Self-Immolations
Nov 8: Kalsang Jinpa, (18) a nomad, set himself on fire at Rongwo monastery while calling for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s return to Tibet. He died on the spot. A photo shows his body was completely burned. Over 6,000 Tibetans gathered for his funeral. As Jinpa set himself ablaze, he could be heard shouting for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet, according to a Tibetan source in exile. His body was taken by local Tibetans to an area where high lamas are cremated.
Nov 7: Tsegyu (27), father of two, set himself on fire in Tingser village of Bekar town in Driru (Ch: Biru) region of Nagchu. He was detained by local Chinese authorities and denied any medical treatment for his burn injuries. He died in police custody on 18 November. Tsegyu is survived by his two children, a six-year-old and an eight-month-old infant.
Nov 7: Tamding Tso (23), mother of a seven-year-old son, died after setting herself on fire in Rebgong. Her father, Tamdin Kyab, has since made an emotional appeal, requesting people to pray for her rebirth into an independent Tibet in her next life. “So, I think it is of no use to ponder over anything else than to respect her decision and sacrifice,” Kyab stated. “Therefore, I appeal to all of you to remain united and work together to fulfil her goals and aspirations.”
Nov 7: Samdrup (16), a monk of Ngoshul monastery, set fire to himself along with two other teenage monks from Ngoshul Monastery in Gomang township in Ngaba county in Amdo. It is believed that he was taken to Ngaba county hospital.
Nov 7: Dorjee (15), a monk of Ngoshul monastery set fire himself on fire with two other teenage monks in Gomang township in Ngaba county in Amdo. After shouting slogans calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and freedom for Tibetans, he died on the spot.
Nov 7: Dorjee Kyab (16), a monk of Ngoshul monastery, set fire to himself with two other teenage monks in Gomang township in Ngaba county in Amdo. It is believed that he was taken to Ngaba county hospital. According to Tibetan monks in exile from Kirti monastery, the three monks set fire to themselves at around 3 pm November 7 calling out for the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet and for a free Tibet.
Nov 4: Dorjee Lhundup (24), a Thangka painter, set himself on fire in Rebgong. He died and his body was carried to Rongwo monastery. Later in the afternoon, thousands of local Tibetans gathered for his funeral at a crematorium near the monastery. Dorjee Lhundup is survived by his wife Yakmo Tso, and two children, son Kunsang Dorjee, 4, and daughter Tengzin Dolma, 2.
Oct 26:
Thubwang Kyab (23), set fire to himself near the bus stand in Setri village in Sangkok township in Sangchu county, Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu province, in the Tibetan region of Amdo. He raised slogans demanding the return of HH the Dalai Lama to Tibet, and the immediate release of the Panchen Lama and other Tibetan political prisoners. Kyab died on the spot, and despite an attempt by officials to intervene, local Tibetans covered up his corpse with khatags (white blessing scarves) and took him to his home. The Chinese government has deployed a large number of paramilitary forces and police in the region following the incident.
Oct 26: Lhamo Tseten (24), self-immolated in front of the local military base and township administration in Amchok, which is in Sangchu (Chinese: Xiahe) county, Kanlho (Chinese: Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu province (the Tibetan area of Amdo). He was married to a local Tibetan woman, Tsering, and they have a two year old daughter. He is the fourth Tibetan from Sangchu county to self-immolate in the past week, following the deaths of Lhamo Kyab near Bora monastery on October 20, Dhondup outside Labrang Tashikyil monastery on October 22, and Dorje Rinchen outside a military base in Labrang town on October 23rd.
Oct 25: Tsepo (20) and Tenzin (25), both cousins, set fire to themselves outside a government building in Driru County, north of regional capital Lhasa on Thursday. They were seen raising slogans calling for the return of HH the Dalai Lama to Tibet, independence, and unity among the Tibetan people. Tsepo died on the way to the hospital and Tenzin was taken away by officials, his whereabouts unknown yet.
Oct 23: Dorje Rinchen (58), set himself ablaze near the Chinese Army camp on October 23rd in Sangchu county. According to Tibetans in exile, Dorje Rinchen did not die immediately but has now passed away. The same sources said that local people did not allow his body to be taken away by troops. Instead his body was taken home to his village, Sayi, which is around two kilometers east of Labrang monastery. Monks from Labrang were initially not allowed to go to his home to pray. The same region where Richen immolated had seen recently two others, Lhamo Kyab and Dhondup set ablaze. With Rinchen's the toll rises up to 58 since February of 2009.
Oct 22: Dhondup, (61), of Hor Khagya, set himself ablaze on the main road near Labrang Monastery in Sangchu County. He became the oldest Tibetan from Tibet to end his life by self-immolation. He was seen running along the road in a ball of flames, calling for the Dalai Lama to come home. Later on, people were seen circumambulating the monastery forming a human cover around Dhondup’s charred body to stop it from getting into the hands of Chinese authorities, and finally his family managed to get hold of his remains.
Oct 20: Lhamo Kyab (27), father of two young daughters, breathed his last by self-immolating himself near Bora monastery on October 20th, in Sangchu region of Amdo, Eastern Tibet. According to Tibetans in exile, Lhamo Kyab was seen running along the road in flames, and calling for the Dalai Lama to come home to Tibet. The same sources said that police tried to put out the flames, and a local man took off his shirt and tried to fling it over Lhamo Kyab but the blaze was too strong.bet.
Oct 13: Tamdrin Dorje (52), set himself on fire in Tsoe, Kanlho region. He passed away at the site of his protest and his body was removed to his home following a prayer service conducted by monks at Tsoe Monastery. Tamdin Dorjee was the grandfather of the 7th Gunthang Rinpoche, who is one of the most revered religious leaders in the region.
Oct 6: Sangye Gyatso (27), burned himself to death in Tsoe region of Kanlho, Amdo, at around 12 pm (local time. He carried out his protest near the Dokar Monastery. A father of two, Gyatso is believed to have passed away in his protest, in photos of the event his body is seen completely burned and charred. With his, the self-immolation toll rises to 54.