On the eve of the 18th Party Congress, which will promote a new generation of leadership in Beijing, Tibetans have continued to self-immolate in protest against Beijing’s policies in their region. On Wednesday alone, five Tibetans in various regions set themselves on fire, including three teenage monks who self-immolated in a joint protest and a young mother. At least two of the self-immolators died. From VOA:
Tamding Tso, a 23-year-old Tibetan mother died after setting herself on fire in Rebkong, Qinghai (the Tibetan area of Amdo). She is known to have called for return of the Dalai Lama back to Tibet while ablaze. Sources say monks of Dowa monastery carried Tamding’s charred body to her home where thousands of Tibetans gathered to pray and show solidarity.
Driru
A Tibetan man reportedly set himself on fire in Bankar village of Driru county in Nagchu Prefecture. Details of the self-immolation are unknown.
Free Tibet, a London-based advocacy group, has more details about Tamding Tso. Phayul reports on the three teenagers who set themselves ablaze:
The three monks have been identified as Dorjee, 15-year-old, Samdup, 16-year-old, and Dorjee Kyab, 16-year-old. All three were monks of the Ngoshul Monastery, located at around 12 kms west of Ngaba district.
The three monks set themselves on fire in front of the local Chinese police station at around 3 pm (local time). Dorjee, 15, is believed to have passed away, while the two others have reportedly been taken to a hospital by Chinese security personnel.
“The three Tibetan martyrs raised slogans calling for freedom in Tibet and that His Holiness the Dalai Lama should be allowed to return to Tibet, before setting themselves on fire,” Kanyag Tsering, an exiled monk with close contacts in the region said.
“15-year-old Dorjee succumbed to his injuries at the site of the protest, while Samdup and Dorjee Kyab have reportedly been taken to the Ngaba district hospital by Chinese security personnel.”
Advocacy groups estimate that at least 63 people have self-immolated in protest since 2009. Last week, a Tibetan artist killed himself after self-immolating in Tongren, Qinghai.
Free Tibet is also reporting that four monks, who were disappeared by security forces following protests in Drango, Sichuan in January 2012, have been sentenced.
