Beijing arrests hundreds of Tibetans to stop self-immolations
Lhasa (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Chinese authorities have arrested hundreds of people in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), in response to the self-immolation of two young men - on May 27th - in protest against Beijing's Imperialism and the lack of religious freedom. According to the U.S. based website Radio Free Asia (RFA), security forces have taken at least 600 Tibetans and also ordered the expulsion of all the pilgrims and tourists from outside the TAR. The self-immolation of the two young men, the first in the capital of Tibet, and the subsequent wave of arrests is the first "significant" protest in Lhasa, since the March 2008 monks revolt violently repressed by the government in Beijing.
In recent days the city was overrun by pilgrims and Buddhist faithful for the celebration of Saga Dawa, the anniversary of the birth of the Enlightened One. The two young men who set themselves on fire, did not originate from the TAR but came from the Chinese provinces. The self-immolation occurred before the famous Jokhang temple: one of them died, while the other is reported to have survived - though seriously injured - and currently there is no further news about his fate (see AsiaNews 28/05 / 12 Tibetan youth dies in first self-immolation in Lhasa).
For the past four years Lhasa has been under the close supervision of Beijing, but the controls and strict censorship have failed to prevent the extreme action of the two young men and spreading of the news. Local sources said that police are identifying anyone who roams the streets and the authorities have blocked mobile phone signals. The London-based site Free Tibet confirms that the security forces are carrying out a campaign of arbitrary arrests and forced detentions.
Yesterday, meanwhile, a 30 year old Tibetan nomad, a mother of three children, set herself on fire in front of the monastery of Jonang Dzamthang in the town of Barma, in eastern Tibet. The woman, known as Rechok, was killed instantly and her body taken within the monastery and several people gathered around the place of worship to attend the cremation ceremony. Stephanie Bridget, director of Free Tibet, said that "in Barma as in many other places in Tibet," the people "reject Chinese rule" and continue to "launch a the cry of freedom" which, however, remains unheard. "The international community - she added - must break the silence on Tibet".
Since March 2009, at least 35 Tibetans, including many young people and also women, have self-immolated in protest against the strict censorship and tight controls imposed by Beijing, which oversees the practice of worship and access to all monasteries. The Dalai Lama has always emphasized he is "not encouraging" these extreme forms of rebellion, but he praised the "courage" of those who make the ultimate gesture, the result of a "cultural genocide" is taking place in Tibet. Beijing responds by attacking the Tibetan spiritual leader, accusing him of supporting extreme gestures of "terrorists, criminals or mentally ill."
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