On 19 February 2012, yet another Tibetan teenager set himself ablaze and reportedly died protesting against the Chinese government, in Barma Village, Dzamthang County, Ngaba Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
Nangdrol,18 years old, set himself on fire at around 2 pm (local time) in front of the Dzamthang Jonang Monastery last Sunday, according to sources. He died on the spot.
A former monk disciplinarian at Bongtak Monastery has died of self-immolation in Tso-ngon (Ch: Qinghai) Province.
On 17 February 2012 at around 6 a.m (Tibet Time) Damchoe Sangpo, a monk from Themchen County of the Tsonub (Ch: Haixi) and Mongol Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, set himself on fire. Sources say he died shortly afterwards.
Damchoe Sangpo, aged around 40, was a monk from Bongtak Monastery, also called Bongtak Ewam Tare Shedrup Dhargey Ling Monastery. He had objected to police intrusion in the monastery’s religious activities and had requested the officers to leave the monastery. It is said that he had also warned the officers that if any issue arises in the future, the Chinese government will be responsible.
Jigme, also known as Jigme Gyatso, the intrepid monk from Labrang Monastery who exposed Chinese brutality to the outside world might be sentenced soon, according to information received by TCHRD.
It is learnt that on 1 January 2012 at around 3 pm (Tibet Time), the Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture issued a procuratorate-approved arrest warrant for Jigme. The warrant states that Jigme is charged with engaging in activities aimed at splitting the country. The warrant (written in Chinese) further notes that Jigme is currently held in the Public Security Bureau detention Centre in Tsoe (Chinese: Hezuo) city.
As the Chinese authorities continue to ban access to journalists attempting to report on the situation inside Tibet, a global annual census on imprisoned journalists conducted by a leading international NGO promoting press freedom reveals that 10 out of 27 known journalists imprisoned in China are Tibetans. Six are Uyghurs.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in its December 2011 Prison Census on China said that Tibetans and Uyghurs form the bulk of journalists jailed in China, adding this unfortunate trend dates back to the widespread 2008 and 2009 protests in Tibet and East Turkestan (Chinese: Xinjiang) respectively.
On 13 February at about 2.30 pm (Tibet Time), 19-year-old Lobsang Gyatso set himself on fire at the main street of Ngaba town shouting slogans of protest against the Chinese government.
Immediately, officers from the People’s Armed Police and Public Security Bureau arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire, according to sources. The police officers continued beating the burnt monk as they took him away.
Lobsang Gyatso’s current condition and whereabouts remain unknown.
Chinese-government owned news agency Xinhua today confirmed the death of nun Tenzin Choedon after her self-immolation protest in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) County on 11 February 2012.
The Xinhua report said the Tibetan nun self-immolated at a place 5 kms away from Ngaba County. It further said she died on the way to hospital. The report identified the nun as 19- year old Tenzin Choedon, born in “Ri-a-luo” village (Tibetan Reruwa), “Jialuo” Township, Ngaba County.
A Chinese government-owned newspaper has reported that the security forces shot dead two Tibetan brothers on 9 February 2012 in Drango (Ch: Luhuo) County, Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province.
The brothers’ death by gunshots was extensively reported earlier by exile Tibetan sources. However, the 11 February 2012 report in the Ganzi Daily News is the first confirmation of the case.
The report said Tibetan monk Yeshe Rigsal, aged 40 and his wounded brother Yeshe Samdrub, aged 38 were shot dead by the security forces.
A Tibetan nun from Mamae Nunnery, also known as Dechen Choekhorling Nunnery, has set herself afire at Ngaba (Ch: Aba) County in Sichuan Province.
Tenzin Choedon, aged 18, shouted protest slogans against the Chinese government before setting herself alight at an intersection near a bridge located below her nunnery.
It is believed that she did not die on the spot but was taken away by security personnel from People’s Armed Police and Public Security Bureau to Barkham, capital of Ngaba Tibetan & Qiang Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
A 19-yr-old Tibetan set himself alight in protest against the Chinese government on 8 February 2012 around 6.30 pm (Tibet Time) at Ngaba County in Sichuan Province.
Rinzin Dorjee aka Rikpe self-immolated at No. 2 Primary School in Ngaba town, where 13 Tibetans have now set themselves on fire. Soon after the incident, security personnel arrived, doused the flames, and reportedly took Rikpe to the Aba County hospital. Later, he was taken to a hospital in Barkham (Ch: Ma’erkang), capital of Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture.
Not much details are available on his condition. However, some sources say that by the night of 8 February, he was believed to be “on the verge of death.”
After gunning down unarmed Tibetan protesters in Drango, Serta, and Dzamtang counties, the Chinese government has announced further restrictions on Tibetans living in Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan autonomous areas in Qinghai, Gansu, Yunnan, and Sichuan provinces.
Beginning 1 March 2012, those who enter Tibet are required should to carry their government-issued identity cards (in Chinese: shen fen zheng), reported the Chinese government-owned website ChinaTibetNews.com today quoting Qi Zhala, the Communist Party Secretary of Lhasa City. (Go to this link for the report: http://www.chinatibetnews.com/lvyou/2012-02/01/content_872080.htm)
A Tibetan was arrested in Dzamtang County, Ngaba Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (TAP) on 26 January at about 12PM (Tibet Time), for pasting a leaflet which states that the reason for the self-immolation protests was for freedom in Tibet and for the return of the Dalai Lama. It further said that until these demands are met, there is no chance that the campaign will stop. The youth is identified as Tharpa, son of Ripung Normo, from Barma Township in Dzamtang County. Tharpa had also written his name and pasted his photo on the leaflet, claiming himself responsible for the leaflet. It further said that the Chinese authorities could come and arrest him if they wished.