5th self immolation in Sangchu County in a week

Phayul[Friday, October 26, 2012 18:54]

By Phuntsok Yangchen Lhamo Tseten in an undated photo According to reports coming in, two Tibetans have set themselves ablaze in two separate incidents of self-immolation in Sangchu County, which has already seen 5 Tibetans immolate themselves. Lhamo Tseten, 24, set himself afire near the Amchok Township Court at 2:30 PM (local time) in Sangchu County in Amdo, Eastern Tibet. He succumbed to his injuries at the protest site. Ajam Amchok, a Tibetan living in South India with close contacts in the region, said, “Lhamo Tseten repeatedly raised the slogan calling for the ‘return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile.” Lhamo is survived by his wife Tsering Lhamo and a two year old daughter Nyingmo Kyi. He was son of father Namchuk Tsering, 49 and mother Sungdue Kyi. Ajam cited witnesses saying Chinese Security and Armed Forces immediately arrived at the protest site but the local Tibetans gathered around the body to prevent the Chinese forces from taking the body. His charred body is currently with his family member. “Following the self immolation, a large number of Chinese Armed Forces and Chinese Security Police are deployed in an area and the situation in Amchok is described as tense and under strict surveillance,” Ajam said. Another Tibetan, Tsephag Kyab, 21, set himself on fire at 8PM (local time) in Labrang region in Sangchu County, Eastern Tibet. Tsephag Kyab’s charred body is in the hands of his family members. He was son of father Lumo Jam. The deepening crisis inside Tibet has witnessed large scale anti-China protests and a series of self-immolations that has now seen 60 Tibetans set themselves on fire, since 2009, demanding freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from exile.