—

Unidentified Tibetan self immolates in Kardze
[Saturday, April 15, 2017 20:19]
By Tenzin Dharpo

DHARAMSHALA, APR. 15: A video clip showing Chinese authorities extinguishing a flame off of an unidentified Tibetan is being circulated in social media sites. The self immolation reportedly took place in a town in the Tibetan area of Kham in Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province.

A Facebook post by a Tibetan netizen called Jangchup Tibet Sempa show a motionless person on fire as people spray extinguisher and Chinese security officials swarmed around him, some carrying contraptions that were earlier reported to be tactical gear distributed among security personnel in occupied Tibet to handle self immolators.

While a hoard of on-lookers have gathered around the spot, police vehicles and personnel are seen arriving and possibly taking away the victim’s body as has been a practice by the Chinese authorities in the past.

No information on the self immolator is available currently.

Almost a month ago, Pema Gyaltsen, a Tibetan farmer, self-immolated in Nyarong County in Kardze prefecture at around 4:00 p.m. (local time) on March 18 and his current condition and whereabouts are unclear. However, some unverified sources say that he is currently in a critical condition in a hospital in Kardze County. The family members have also requested the authorities to allow him to be transferred to Chengdu.

In the wake of Gyaltsen’s self immolation, authorities ramped up restrictions in the area and nearly 200 Tibetans were arrested by the Chinese police in the aftermath.

The man becomes the 148th Tibetan to self immolate since February 2009.

http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=38931&article=Unidentified+Tibetan+self+immolates+in+Kardze

[samayakeeper]

No one, no government, no religious or spiritual head should condone the act of self immolation. Any responsible government or religious/spiritual leader would speak up against it. This subject should be talked of in the monasteries, in schools, in the media for Tibetans to be educated: that taking one's own life is not heroic nor considered martyrdom. The Dalai Lama should go around giving advice on this matter. But no, instead he goes around telling people that the practice of Dorje Shugden by the great Tibetan matters of the past is wrong. Dorje Shugden practice has not caused anyone to die, no one took their own life from the practice. Yet the Dalai Lama is condemning Dorje Shugden. So illogical and no compassion being shown to those who lost their life believing that self immolation is heroic and probably being called martyrs. It makes no sense that the Dalai Lama speaks of loving compassion yet remain silent on self immolation, an act that goes against the teaching of Buddhism.

[Brian Little]

I hope CTA and Dalai Lama will come out to say something about Tibetans setting themselves on fire. This is certainly not the correct way to voice our grievances. Think about the family members and how the rest of the world looking at this issue. People will ask questions as to why it's Government does not say anything or at least do something to stop it's people from doing so. Probably people are frustrated that their wish to reclaim Tibet cause is not improving at all and have been in vain for the past 58 years away from Tibet.

[Tianni]

Self-immolation for Tibetan Cause has started since 1988 till now. If already 19 years, surprisingly is Tibetan Leaders did not say anything to stop it but add on the death person name on the list memorializes the deaths and pressures the Chinese leadership into initiating dialogue. However this was not successful after so many years but it make China think that  it was all planned by Dalai Lama and CTA. Anyone has common sense should know that if this is going to work, it should work during the first few years after the first self-immolation because it involved human life. However is already nearly 20 years, what has the Tibetan Leaders gained for letting their own  people kill themselves?  There are many ways can contribute to free Tibet, we do not have to take self-immolation way. I hope that Dalai Lama & CTA to stop this in future and focus on to find others way to save Tibet.

[michaela]

Update on the recent self-immolation:

Sikyong Lobsang Sangay reacted to yesterday’s self immolation by a monk in Tibet. He said that Tibetans are sacrificing themselves because the “represession in Tibet under the Chinese rule are making lives unliveable.” He is definitely not getting any closer to building rapport with China.

——

Self-immolation Protest Reported From Kardze in Eastern Tibet

DHARAMSHALA: A Tibetan monk has set himself on fire in protest against the Chinese government this afternoon, according to reports emanating out of Tibet. The self-immolation reportedly took place in Gump County in Kardze (incorporated into China’s Sichuan province).

Just minutes into his self-immolation, Chinese police arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire before taking the charred body of the monk to an unspecified location. A grainy video purportedly showing the self-immolation protest is circulating on social media. The video shows Chinese riot police extinguishing the flames. (See Video) - http://www.voatibetanenglish.com/a/3811393.html

Other than the self-immolation, details such as the person’s identity and his whereabouts are currently unavailable at the time of filing this report.

With this latest self-immolation, 147 Tibetans have set themselves alight since 2009 in protest against the repressive policies of the Chinese government.

Responding to the self-immolation, Tibetan Political Leader Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay said, “Last month on March 18 , Pema Gyaltsen, a 24 year old Tibetan farmer self-immolated in Kardze.
?Three years ago on this date, Thinley Namgyal, a 32 year old Tibetan self-immolated in  Kardze. Such sacrifices by Tibetans in Tibet evidences that repression in Tibet under the Chinese rule are making lives unliveable. Therefore  it is time the Chinese Government heed to the calls of Tibetans in Tibet who long for freedom in Tibet and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama back to Tibet. China must address the legitimate grievances of people in Tibet.”

http://tibet.net/2017/04/self-immolation-protest-reported-from-kardze-in-eastern-tibet/

[Tenzin K]

Taking life is never in any equation of Buddhism. Looking at the people that torch themselves for whatever reason is definitely a no! no!.

Reading from CTA website, Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangya only express his sadness and use his people death to threatened China for their independent. He didn’t even ask his people to stop this action. How can CTA keeping quiet for their own people burning themselves instead of protecting them?
 
His Holiness the Dalai Lama preaching for peace and dialogue to resolve conflict but why in this situation says nothing to stop this? How sad can it be to see more people kill themselves or stop as many as it can and unite the Tibetan and make them stronger?

Tibetan need to realised now how CTA works here and non of their action is protecting their people. They can allow suffering within their own people, promote violent within their own people, discriminate their own people. How can one rely on such governance? It have been close to 60 years what actually CTA has achieved in helping their people with the fund they received from other countries? We have seen how CTA use the fund to separate their own people just because they practice Dorje Shugden by promoting reading and visual material. How can this help Tibetan as a whole? How can this preserve Tibetan culture? How can this help the young Tibetan leaders? How can this promote human values, religious harmony?  How can this unite and make Tibetan stronger?

I don’t see any productive action that CTA had done that worth for the world to say that they have done a good job for their cause and their really work their ass off for peace, unity and harmony. How many more Tibetan need to sacrifice for CTA selfish act?

[Dondrup Shugden]

It is not possible for the CTA to request the Dalai Lama to make a decree for Tibetans in China to refrain from self immolation as it had been the practice for CTA to honour such suicides as heroic acts for Tibet's freedom.  The Tibetans who died from self immolation are honoured as martyrs for the CAUSE for which CTA will blame China.

The question that pop to my mind is why should the very essence of Buddhist tenets be waylaid just to benefit the CTA's inept ability to talk and negotiate with China?

It is time for CTA to wake up, stop these futile efforts to have cause of Freedom for Tibet be placed on individual and take the responsibility to live in accordance with the Buddhist teaching of no killing or negotiate with China.

If a ban on the worship of Dorje Shugden be can placed and executed so well by the CTA, why not a ban on self immolating suicide. Why not???

[Brian Little]

This is sad. I have just read the update about recent statement made by the Sikyong. Why is he seizing this chance to swipe at China instead of asking his people to stop hurting themselves in the name of honour? Very clearly that he is looking for ways to put pressure on China and play the poor me card again. Lobsang Sangay should take time out to reflect on himself... do not go to such low and take advantage of other's patriotic.

[michaela]

This is really sad, but the fact that the CTA and rangzen people keep promoting self-immolation victims as heroes is harmful to Tibetans. Now an innocent young Tibetan set himself on fire for a lost cause.   
—

Tibetan Teenager Stages Self-Immolation Protest in Gansu

A 16-year-old student in a Tibetan region of Gansu staged a self-immolation protest on May 2 against Chinese rule, RFA's Tibetan service has learned.

A source inside Tibet said Chagdor Kyab from Bora Township, in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Amdo, set himself on fire near Bora monastery, a branch of Labrang Tashikyil monastery.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Chagdor Kyab, a student from a farming family, shouted “Tibet wants freedom” and "Let His Holiness the Dalai Lama come back to Tibet” while he burned.

While his body was on fire the teenager tried to run towards the Chinese government offices of Bora Township but he fell down before reaching the offices. Chinese police and military swiftly arrived at the scene and extinguished the flames and took away the body, the source told RFA.

It was not clear on Saturday whether Chagdor Kyab was alive or dead. The source in Tibet identified his mother as Dolma Tso and his father as Zoepa, farmers from Dardo in Bora Township.

Following the self-immolation, the local Chinese authorities imposed tight restrictions in the area which made it difficult to obtain further information.

Since 2009 four Tibetans from Bora have self-immolated, and the May 2 protest brought to 149 the number of self-immolations by Tibetans living in China since the wave of fiery protests began in 2009. Of these, 125 are known to have died.

Reported by Lumbum Tashi and edited and translated by Kalden Lodoe. Written in English by Paul Eckert.

http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/amdo-protest-05072017091020.html

[Vajra10]

Indeed, Tibet is on fire but it seems like no one cares because no one takes appropriate actions to stop and prevent the same event happpen again.

To commit suicide for yhe sake of protesting is not a smart move, the opponents will earn the victory without doing anything because they are killing themselves which is solving the opponents’ problem.
People should stay strong and fight smart to get back their flag.