20 year old monk immolates self in Golok

Phayul[Monday, November 11, 2013 21:43] from Phayul.com

A 20 year old Tibetan monk has set himself ablaze earlier today in Tibet's Pema County in Golok, a Tibetan source told phayul.  A monk of Akyong monastery, Tsering lit himself up in protest against the Chinese government and its hardline policies, the same source said. Engulfed in flames, Tsering collapsed after walking a few metres. Chinese police on street patrol arrived at the scene and doused the fire. Tsering was rushed to the county hospital where he is kept under strict police surveillance.  Tsering is the 123rd Tibetan to set his body ablaze in protest against China since 2009. November 12 Update: The 20 year old Tibetan monk who set himself ablaze yesterday died on the way to Xiling hospital, a Tibetan source said.  The source told Phayul that Tsering Gyal succumbed to his burn injuries yesterday around 10 PM (local time) as he was being moved to a bigger hospital in Xiling city. Before breathing his last, Gyal had said, “Today, I burned myself for the re-union of Tibetans. My only hope is the unity among Tibetans and the preservation of the Tibetan language and tradition. If we do that, all the Tibetans will be re-united.” Tsering Gyal set himself ablaze in Pema County in Golok to protest against the Chinese government and its hardline policies. Engulfed in flames, Tsering collapsed after walking a few metres from a giant lotus made up of concrete at the centre of the town towards the County headquarters.  Witnesses have told our source that he was chanting "Gyalwa Tenzin Gyatso khyen" (may His Holiness the Dalai Lama know) before collapsing. Chinese police on street patrol arrived at the scene and doused the fire.  At midnight, Tsering’s charred body was taken to Aakyong monastery where over 200 monks from Akyong, Peyag and Gomang monastery performed post death rituals.  A large number of armed forces have now been deployed in Pema County and a strict monitoring of people's movement in and out of the county is in place. Gyal is the 123rd Tibetan to have immolated self in protest against the Chinese government since 2009.