Two Tibetan monks die of self-immolation protest

Thursday, 25 April 2013
Konchok Woeser, 23, died after setting himself on fire in protest against Chinese government.

Konchok Woeser, 23, died after setting himself on fire in protest against Chinese government.

Despite extreme measures implemented by the Chinese authorities to crack down on self-immolation protests, burning protests in Tibet continue unabated as two more Tibetans died yesterday after setting themselves on fire on the eve of the 24th birthday of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, Tibet’s XIth Panchen Lama, one of the most important Tibetan spiritual leaders who was disappeared along with his parents by the Chinese authorities almost 18 years ago.

According to confirmed information received by TCHRD, at around 6.40 pm on 24 April 2013, two monks of Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery set themselves on fire and died in Dzoege (Ch: Ruergai) County in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. [Read more...]

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China confirms sentencing four Tibetans for “inciting separatism”

Monday, 15 April 2013

A Chinese court in Malho (Ch: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, has sentenced four Tibetans to varying prison terms for “inciting separatism”.

The Malho Intermediate People’s Court in Thunding and Tsekhog County sentenced Choepa Gyal, Chagthar, Namkha Jam and Gonbey (probably Gonpo or Konbey) on an unspecified date, according to a report published by the official Qinghai Daily News on 12 April 2013.   (Please click here for the report in Chinese)

The report said Choepa Gyal was sentenced to six years in prison and three years’ deprivation of political rights for sending photographs and information related to Tibetan “separatism” to outsiders through QQ (Chinese internet chat service) and for discussing “separatist-related” subjects on the internet chat site, and thus “inciting secession”. [Read more...]

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Burning protests continue against Chinese repression in Tibet

Saturday, 30 March 2013

A monk from Mogri Sampheling Monastery, commonly known as Mogri Monastery died of self-immolation protest in Mogri Village of Samtsa Township in Luchu (Ch: Luqu) County in Kanlho (Ch: Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province.

According to reliable information received by TCHRD, Konchok Tenzin, 28, a monk from Mogri Monastery set himself on fire at around 7 pm (local time) on 26 March near his monastery and died. The burning protest took place at the main intersection called Den Lungdo located on the main road leading to the monastery. [Read more...]

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China uses religious propaganda to counter Tibetan self-immolations

Wednesday, 20 March 2013

In a rare departure from its usual propaganda narrative on Tibetan self-immolations, the Chinese authorities called His Holiness the Dalai Lama, along with His Eminence Kirti Rinpoche “the root cause” of self-immolations in Tibet. In earlier statements, the Chinese leadership had been careful to directly blame Dalai Lama, instead blaming the so-called ‘Dalai clique’ or ‘separatist forces’ for self-immolations.

On 7 March 2013, Chinese state media quoted Wu Zegang, governor of Ngaba (Ch: Aba) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province as saying, “We oppose the self-immolation … first of all, [we should find out] the root cause of the [self-immolation] problem, the root cause is the 14th Dalai Lama, and Kirti Rinpoche, who live outside [Tibet].”[i] But the fact that there had been no credible evidence to prove this reckless claim is beside the point for the Chinese authorities whose fanatical drive to stamp out popular Tibetan protests and criminalize the so-called instigators, inciters and abettors of immolations have only increased repression, instability and violence in Tibet.
[Read more...]

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Monastery under siege as monks face expulsion while another detained for writing book on immolations

Tuesday, 19 March 2013

A monk from Tongkyap Monastery has gone ‘missing’ since his arbitrary detention earlier this month by People’s Armed Police in Gade (Ch: Gande) County in Golok (Ch: Guolo) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

 According to information received by TCHRD, on 11 March, the day after the 54th anniversary of Tibetan national uprising, Tritsun (pen name: Tri Bhoe Trak), 26, a monk from Tongkyap Monastery was detained on unknown charges. Police detaining the monk gave no explanation for the sudden detention. Tritsun’s incommunicado detention has severely affected his aged mother, Phagmo, who is the only member in his family.
[Read more...]

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Monk dies of self-immolation on protest anniversary

Monday, 18 March 2013

A Tibetan monk from the besieged Kirti Monastery died of self-immolation protest on 16 March in Ngaba County in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province.

16 March 2013 was the fifth anniversary of the 2008 protest in Ngaba in which many local people were killed by security forces, and the date has been marked by Ngaba people in various ways every year since. Notably, Lobsang Phuntsok committed self immolation on this day in 2011, and Losang Tsultrim in 2012.
[Read more...]

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Uncle of Tibetan self-immolator sentenced to prison

Monday, 4 March 2013

A senior monk who is also an uncle of a Tibetan self-immolator was sentenced to prison early this month on charges that he carried the ashes of his nephew from Rongwo Monastery to his nephew’s home during a procession last year in Rebkong (Ch: Tongren) County in Malho (Ch: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

According to information received by TCHRD, Yarphel, 42, a monk from Yershong Monastery was sentenced to one year and three months in prison. Recent propaganda documents distributed by Chinese authorities had criminalised any kind of processions or rallies that pay tribute to the memory of those who died of self-immolations. [Read more...]

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Monk survives self-immolation but loses both legs

Wednesday, 20 February 2013

A Tibetan monk who self-immolated in protest against the Chinese government in February last year has survived but had both of his legs amputated, according to information received by TCHRD.

Sonam Rabyang, 42, a monk from Lab Monastery set his body on fire on 8 February 2012 at Triwang (Ch: Chen wen) town, capital of Tridu (Ch: Chenduo) County in Yulshul (Ch: Yushu) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province. [Read more...]

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Eyewitness account of Tibetan self-immolation in Nepal

Monday, 18 February 2013

TCHRD has received an eyewitness account of self-immolation protest staged by Drubtse on the third day of Tibetan New Year, 13 February, in Boudanath, Kathmandu, Nepal.

The eyewitness, a foreign tourist, who wants to remain anonymous, on account of the sensitivity of the issue, had a chance encounter with Drubtse moments before he self-immolated in protest against Chinese rule in Tibet.

“We arrived at galleria café in Boudanath around 8. 15 am. We were to have our breakfast, when a young Tibetan guy, probably between 20-25 years old, came forward to speak to us. He then spoke about Tibet and said that it is a beautiful land and he loved it so much,” said the eyewitness. [Read more...]

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Monk escapes Tibet after friend dies of self-immolation protest

Monday, 18 February 2013

Jigme Gyaltsen, 21, was a monk at Rongwo Monastery in Rebkong (Ch: Tongren) County in Malho (Ch: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. He joined Rebkong Monastery at 14. He was born in Kangtsa Village in Yazi (Ch: Xunhua) County in Tsoshar (Ch: Haidong) Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Jigme Gyaltsen fled Tibet so that he could continue his religious studies in India, and to share the story of his friend and roommate Jamyang Palden, who passed away on 16 September 2012, six months after his self-immolation protest. Jigme Gyaltsen escaped Tibet in September 2012, travelling for one month and 22 days to reach India on 26 December 2012. He speaks to TCHRD:

“On 9 March 2012, Jamyang Palden, my roommate at Rongwo Monastery, set himself ablaze at Dolma Square near our monastery. Minutes after the self-immolation, monks took Jamyang Palden to a secure place in the monastery so that he would not get into the hands of the Chinese police. He was treated at the monastery for some months getting injections on his foot every month. There was not much hope for his survival as most of his body had burnt beyond treatment. Monks took turns to take care of him. He could not talk much and his voice was low. He could not eat much, just some diluted Tsampa porridge and kept saying, ‘My wishes are not fulfilled.’ [Read more...]

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