Search Results: immolation

Young Tibetan man dead after self-immolation protest, sixth in two days

A young Tibetan man has died after self-immolating in protest of Chinese occupation, becoming the sixth to do so in just two days. Phayul reports that Kalsang Jinpa, an 18-year-old nomad, set himself on fire in front of Rongwo Monastery in Rebkong on Thursday. He died at the scene.

Before his fiery protest, Kalsang Jinpa raised a white banner calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the rights of the Tibetan people. Thousands of people have reportedly gathered in Rebkong to pay their respects to him. Read More »

Five Tibetans self-immolate in one day

Tamding Tso

Reports are coming in that four, possibly five, Tibetans self-immolated in protest of Chinese occupation on Wednesday.

Phayul is reporting that three teenage monks self-immolated Wednesday afternoon outside a police station in Ngaba, Tibet. The three teens — Dorjee, 15; Samdup, 16; and Dorjee Kyab, 16 — are monks at Ngoshul Monastery, near Ngaba. Dorjee is reported to have died at the scene; the other two were apparently taken to a hospital by police.

Earlier on Wednesday, a 23-year-old woman died after setting herself on fire Wednesday in the Rebkong region of Amdo, in eastern Tibet. The woman, identified as Tamding Tso, leaves behind a young son. The Central Tibetan Administration confirmed the immolation death of a man in Driru, Central Tibet, but no more details are available. Read More »

Father of two dies after self-immolating in Tibet

Tibetans attend the cremation of Dorje Lungdup, who died after self-immolating Sunday morning.

A 25-year-old farmer and thangka painter has become the latest Tibetan to self-immolate in protest of Chinese occupation.

The man, identified as Dorje Lungdup, set himself on fire Sunday morning in the Rebkong region of Amdo, also known as China’s Qinghai Province. He died at the scene, leaving behind a wife and two daughters.

The Tibet Post reports that Chinese police tried to take his body from the scene, but Tibetans at the scene resisted them and took the man’s body to a nearby monastery, where it was cremated. Thousands of people reportedly attended the ceremony. Read More »

Two Tibetan cousins self-immolate; one confirmed dead

At least seven Tibetans self-immolated to protest Chinese occupation last week, the largest number in a week since the wave of immolation protests began.

Cousins Tsepo, 20, and Tenzin, 25, set themselves on fire in front of a government building in Biru County, north of Lhasa, on Thursday. Tsepo reportedly died at the scene; Tsepo was taken away by authorities, and his condition is unknown. Free Tibet said it took two days for information about these immolations to emerge, as Chinese police being deployed across Tibet are making Tibetans afraid to speak out.

At least 60 Tibetans have self-immolated since 2009; click here to see all of Buddhadharma News‘ coverage of the wave of protests.

Two Tibetans die in self-immolation protests today

Tibet Post International is reporting that two Tibetan men died in separate self-immolation protests inside Tibet today. Tragically, this marks the 4th and 5th self-immolation protests in less than a week. The protesters were 21-year-old Tsephak Kyab of Sangchu county and Lhamo Tseten, a man in his twenties with a two-year-old daughter. The two men died shortly after lighting themselves afire.

Altogether, more than 60 Tibetan men and women have set fire to themselves since 2009, calling for Tibetan autonomy from China and for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Read More »

Third Tibetan dies from self-immolation in four days

A third Tibetan man has died after self-immolating in protest of Chinese occupation in just four days. Phayul.com reports that Dorjee Rinchen, who was in his late fifties, set himself on fire near a Chinese army camp in Sangchu County on Tuesday afternoon. Dorjee apparently died at the scene, and his family took his body.

Voice of America reports that Dorjee had been appointed leader of the village of Sayue, and he leaves behind a wife, a daughter, and a son. Read More »

Two more Tibetans die in self-immolation protests

Lhamo Kyap

Two more Tibetans have died after self-immolating in the past two days. On Saturday, a 27-year-old named Lhamo Kyap self-immolated in the Amdo region (Sangchu county) of Eastern Tibet. Lhamo reportedly died of his injuries and was transported by locals to Ngonbo Thang Monastery and then to his home. He is survived by a 29-year-old wife and two young daughters.

Then today, a 61-year-old Tibetan layman named Dhondup self-immolated in Sangchu county, on a road near Labrang Monastery. Dhondrup was declared dead later at an area hospital. According to Phayul.com, he is the oldest Tibetan to die from self-immolation. Read More »

Tibetan man dies after self-immolation protest on Saturday

Another Tibetan has died after self-immolating in protest of Chinese occupation. Tamdin Dorjee, 52, set himself alight near a monastery in Tsoe, Kanlho, in northeastern Tibet (also known as China’s Gansu Province) on Saturday. The International Campaign for Tibet said Chinese troops poured into the area after the immolation. Read More »

53rd Tibetan self-immolates in protest of Chinese rule

Radio Free Asia is reporting that a Tibetan man, Gudrub, 41, self-immolated in protest of Chinese rule and died at Driru county in the Nagchu prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region. He is the 53rd Tibetan known to have self-immolated as protest within Tibet since February 2009, and the third to do so this week. Read More »

Tibetan man dies after self-immolating in Kham region

Tibetans in exile gather for candlelit vigil in Dharamsala on Sunday

Various sources are reporting that a 27-year-old man in the Kham region of Eastern Tibet has self-immolated in protest of Chinese occupation. Wearing traditional Tibetan clothing and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama and the Karmapa, the man, named Yungdrun, set himself alight in the town of Toegey, Dzatoe, on Saturday.

According to reports, nearby shop owners doused the young man with water to put out the flames. Chinese police rushed to the scene and removed Yungdrun from view. His location is unknown, though sources in the region say he has died. Read More »

Watch a new documentary on the Tibetan self-immolation phenomenon

The Central Tibet Administration has released a 30-minute documentary titled The Burning Question: Why are Tibetans Turning to Self-Immolation? The film focuses on the self-immolations in Tibet that started in 2009. It looks at why the self-immolation protests might be happening in the first place, despite efforts by the CTA to persuade Tibetans to not take such action. Watch below.

(Photo by framesofmind via Flickr, using a CC-BY license.)

Hundreds of Tibetans meet in India to discuss self-immolation protests and Tibet’s future

Around 400 delegates have gathered in Dharamsala in northern India today for a four-day Special General Meeting of Tibetans to discuss the future of Tibet and the growing number of self-immolation protests. Absent from the meeting is His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who retired from political life last year; a portrait of him was carried during the opening procession. According to a Voice of America article of this morning, “the meeting is expected to focus on the religious and political repression faced by those in Tibet, as well as ways to address the dozens of self-immolations over the last few years.”

(Photo by Kevin Wong via Flickr, using a CC-BY license.)

Pro-Tibet and Taiwan mural in Oregon upsets Chinese officials

Downtown Corvallis, Oregon

In the college town of Corvallis, Oregon, a mural above a storefront, commissioned by Taiwanese-American businessman David Lin, has angered China. The mural depicts Chinese authorities beating demonstrators, illustrates the self-immolation of a Tibetan monk, and includes calls for Tibetan and Taiwanese independence.

A letter from China’s consulate in San Francisco, sent to Corvallis Mayor Julie Manning last month, states that “to avoid our precious friendship from being tainted by so-called ‘Tibet Independence’ and ‘Taiwan Independence,’ we sincerely hope you can understand our concerns and adopt effective measures to stop the activities advocating ‘Tibet Independence’ and ‘Taiwan Independence’ in Corvallis.” Read More »