Tibetan Monk Sets Himself On Fire In China

Another Tibetan Buddhist monk has set himself ablaze in western China, over the continued efforts for Tibet to be free of Chinese rule.

The self-immolation is the tenth such extreme protest by Buddhist monks in the region to take place this year over the cultural encroachment of China into Tibet and claims of sectarianism.

The Free Tibet, a UK-based advocacy group, said that the latest self-immolation took place on Tuesday outside a monastery in Ganzi in Sichuan province.

The city is about 150km south of Aba, the site where eight of the last nine self-immolations happened since March in protest against religious controls imposed by the Chinese government.

In a statement, Free Tibet said it had no information about the monk's name, whereabouts, or whether he survived the incident.

Government officials in the Chinese run area, and police in Ganzi, told have denied knowledge about the incident.

An official in the city’s county office told news agency Reuters: "I don't know about this, and even if I did, I couldn't be loose-lipped."

Speaking about the last incidence of self-immolation on October 16, Director of Free Tibet UK Stephanie Brigden said: “The unrest in Tibet is escalating and widening. The number and frequency of self-immolations is unprecedented. Information from Tibet suggests there are more who are willing to give their lives determined to draw global attention to the persistent and brutal violations Tibetans suffer under Chinese occupation.

"The acts of self-immolation are not taking place in isolation, protests have been reported in the surrounding region and calls for wider protests are growing. China has already responded with force in one instance we have grave concerns that greater force may be deployed if protests spread.”

Free Tibet UK said two Tibetans were shot by Chinese security services during a protest on 16 October outside the local police station in Khekor Township, Garzi.

Protests have taken place this year across a broadening area in eastern Tibet, from Ngaba - scene of eight self-immolations, to Tawu – where the second self-immolation took place, Serthar Town - scene of protests on 1 October, and Khekor Township where the shootings took place earlier this month.

(DW)