Two Tibetan monks set themselves on fire to protest violence in the region
Two Tibetan monks set themselves on fire Sunday on the sixth anniversary of a deadly crackdown by Chinese authorities on Tibetans. This is just the latest act of self-immolation as a form of protests against the control by Beijing.
From a Mar. 16 Radio Free article, Lobsang Palden, age 20, and another unidentified monk set themselves on fire.
“Palden self-immolated on the main road in Ngaba county which was renamed in 2012 by Tibetans as ‘Heroes Street’ after it became a regular venue for burning protests against Chinese rule, according to Tibetan exile monks Kanyak Tsering and Lobsang Yeshi, based in India’s northern hill town Dharamsala,” says the article.
Chinese police firing on Tibetansin 2008, killing at least 10, was noted as the reason for the protest, and the latest incident of violence. The monks noted this as the cause of Palden’s decision to protest “against the violent crackdown on the Tibetans”‘
The crackdown in teh region has agitated Tibetans and sparked a spree of burning protests, the number of which reached 129 on Sunday, sources said.
Chinese flag, Beijing, China. 2009 Photo/Daderot
