Tibet continues to burn: Another self-immolation reported

Phayul[Friday, February 10, 2012 02:17]

DHARAMSHALA, February 10: There are reports of yet another self-immolation that took place yesterday in the Keygudo (Ch: Yushu) region of eastern Tibet. Although initial reports are scare, the Tibetan is being described as a monk in his thirties from the La Monastery in Tridu, Keygudo. “A monk in his 30s set fire to himself on the main road of La Township, Tridu County, Keygudo Autonomous Prefecture (Ch: Chenduo County, Yushu Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai) yesterday, 8 February, between 1 and 2pm local time,” a release by the London based campaign group Free Tibet said. Eyewitnesses report that the monk was alive but in a serious condition when he was taken away by Chinese security personnel. The fiery wave of self-immolations is now spreading to other areas of Tibet with yesterday’s self-immolation being the first reported from the Keygudo region. The rate at which Tibetans are setting themselves ablaze has also seen an alarming increase. On February 8, just a day earlier, Rigzin Dorze, 19, set himself on fire in Me’uruma township of Ngaba. Eyewitnesses said his condition was very serious and it is not yet known whether he is dead or alive. Just this year, nine Tibetans have set themselves ablaze demanding the return of exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Since Tapey’s self immolation in 2009, now 21 Tibetans have torched their bodies protesting China’s continued occupation of Tibet. On February 8, coinciding with the call for a global solidarity vigil for Tibetans inside Tibet made by the exile Tibetan leadership, around 400 monks from the Dzil Kar monastery in Tridu began a protest march to Dza Toe town at 10 am local time. The monks carrying banners demanding the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile and respect for Tibetan lives were confronted by a large number of armed Chinese security personnel at a bridge leading to the town and were apprehended from moving further. However, there were no reports of arrest following the protest. In another protest on February 4 Saturday, four Tibetans were arrested by Chinese security personnel for carrying out a peaceful protest in front of a Chinese police station at Dza Toe town again in Tridu region of Keygudo. The four Tibetans; Tsering Palden, Tsering Sangpo, Tsering Tashi and Dorjee raised slogans calling for Tibet’s independence and the return of the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The current whereabouts of the Tibetans remain unknown.