Qinghai, another self-immolation against Chinese rule in Tibet
Dharamsala (
AsiaNews) - A man of Tibetan ethnic origins residing in the northwestern province
of Qinghai, set himself on fire to protest Chinese rule in the region. It
is the first self-immolation in 2014, which sparked a new wave of repression by
the security forces loyal to Beijing. Phagmo
Samdrub, 29, staged his protest on February 5th in the vicinity of the school
dedicated to the figure of the Panchen Lama in Dokarmo, a town in Malho county.
The
case was confirmed by an anonymous source to Radio Free Asia.
Phagmo, the source said, "sacrificed his life for the Tibetan cause. His body
was immediatly removed by officers.
Communication channels throughout the area are blocked, so we do not have
other details. I know
that he is at the offices of the government of Tsekhog". It is not
clear if the man is alive or dead.
Phagmo's
protest brings to 126 the total number of Tibetans who have chosen to set
themselves on fire (since 2009) to demand an end to Chinese rule in Tibet
and the return of the Dalai Lama to his homeland. Beijing
has responded to these protests with mounting repression, and is attempting to
block the self-immolations through raids on monasteries suspected of sympathizing
with independence movements, by closing
down communications and limiting the freedom of movement of the local
population as much as possible.
The
people's courts are also very active, which in the last three months of 2013 sentenced
at least six people - including three Buddhist monks - to prison terms ranging
from 3 to 15 years in prison on charges of "inciting" friends and faithful to set
themselves on fire against the authorities. For
his part, the Dalai Lama - the Tibetan Buddhist leader exiled in India - has
repeatedly called on his followers to "safeguard the sanctity of life above
all else".
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