Tibetan woman self immolates in Qinghai to protest seizure of home
Dharamsala
(AsiaNews / Agencies) - A Tibetan woman set herself on fire in protest against
the policy of confiscation of the land promoted by China. The
self-immolation took place last week - even if the news has only now filtered
through the mesh of censorship - in the western province of Qinghai, local
sources confirmed that act is related to the seizure "of her
residence" decided by Beijing. A
man speaking under a guarantee of anonymity, told Radio Free Asia (RFA) that the authorities spared many of the
houses in the neighborhood where they "had good relationships with local
landlords," but they decreed "the demolition of the residence"
owned by women, who had moved into the area two years earlier. "The
protest - he adds - was against this Chinese injustice."
The
woman, whose name and age are currently unknown, lives in the Tibetan
Autonomous Prefecture (TAP) of Yulshul and set herself on fire last June 27 in
the town of Jyekundo, in an area not far from the monastery of Jyekun, at
between 3 and 4 in the
afternoon. Authorities
intervened immediately to extinguish the flames and admit her to hospital. At
the moment there is no information about her conditions, although some speak of
"severe" wounds.
The
Chinese authorities have imposed strict censorship in the area and erected a
security cordon at the point of the self-immolation. For
days, they prevented any meeting between Tibetan residents of the area. The
family tried to visit the woman in the hospital, but officials have blocked
access and prohibited any contact between victim and family.
The
affair has also attracted the attention of the famous Tibetan poet and writer
Woeser, who is currently located in Beijing, and who confirmed the
self-immolation in a post on his blog on June 29 last.
Dozens
of young Tibetan monks and lay people are choosing self-immolation as an
extreme act of protest against Beijing, which continues to arrest anyone who
shows dissent against the seizure of land and the political repression of
Tibetan culture and religion. In
the last year alone about 40 Tibetans set themselves on fire to criticize the
dictatorship in Beijing and demand the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet. The
Tibetan spiritual leader has always stressed that he is "not
encouraging" these extreme forms of rebellion, but he has praised the
"courage" of those who make the ultimate gesture, the result of
"cultural genocide" taking place in Tibet. Beijing
responds by attacking the Dalai Lama, who is guilty of supporting
"terrorists, criminals or the mentally ill."
.png)
