Self-Immolations
Sep 29: Gudrup (43), a Tibetan writer and poet, self-immolated on Thursday in Driru town in Nagchu, Central Tibet. He had left a note on popular Chinese social-network QQ stating: “My brothers and sisters of the land of snows, although, looking back at our past, we have nothing but a sense of loss, anger, sadness, and tears, I pray that the coming new year of the Water Dragon brings you health, success, and the fulfillment of aspirations. We must distinguish and give prominence to our pride in ourselves as a people and even in the face of loss and suffering, must never lose our courage and spirit in our endeavor to uphold our unity.” Gudrup is a native of Driru in Kham eastern Tibet and was a writer who wrote extensively on Tibet's history, with his the toll of self-immolation deaths rises to 53.
Sep 29: Yungdung (27), a Tibetan youth from eastern Tibet, set himself on fire in Dzatoe, Yulshul. Dressed in a full traditional Tibetan outfit, Yungdung shouted slogans calling for Tibet's independence and the return of both the Dalai Lama and the Karmapa's return from exile, and prayers for long life for HH as he walked by the county's shopping complex in raging flames, reported Radio Free Asia. Details cncerning his present condition and whereabouts are unknown, but witnesses described him as severly burned. This is the 52nd Tibetan to self immolate since 2009, and it came a day after more than 400 Tibetan exiles in 26 countries meeting in India called for an end to self-immolations to challenge Chinese ruling.
Sep 13: Passang Lhamo (62), from Kyegudo in Qinghai, set fire to herself in Beijing, according to Tibetan sources. Passang Lhamo travelled to Beijing to appeal to the central government after local authorities refused to allow her to retain her home. An image from the area depicts her home in the process of destruction, according to Tibetan sources from the area. News of Passang Lhamo's self-immolation only emerged recently due to security restrictions. Yushu was devastated by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in 2010, killing 2,698 and leaving 100,000 homeless, according to official sources. The town of Kyegu was leveled by the quake, and the subsequent rebuilding process has been fraught with opaque government planning and scant local consultation. The 62-year old was taken to hospital and treated for her burns following her protest, no more is known about her current condition or whereabouts.
Aug 27: Lobsang Kalsang (18) and Damchoek (17), monk and former monk respectively, died by setting themselves on fire outside Kirti monastery in Ngaba, north-eastern Tibet, on August 27th. The deaths pushed to 51 the number of confirmed self-immolations since 2009. The teenagers died on Monday evening after being taken to a hospital by Chinese authorities. Damchoek has been identified as the brother of Tenzin Choedon, a teenage nun who died after setting herself on fire earlier this year. Free Tibet and the RFA reported one of Lobsang Kalsang's roomates at the monastery was detained the same Monday.
Aug 14: Lungtok (20) and Tashi (21), a monk and nomad, and former classmates, set themselves on fire Monday August 14th infront of Kirti Monastery, in the Tibetan region of western China, Ngaba, in Sichuan. According to the exile base of Kirti Monastery in Dharamsala, after setting ablaze, they both began walking on the main road in Ngaba (Martyr's Street). Eyewitnesses have said that Lungtok was alive when he was forcibly removed from the scene, Tashi on the other hand, was marching Martyr's Street raising slogans when a number of Chinese security personnel surrounded him and started beating him, he was bundled in a vehicle and taken away. They both passed away in Barkham's Hospital.
Aug 10: Choepa (24), a Tibetan nomad, set himself on fire at 10:15 am (local time) on the 10th of August at Meruma, in the north-eastern area of Amdo, in Tibet. Choeapa was shouting slogans of protest against the Chinese government at the moment of the ablaze. Within a few minutes, local security forces arrived at the scene, doused the still fierce flames, and took him away. According to witnesses, it was not clear at that point whether he was still alive. It has since been confirmed that Chopa passed away just after 3pm on August 10, shortly before reaching Barkham prefecture hospital. The authorities cremated his body there, and returned just a part of the ashes to his family members.
Aug 7: Dolkar Tso (27), set fire to herself early this afternoon near a white stupa (reliquary building) at Tsoe Gaden Choeling monastery in Tsoe City. According to Tibetan sources in exile from her home area, she called out for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet, and shouted that there was no freedom in Tibet. The incident was witnessed by other Tibetans circumambulating the monastery, and as they attempted to save her she told them to let her die. When the monastery monks arrived, they took Dolkar Tso there, and her family members arrived and insisted to take her home, but she died on the way, sources say. Tso is the 46th tibetan to self-immolate since February of 2009.
Aug 6: Lobsang Tsultrim (21), set himself on fire on the 7th of August in the north-eastern tibetan region of Amdo. A monk of Kirti Monastery, Tsultrim set ablaze and began running down a street near the Monastery, named now "Martyr Street". He was knocked down on the ground and the fire was extinguished by Chinese special armed forces stationed there. Tibetan told the Kirti monks in Dharamsala that Lobsang Tsultrim was still alive when police took him away. He is believed to have been taken to the local government hospital, and then removed elsewhere. He was a classmate of Phuntsog, who self-immolated on March 16, 2011. Lobsang Tsultrim is said to have suffered a great deal and may have been detained following the crackdown in Ngaba from March 16, 2008, when at least ten Tibetans were killed by Chinese troops after peaceful protest. He is the 45th Tibetan to self-immolate since 2009, the 27th Tibetan from Ngaba to set ablaze since, and the eighth Kirti monk to do so.
Jul 17: Lobsang Lozin (18), a Gyalrong Tsodun Kirti Monastery monk, set himself ablaze infront of the monastery, shouting slogans and marched towards town office around 12:00 on July 17th. Local Tibetans blocked a bridge to prevent police from moving in, according to the exiled government based in Dharamsala, India. The various reports on Lozin's death differed on where he died, but the Kirti monastery has been a center of dissent against China for years, and two of its monks died of self-immolation the past 30th of March. With this incident, 44 Tibetans have self-immolated in Tibet in protest against the Chinese government since 2009.
Jul 7: Tsewang Dorjee (22), a Tibetan nomad from Damshung, central Tibet, near Lhasa, set himself on fire on July 7th. The self-immolation took place on Saturday, and was the 43rd since February of 2009. Tsewang Dorjee raised slogans and called for the long life of His Holiness, but barely three minutes into his protest, Chinese security forces arrived at the scene, doused the flames and took him to a hospital. In a press release, the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile noted that the entire Damshung region is currently under lockdown and people who witnessed the self-immolation have since been arrested.
Jun 27: Dickyi Choezom (40), a mother of two, set herself on fire on June 27, at around 2pm (local time) in Keygu town near the Dhondupling Monastery. Chinese security personnel at the scene of the protest doused the flames and took her away, reportedly to a hospital in Siling, but no further information is available.
Jun 20:
Ngawang Norphel (22) and Tenzin Khedup (24), walked to the center of a busy street in Dzatoe, Qinghai Province, on June 20thcarrying the banned Tibetan national flag. Calling out for freedom in Tibet, waving the flags and shouting for the return of the Dalai Lama, the two men set themselves ablaze, running and continuing the chants for a few more seconds before falling to the ground as flames consumed them. Tenzin Khedup died on the spot, while Ngawang Norphel is believed to have passed away on July 30th. Since 2009, 41 Tibetans have self-immolated in protest of restrictive Chinese policies. Most have occurred in traditionally Tibetan areas of Qinghai and Sichuan provinces, with 28 taking place in 2012 alone. All have shouted slogans calling for freedom in Tibet, reform of Chinese social policy in the region, an end to religious repression, and the return of the Dalai Lama. 31 out of the 41 have died as a result of their injuries.
Jun 15:
Tamding Thar, a herdsman from Amdo thought to be in his 50s, set himself on fire on June 15th, outside a People’s Armed Police base in Chentsa, Qinghai Province. Tamdin Thar had been moved with his family to the area several years earlier under a controversial government program housing nomadic families in permanent settlements. Armed police were seen extinguishing the flames as Tamdin Thar lay on the ground, still moving slightly, and he was then taken away in a vehicle by security forces. According to Tibetan sources in exile in touch with Tibetans in the area, he died within hours, and local people gathered in the town calling for the return of his body, despite an increasing number of armed police being deployed.
May 30:
Rikyo (36), was from a nomadic family. On the 30th of May, she set herself on fire near to Jonang Dzamthang Gonchen Monastery. The flames around her body were so intense that police on the scene were beaten back by the fire and attempts to extinguish it failed. Following her self-immolation, her body was taken to the Jonang Dzamthang Monastery and kept there, according to Tibetans in exile who are from the area. Chinese government officials came to the monastery and sought to impose an immediate cremation. Rikyo was cremated the same day, and a large number of Tibetans converged at a special cremation prayer service near the monastery.
May 27:
Dargye and Dorjee Tseten set themselves on fire in the center of Lhasa on 27 May, according to the Chinese state news agency Xinhua. Dargye, is in stable condition while the other, Dorjee Tseten, is reported to have died from his injuries. The self-immolations are the first to occur inside the tightly controlled Tibetan capital and are among the few to be officially acknowledged by the Chinese authorities. The self-immolations occurred in the afternoon as Tibetans continued to celebrate the Saga Dawa, which marks the anniversary of Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death.