News and Views on Tibet

Tibetan self-immolator succumbs to injuries in Chinese police station

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DHARAMSHALA, November 28: Details have finally emerged on a Tibetan self-immolator, who set himself on fire in Driru, Tibet on the eve of the Chinese Communist Party’s 18th National Congress on November 7.

Tsegyu (Tsegyal), a 27 year of old father of two, later succumbed to his injuries in Chinese police custody on the night of November 18 after being denied any medical attention.

Sonam, an exile Tibetan living in Switzerland, told Phayul that Tsegyu set himself ablaze at around 7pm (local time) on November 7, in Tingser village of Bekar town in Driru (Ch: Biru) region of Nagchu, in an apparent protest against China’s continued occupation of Tibet.

He was later detained by local Chinese authorities and was denied any medical treatment for his burn injuries while in detention.

Confirming the reports, Dharamshala based rights group Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in a release today said Tsegyu received no medical treatment while in detention at a local police station in Nagchu.

“For less than two weeks, from November 7 to 18, Tsegyal received no treatment for his burns while being held at the local police station in Nagchu town,” TCHRD said citing sources. “Tsegyal died in the evening of November 18 in police custody.”

Tsegyu is survived by his two children, a six-year-old and an eight-month-old infant.

On November 7, five self-immolations were reported from different parts of Tibet, making it the deadliest day since the ongoing wave of self-immolations began in 2009.

Tamding Tso, a 23-year-old mother of one, passed away in her self-immolation protest in Rebkong region of Amdo, eastern Tibet, while three monks of the Ngoshul Monastery in Ngaba, identified as Dorjee, 15, Samdup, 16, and Dorjee Kyab, 16, set themselves on fire in front of a local Chinese police station.

Dorjee, 15, passed away in his fiery protest, while the condition and whereabouts of the two other monks remain unknown after they were taken away by Chinese security personnel.

The deepening crisis inside Tibet has witnessed large scale anti-China protests and a series of self-immolations that has now seen 87 Tibetans set themselves on fire, since 2009, demanding freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from exile.

November alone has reported 25 self-immolations and protests by thousands of Tibetans, including by school students in Chabcha today and in Rebkong earlier this month.

In what could be a first of its kind coordinated campaign inside Tibet, a group of around 60 Tibetans, spread across several cities in Tibet, sat on a hunger strike in solidarity with the ongoing wave of self-immolations from November 26 to 28.

The campaign was observed in various cities across the tradition boundaries of Tibet, including in capital Lhasa, Drango, Jomda, Zachukha, Tridu, Sertha, Siling, Rebkong, and Kardze.

The participants in the solidarity campaign included teachers, government officials, writers, monks, and businessmen.

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