The self-immolation took place last week, but has only now emerged. The act motivated by confiscation of land imposed by Beijing authorities. Strict censorship imposed. The woman suffered "serious" injuries but there is no news on her current health conditions. Relatives refused permission to visit.

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."

 

• Tibet
• china
• self
• immolation
• repression
• human
• rights
• communist
• government
• dalai
• lama