Tsoe, 55th Tibetan immolation against Beijing’s oppression

by Nirmala Carvalho
Tamdrin Dorjee, 62, set himself on fire on October 13 in front of the monastery Tsoe, County Kanlho (eastern Tibet). The man was the grandfather of the 7th Gunthang Rinpoche, an important religious figure of the Buddhist monastery of Labrang. His death came shortly after the appeal of the 400 exiled leaders to abandon immolation as a method of protest.


Lhasa (AsiaNews) - Another Tibetan has set himself on fire to protest Chinese occupation. Tamdrin Dorjee, 52, self-immolated on October 13 near the monastery of Tsoe, County Kanlho (Tibet Autonomous Prefecture, eastern Tibet). The act took place at around 13:00 local time. The man died a few hours later from burns. His body was removed by the authorities.

Witnesses say that the police have set up a security cordon around the site of suicide. He is the 55th Tibetan to choose death by fire to raise global awareness of the plight of the people, oppressed by the regime in Beijing. Tandrim is the grandfather of the 7th Gunthang Rinpoche, an important religious figure of the Buddhist monastery of Labrang. The man died in the same place, where in August a young woman mother of two children committed suicide in protest.

Stephanie Brigden, director of Free Tibet says: "As long as China maintains its grip on Tibet, the population will continue to demand freedom. Tibetan Spring protests show no sign of stopping. It is time for the international community to speak of freedom for Tibetans. "

The Tsoe monastery is very important for Tibetan Buddhists and was among the first to organize large-scale protests against Chinese rule in 2008. This latest suicide comes after the appeal made in recent days by 400 Tibetan exiles from 26 countries, who gathered in Dharamsala to put an end to this form of protest. The Dalai Lama himself has invited Tibetans not make such tough decisions, despite the high level of repression.

"Tibet - said the religious leader - is a sparsely populated country, and in the current situation to lose even one life is a great loss for the Tibetan people. Try to save your life for the future."