Breaking: Fire rages on in Tibetan – Another Tibet burns to death/ENG

2012. február 17./Phayul.com/TibetPress

DHARAMSHALA, February 17: Yet another Tibetan has died in the continuing wave of self-immolation in Tibet.

Dhamchoe Sangpo, a monk from Bongthak Ewam Tare Shedrup Dhargey Ling monastery in the Tsongon region of Amdo, eastern Tibet set his body on fire at around 6 am local time in an apparent protest against the Chinese government.

The Dharamshala based Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, in a release today said that Dhamchoe Sangpo, 38, passed away soon after his self-immolation protest.
Dhamchoe Sangpo was the youngest of ten siblings.

Following earlier protest by a monk identified as Kalsang from the Bongthak monastery against a planned silver mining project in the region, the monastery had been facing severe repression from local Chinese government authorities.

“Off late, Chinese armed forces had surrounded the monastery with military vehicles, hindering the monastery’s prayer ceremonies and warning the monks of sealing the monastery if they failed to behave,” the release said.

Although there are no further details available on Dhamchoe Sangpo’s self-immolation, Chinese government officials and armed forces are currently carrying out door to door searches at the monastery.

“The monastery is under a military lockdown and the situation there is very tense,” the Tibetan Parliament said.