DHARAMSHALA: A Tibetan monk has set himself on fire in protest against the Chinese government this afternoon, according to reports emanating out of Tibet. The self-immolation reportedly took place in Kardze (incorporated into China’s Sichuan province).
Just minutes into his self-immolation, Chinese police arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire before taking the charred body of the monk to an unspecified location. A grainy video purportedly showing the self-immolation protest is circulating on social media. The video shows Chinese riot police extinguishing the flames. (See Video)
Other than the self-immolation, details such as the person’s identity and his whereabouts are currently unavailable at the time of filing this report.
With this latest self-immolation, 147 Tibetans have set themselves alight since 2009 in protest against the repressive policies of the Chinese government. (See factsheet)
Responding to the self-immolation, Tibetan Political Leader Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay said, “Last month on March 18 , Pema Gyaltsen, a 24 year old Tibetan farmer self-immolated in Kardze. Three years ago on this date, Thinley Namgyal, a 32 year old Tibetan self-immolated in Kardze. Such sacrifices by Tibetans in Tibet evidences that repression in Tibet under the Chinese rule are making lives unliveable. Therefore it is time the Chinese Government heed to the calls of Tibetans in Tibet who long for freedom in Tibet and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama back to Tibet. China must address the legitimate grievances of people in Tibet.”