17-year-old self-immolator’s last note calls for the Dalai Lama’s return and Tibet’s independence

Tibetan self-immolator Sangay Dolma in an undated photo with the words 'Tibet independent nation' written on it. November 28: Tibetan nun, Sangay Dolma, who passed away in her self-immolation protest on November 25, has left a note professing her belief in the swift return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibet’s independence. Sangay Dolma also left a photograph of herself with the words, “Tibet independent nation” inscribed on it. The 17-year-old nun set herself on fire in front of a Chinese government office in Tsekhog, near Rebkong (Ch: Tongren) in Malho region of eastern Tibet at around 7 pm (local time). On a folded piece of paper, containing her last will and picture, Sangay Dolma has written: “Beloved children of the snowlion, Sons and daughters of the Land of Snows, Warriors of the snow mountain, Don’t forget your are Tibetans.” Her last will, written in the form of a poem of six stanzas, is titled “He has returned.” The first stanza reads: “Look up, fellow Tibetans, look at the blue twilight above, Like a heavenly tent of white mountain, My lama has returned.” Tibetan nun Sangay Dolma, 17, who passed away in her self-immolation protest on Sunday, November 25, 2012. In the fourth stanza, Sangay Dolma sends a strong political message of the revival of an independent nation of Tibet. “Look up, Tibetans, look at the snow mountains. The snowland’s era has begun. And Tibet is free and independent.” In the two closing stanzas, the 17-year-old nun pays further tribute to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, who has been missing since 1995, after he was recognised as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama at the age of six. “His Holiness the Dalai Lama, when he lived far away, he travelled around the world, praying for the end of suffering of the red faced Tibetans, and released us from darkness, At a time when Panchen Lama is in prison, He looks out from his prison cell, prays for “the dawn of peace and happiness in my land of snow." Sangay Dolma was a nun at the Gonshul Nunnery near the Sangag Mindrol Dhargeyling Monastery. Following her self-immolation protest, a large number of local Tibetans gathered to carry out the last rites and pay their final respects. Since 2009, 87 Tibetans have set themselves on fire protesting China’s continued occupation of Tibet and demanding freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from exile. Chinese government authorities have retaliated with further restrictions and threats. Recently, a five-point notice was issued in eastern Tibet, giving stern orders to local officials to punish self-immolators and their families; even those who had offered condolences and prayers to the bereaved family members and relatives. The notice further announced the cancellation of government aid to families of self-immolators as well as development projects in villages where similar protests have taken place. Government authorities in the region are also collecting signed statements from each household conforming that they will not self-immolate. Refusal to sign such statements attracts immediate detention.