DHARAMSHALA: A South African MP has expressed grave concern over the alarming surge in self-immolation protests by Tibetans, saying the Chinese government’s continued occupation and repression of Tibet is leading to a new level of genocide and crime against humanity.

Dr Mario Oriani-Ambrosini, a member of parliament from South Africa’s Inkatha Freedom Party, said the tragedy in Tibet required him to express his outrage though he has no energy to speak up on happenings in South Africa and elsewhere. He is currently undergoing treatment for cancer.
 
“The Chinese Government’s callousness to the tragedy playing out in Tibet has now reached the levels of genocide and crime against humanity. The number of people who have chosen to self-immolate has now reached 120,” he said in a statement on 29 July.
 
The Tibetan people aspire to live peaceful lives if they are given their universal rights to freedom and liberty, he said, adding, but they have chosen to die by burn themselves due to the continued occupation and repression of Chinese government.  

He said the Chinese government has lost its international dignity and credibility for pushing over 120 Tibetans to set themselves on fire rather than addressing their grievances. The self-immolators have called for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and freedom for Tibetans.

“The Chinese Government and the Chinese people can no longer pretend that all is well in Tibet, he said, adding, “They must heed the repeated call to allow an international group of parliamentarians and experts to travel around Tibet unhindered and uncontrolled on a fact finding mission.”

Dr Ambrosini and Mr Steven Mokgalapa, an MP from Democratic Alliance, raised Tibet’s self-immolation tragedy in the South Parliament in November 2011. They urged South African government “to take note of the human rights abuses in China and speak out boldly against them. As a nation that has benefitted from international pressure to end apartheid, we too need to support the right to self-determination of to other states.” (S African MPs: Atrocities in Tibet Should Arouse World’s Conscience)

The Central Tibetan Administration has said the blame and solution to the crisis in Tibet lies squarely with the Chinese government. The self-immolation protests in Tibet is driven by political repression, cultural assimilation, social discrimination, economic marginalisation and environmental destruction.

Many governments, parliaments and the international community, including Chinese intellectuals, have repeatedly urged the Chinese government to end its repressive policies leading to self-immolation protests by Tibetans and find a lasting solution to the problem through dialogue with the representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

But the Chinese government has responded to the crisis with more repressive measures such as deployment of massive security forces in the Tibetan areas and meting out death and harsh prison sentences to Tibetans on false charges.