DHARAMSHALA: The Central Tibetan Administration on Friday reiterated that the Chinese government must end its repressive policies in Tibet which is pushing Tibetans to set themselves on fire.

“Since 2009, 43 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in Tibet, out of which, 33 died. These tragic incidents were caused by the Chinese government’s hardline and repressive policies against Tibet and the Tibetan people,” Kalon Tsering Wangchuk, the officiating Kalon Tripa, said at an official prayer service in Dharamsala to mourn the tragic self-immolations in Tibet.

“We reiterate that the Chinese government must review and change its policies if it accepts the reality of the need to resolve the problem of Tibet,” Kalon Tsering Wangchuk said.

He said Tibetans in exile to must pledge and put efforts for the realisation of aspirations of the self-immolators. The self-immolators have called for freedom for Tibetans and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to his homeland.

Thousands of Tibetans, including the officials of the Central Tibetan Administration, attended the prayer service to mourn the recent self-immolations of Dhargyal and Tsewang Dorjee.