Breaking: Self-immolations continue in Tibet, Monk burns self to death in latest protest

Lobsang Gendun, a 29-year-old Tibetan monk passed away in his self-immolation protest against Chinese rule in Golog, eastern Tibet on December 3, 2012. In confirmed reports coming out of Tibet, yet another Tibetan set himself on fire today in Golog region of eastern Tibet in an apparent protest against China’s continued occupation of Tibet. Lobsang Gendun, a 29-year-old Tibetan monk self-immolated in Golog Pema Dzong at around 7:45 pm (local time). He succumbed to his injuries at the site of his protest. Tsangyang Gyatso, an exiled Tibetan told Phayul that Lobsang Gendun was a monk at the Penag Kadak Troedreling Monastery in Seley Thang region of Golog Pema Dzong. “According to eyewitnesses, Lobsang Gendun had his hands clasped in prayers as he raised slogans while engulfed in flames,” Tsangyang said. “He walked a few steps towards a busy road intersection and then fell to the ground.” Following the self-immolation protest, a minor scuffle broke out between local Tibetans and Chinese security personnel, who tried to confiscate Lobsang Gendun’s body. “Chinese security personnel arrived at the site of the protest and began to forcibly remove Lobsang Gyatso’s body,” the same source said. “But local Tibetans rushed in and rescued his charred body from falling into the hands of the Chinese authorities.” They later carried Lobsang Gyatso’s body to his monastery, where it is believed to be currently kept. Security has been heightened in the region following today’s fiery protest. Lobsang Gendun is survived by his parents, Golog Lokho and Sago Dewang, and his 11 siblings. The global rights group, Human Rights Watch last week said the unprecedented increase in the number of self-immolation cases in Tibet highlights the “failure of Chinese authorities to address Tibetan grievances” and blamed China’s “increasingly pervasive and punitive security measures” for having “exacerbated the situation” in Tibet. HRW renewed its calls for the formation of a contact group on Tibet while noting that “coordinated, international expressions of concern are essential to get Beijing to substantively address the issues being raised by Tibetans.” An alarming total of 92 Tibetans have self-immolated inside Tibet since the wave of fiery protests began in 2009, demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile.