The highest number of self immolations ever in one day. Three teenage monks and a 23 year-old mother; the identity of the fifth still unknown. Two died on the spot. All of them called out for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet and an end to Chinese occupation. With them, the number of self immolations has risen to 68 Tibetans.

Lhasa (AsiaNews) - On the eve of the Chinese Communist Party Congress, five Tibetans have set themselves on fire to demand the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet, and the end of the Beijing regime. The episode is confirmed by Radio Free Asia. It is the first time that so many self immolations have taken place on the same day. The authors of the gesture are three teenage monks (Ngaba Prefecture, Sichuan province) and a young mother (Malho Prefecture, Qinghai province). The identity of the fifth (Nagchu Prefecture, Tibetan Autonomous Region) is not yet known, nor his or her conditions. So far, at least two Tibetans have believed to have died. Yesterday's self immolations brings the number of Tibetans who have chosen to die by fire in protest against Beijing to 68.

The three monks-Dorje, 15; Samdrub, 16; Dorje Kyab, 16, set themselves on fire in front of the Ngaba police station, chanting slogans for a free Tibet and the return of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. "Dorje - refers monk Lobsang Yeshi-  died immediately, while the other two were brought to the County hospital ". The young boys all come from the monastery of Ngoshul, and are the youngest Tibetans to have ever chosen self immolation.

Malho Prefecture, Tamdrin Tso (see photo), a 23-year-old mother set herself on fire in Gemar market (Rebgong County) and died shortly after. Dorje Wangchuck, Director of Literary and Culture Research Centre of Norbulingka Institute in Dharamsala, reports that "over the past 15 days, Tamdrin Tso has repeatedly prayed for those who have self immolated for Tibet". She leaves a son, Nyingjam Tsering, of 5-6 years, her husband Kyab Tamdrin and her mother, Konchog Tso.

After her action, approximately 3 thousand Tibetans gathered in the market area, where there is a school and several stores, singing slogans against the Chinese regime. The immolation of Tamdrin Tso is the second in Rebgong in a week. November 4 in fact, Dorjee Lhundrub, a 25-year-old artist set himself on fire and died.

The fifth immolation yesterday occurred in the town of Bekhar, in Driru County (Nagchu prefecture). Local sources report that the Chinese police arrived on the site immediately after but nothing is yet known about the author of the gesture.

For Sophie Richardson, head of the Chinese section for Human Rights Watch, the self immolations are "extraordinary acts of desperation", which "continue because there is no meaningful response from the central government, which has the ability to change the situation for the better."

Meanwhile, the 18th Chinese Communist Party Congress (CPC) opened today which will see the end of government of Hu Jintao and the birth of the "fifth generation" of leaders, led-according to most forecasts-by Xi Jinping, current Vice-President. But while State media enhance the economic and political results of this last decade, the population of Beijing and other Chinese cities look indifferently at the event, having no say in the matter. (NC)

 

 

• china
• tibet
• self
• immolations
• congress
• human
• rights