Monday, 5 November 2012

Father of Two Self-Immolates in North-Eastern Tibet

Dharamshala: - Latest reports have emerged on November 4th 2012 of a self-immolation in the Amdo region of North-Eastern Tibet. Sources state that 25 year old Lhundup Dorjee; a male farmer from the Rebkong district (Amdo) set himself ablaze in the early hours of Sunday morning.
It has emerged that as onlookers gathered around Dorjee; who appears to have died at the scene, Chinese security forces attempted to force their way towards the body in an effort to remove his remains from the site.

In return, Tibetans at the scene are reported to have resisted, and taken the young man's body to nearby Rongwo Monastery (Rebkong). 

Upon arrival at the monastery, according to a press release from the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress and Tibetan Women's Association of Dharamshala, India, prayers were conducted by ‘thousands of monks and lay-people'.

It has emerged that Lhundup; who was a native of Rebkong in Amdo, was the father of two young daughters; aged just 4 and 2 years old. He is also survived by his wife; Yangmo Tso; aged 26.

The self-immolation of Lhundup Dorjee highlights the latest act of fiery protest which Tibetans are using to reflect the extreme measures and pressures those in the region are facing under Chinese rule. 

The fact that 25 year old Dorjee is succeeded by such a young family suggests the levels of sacrifice Tibetans are willing to make to express their protest and discontent. Amid a shifting government in Beijing, pressure is mounting for a solution to the deteriorating situation.
tibet-amdho-2012
A photo received from inside Tibet, the same day shows a large number of local Tibetans gather around the man’s burned body wrapped in traditional scarves in front of a photo of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Over 63 Tibetans- including monks, nuns, students and lay people - have set themselves on fire in Tibet since 2009 and most of them have reportedly died.
Chinese security forces have swamped streets and roads in and around the county, placing heavy restrictions on the movement of the local Tibetans. Communications, including internet and mobile have also been reportedly cut off, according to sources inside Tibet

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