Search Results: tibet immolation

Getting perspective on the Tibetan immolation phenomenon

Photos of Tibetan self-immolators on display at a pro-Tibet rally in New Delhi on Monday, Human Rights Day

Today’s New York Times features a thoughtful Op-Ed by Chinese human rights lawyer Xu Zhiyong about a visit to Tibet during the ongoing wave of self-immolations. “I am sorry we Han Chinese have been silent as Nangdrol and his fellow Tibetans are dying for freedom,” he says.

Though counts being kept around the world do vary, around 100 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 to protest China’s occupation of Tibet. Most of these incidents took place this year, and their rate of occurrence doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Twenty-eight Tibetans immolated in November, when the Chinese Communist Party met to choose new leaders, and at least five Tibetans have done so this month. How did this begin? Read More »

Tibetan schoolgirl dead after self-immolating

A teenage girl is the latest Tibetan to die from self-immolating in protest of Chinese occupation. Bhenchen Kyi, 17, self-immolated in the Dokarmo region of Tsekhog, in Rebkong, on Sunday evening. As she set the fire, she shouted for the long life of the Dalai Lama and for Tibetan independence. She died at the scene of her protest, and Phayul reports that about 3,000 people attended her funeral, which was held later that night. Read More »

Two more Tibetans dead in latest self-immolation protests

Kunchok Phelgye

Two young men are dead after separate self-immolation protests in eastern Tibet on Saturday, Phayul.com reports.

Kunchok Phelgye, 24, a monk at Sumdo Monastery in Dzoege, set himself on fire at the Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery late Saturday afternoon.

Sources said he shouted for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Kyabje Kirti Rinpoche, exiled head of Kirti Monastery, as flames engulfed his body. He died at the scene, leaving behind nine family members, including his parents.

Also on Saturday afternoon, Pema Dorjee, 23, self-immolated near the Shitsang Monastery in Luchu. Read More »

Tibetan man stabs himself, writes “Independent Tibet” in blood before dying

Reports are coming from Tibet that a man wrote a message calling for Tibetan independence on a wall in his own blood last month, before dying from self-inflicted wounds.

The Tibet Post reports that Jigme Tseten, 30, apparently cut his chest with a knife and used his blood to write “Independent Tibet” on the wall of the Kagya School in Tsoe City, Amdo. (The Tibetan Review gives his final message as “Tibet is independent, and the Dalai Lama should return to Tibet.”) Read More »

Updated: Tibetan monk dies from self-immolation; teen injured in separate immolation protest

A 29-year-old monk has become the latest Tibetan to self-immolate in protest of China’s occupation of Tibet. Lobsang Gendun set himself on fire Monday evening in Golog Pema Dzong, eastern Tibet. Gendun, who was a monk at the Penag Kadak Troedreling Monastery, reportedly clasped his hands in prayer and shouted slogans calling for Tibet’s independence. He died in the street at the scene of his protest, and his body was brought back to his monastery. He is survived by his parents and 11 siblings.

On Sunday, a 17-year-old was injured after self-immolating elsewhere in eastern Tibet. Read More »

Tibetan man self-immolates; condition unknown

The Tibet Post reports that another Tibetan has self-immolated in protest of Chinese occupation, bringing the total number of immolations by Tibetans to 90 since 2009.

Konchok Kyab, 29, set himself on fire near a gas station in Dzoge County, northeasten Tibet, on Friday morning. Chinese police arrived on the scene quickly and brought Kyab to Barkham Township in central Ngaba. Kyab’s condition and current whereabouts are unknown. Sources say the situation in Barkham is tense, with Tibetans gathering to protest for Kyab’s release.

At least 28 people in Tibet have self-immolated in November alone. Click here for all of Buddhadharma News‘s coverage of the protests.

Report: Eastern Tibet sees two more fatal self-immolations

The Tibet Post is reporting two new cases of fatal self-immolation in Tibet: that of 21-year-old Wande Khar, and that of 31-year-old Tsering Tashi.

According to the report, Wande Khar “set himself on fire at around 7pm Tibet time on November 28 in Tsoe city, Gansu Province,” calling for “the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet, the release of the Panchen Lama, freedom for Tibet, culture and language Rights and the protection of Tibet environment.”

The second self-immolation, that of Tsering Tashi, “occurred in Luchu County, Amdho region, eastern Tibet on November 29.”
Both men are survived by their respective parents, as well as siblings. Additionally, Tsering Tashi is survived by his wife. Read the Tibet Post‘s full report here.

Two more Tibetans self-immolate; hunger strikes and protests reported across Tibet

Sangay Tashi

At least two more people are dead in the ongoing wave of self-immolation protests against China’s occupation of Tibet. Voice of America reports that an 18-year-old man named Sangay Tashi set himself on fire late Tuesday evening in Sangchu, Eastern Tibet, while shouting slogans for Tibetan independence and the return of the Dalai Lama. He died at the scene. Phayul reports that he called a relative and told them of his plans to self-immolate, and shut off his phone before the relative could say anything. By the time his family arrived at the scene of his fiery protest, he was already dead. He leaves behind his parents and four siblings.

Earlier on Tuesday, Kalsang Kyab, 24, self-immolated in front of a Chinese government office in Kangtsa, in the Ngaba region of Tibet. Read More »

Updated: Five more Tibetans self-immolate; four confirmed dead

Kunchok Tsering

Tibetan news sources are reporting that five more people have self-immolated in eastern Tibet in the past three days. Gonpo Tsering, a 24-year-old father of three young children, set himself on fire in front of the Ala Deu-go Monastery in Luchu region of Kanlho Monday evening, while calling for freedom and independence in Tibet. He died at the scene, and monks took his body inside the monastery to keep it away from Chinese police.

Phayul.com reports that Kunchok Tsering, 18, died after self-immolating near an abandoned gold mine in the Amchok region of eastern Tibet. Monks from the Amchok monastery, along with many local Tibetans, have reportedly gathered at his home to pay their respects. Kunchok Tsering leaves behind his wife, his parents, and an older brother.

Earlier on Monday, a student named Wangyal reportedly self-immolated in the town center in Sertha, eastern Tibet. Read More »

Two more Tibetans self-immolate, bringing total to 80

Tadin Kyab

Two more young Tibetan men are dead after self-immolating on Thursday, bringing the total number of Tibetans to self-immolate since 2009 to at least 80. Tadin Kyab, 23, self-immolated in the town of Luchu, in eastern Tibet, on Thursday evening.

The Central Tibet Administration reports that someone who knew Tadin said he had talked about self-immolation in the past, and said “there is no worth living if His Holiness the Dalai Lama is not allowed to return to his homeland.” Tadin, a former monk at Shitsang monastery, is survived by his mother and two brothers.

Hours earlier, Lubum Gyal, 18, set himself on fire in the town of Dowa, in the Rebkong region of Tibet. Read More »

Two Tibetan men die from self-immolation

Chinese state media are reporting that two more Tibetans have died after self-immolating in protest of China’s occupation of Tibet. Thirty-five-year-old Tsering Dongri (identified by other sources as Tsering Dundrup) set himself on fire near a remote gold mine in Gansu on Tuesday. A man in his 20s, identified as Wangchen Norbu, self-immolated later on Tuesday at the home of his brother, a Buddhist monk, in Qinghai Province late Monday. Read More »

Two more Tibetans die in self-immolations

Two more Tibetans died this weekend after self-immolating in protest of China’s occupation of Tibet. On Saturday, a 24-year-old man named Sangdhak Tsering self-immolated in Rebkong, eastern Tibet. He died from his injuries, leaving behind a three-year-old child. Earlier in the day, Chagmo Kyi, a taxi driver and mother of two, died after setting herself on fire in nearby Rongwo.

At least 76 Tibetans have self-immolated since 2009, 14 of them since November 7, the day before the Chinese Communist Party met to choose new leadership. Click here for all of Buddhadharma News‘ coverage of the wave of protests.

British Tibetan Buddhist monk self-immolates in France

As Phayul.com reported yesterday, “a British national Tibetan Buddhist monk has self-immolated within his monastery premises in France Thursday afternoon.

“Speaking to Phayul, an official of the Nalanda Monastery, Labastide-Saint-Georges in Tarn district of southern France, identified the monk as Tunden, 38.” (Click here to read Phayul’s report.)

Reason for the self-immolation is at this time unknown. Nalanda has posted a note on its Facebook page that reads, in part:

“Venerable Tunden was 38 years old from the UK, and had been living in the monastery for the last five years. He did not leave any message, and nothing indicated that he was about to carry out such action. Read More »