Monk self-immolates in Amdo Rebkong/ENG

2012. március 14./TIbet Sun/TibetPress

A monk in Tibet has lit himself on fire to protest against the repressive Chinese policies there, raising the number of self-immolations to 27 in the last one year.

Jamyang Palden, a monk in his 30s from Rongpo Monastery in Tibet’s northeastern Amdo Rebkong region (Chinese: Tongren), burned himself this morning, according to exile Tibetans who have contacts in the area.

Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy reported that there were not many Tibetans at the scene. A few who were prostrating nearby extinguished the fire on Palden. Local officials of the Religious Affairs and Public Security Bureau reached the spot and took Palden to the local hospital.

The source said Palden survived and was taken to a hospital by the Bureau officials. After appealing to them, Tibetans were able to bring Palden back to his monastery from the hospital.

An estimated over two thousand Tibetans, including locals and people from nearby villages, staged a demonstration in front of government buildings to stand in solidarity with Palden.

The protesters have called for China to let the Dalai Lama return to Tibet. A picture supplied by the exile source showed Tibetans holding a portrait of the Dalai Lama at the demonstration.

Later in the afternoon Chinese Security Officials forcefully dispersed the Tibetan gathering.

Saying that the situation is urgent in Tibet, members of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile in Dharamshala discussed the unprecedented wave of self-immolations for the entire day today on the opening of the budget session.

The exile parliament did not see fit to comment on whether the act of self-immolations is right or wrong, or violent or non-violent.

China has called the self-immolators terrorists and criminals, and has blamed exiled Tibetans for instigating them.
By Lobsang Wangyal