US raises serious concern as Tibetan Parliament calls for increased international pressure on China following self-immolations/ENG

2012. január 12./Phayul.com/TibetPress

DHARAMSHALA, January 12: The US government expressed its “serious concern” over the fiery episode of self-immolations in Tibet a day after 42-year old Sonam Wangyal became the third Tibetan in this year alone to die after setting himself on fire in eastern Tibet.

The beginning of the new year has witnessed three more fatal incidents, taking the overall number of Tibetans who have self-immolated in Tibet since March last year to 15.

"We're seriously concerned by reports that three more Tibetans have self-immolated over the past few days," US State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters Monday.

Saying that the wave of self-immolations represented the "enormous anger, enormous frustration” that Tibetans have with regard to the China’s “severe restrictions on human rights, including religious freedom,” Nuland called on China to “loosen up in Tibet.”

"We have called the Chinese government policies counterproductive and have urged the Chinese government to have a productive dialogue, to loosen up in Tibet and allow journalists and diplomats and other observers to report accurately, and to respect the human rights of all of their citizens".

Following the three fatal instances of self-immolation in the first eight days of the new year in Tibet, the Dharamshala based Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile in a release called for more international pressure on China.

“The drastic actions taken by the protesters reflect the failed policies of the Chinese government in Tibet. We urge the United Nations and the world community to exert more pressure on China to reform its failed policies especially with regard to human rights in Tibet”, the release stated.

Tsultrim and Tenyi, both around 20 years of age, had set their bodies on fire on January 6 at around 2:40 pm Tibet time in the distraught Ngaba region of eastern Tibet, which alone has witnessed ten instances of self-immolations since early last year.

Tenyi succumbed to his burn injuries shortly after Chinese security personnel arrested him on January 6 while Tslutrim passed away a day later on the night of January 7.

Sonam Wangyal (Sopa), a respected spiritual figure from Golok in eastern Tibet died on the spot after drinking and spraying kerosene all over his body before lighting himself up on January 8.

Sopa self-immolated in front of the police station of Darlag (in Chinese, Dari) county in Golog after shouting slogans calling for Tibet's freedom and the long life of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama – demands which have been common to all the 15 Tibetans who have self-immolated in Tibet since March 2011.

In leaflets that Sonam Wangyal distributed just before he set himself ablaze, he stated his fiery sacrifice was not for his “personal glory but for Tibet and the happiness of Tibetans."

"The Tibetans should not lose their determination. The day of happiness will come for sure. For the Dalai Lama to live long, the Tibetans should not lose track of their path," Sonam Wangyal said in his last statement.