Monk Burns to Protest Monastery Intrusion February 17, 2012—A Tibetan monk burned himself to death on Friday after protesting Chinese security intrusions at his monastery in China’s western Qinghai province on Friday, adding to tensions in protest-hit Tibetan-populated areas, sources said. Damchoe Sangpo, aged about 40 and a monk at the Bongtak monastery in Themchen county of the Tsonub (in Chinese, Haixi) prefecture, set himself ablaze at around 6:00 a.m. local time and died shortly afterward, an India-based senior Tibetan monk named Shingsa said, citing contacts in the region. It was the 22nd confirmed self-immolation by Tibetans protesting Chinese policies and rule in Tibetan regions since a wave of the fiery protests began in February 2009. Three other self-immolations were reported in early February in a remote region of Sichuan province, but have never been confirmed due to communication problems stemming from a stepped-up crackdown by Chinese security forces. Damchoe Sangpo, the monk who died in Friday’s protest, had objected to the cancelling by Chinese authorities of a traditional prayer festival at the monastery and to the presence of Chinese security forces, Shingsa told RFA in an interview. “After the Tibetan New Year, which in Qinghai’s Amdo region coincides with the Chinese New Year, Chinese officials banned the [monastery’s] Monlam religious gathering and sent armed security forces there ,” Shingsa said. “Damchoe objected to this, and told the Chinese officials that if they didn’t withdraw their troops from the monastery, the monks should not be held responsible for any incident that might follow,” he said. “When monks came out of the temple after morning services, they saw Damchoe burning,” Shingsa said, adding, “He died on the spot.” Communications cut Tibetan-populated regions in China have been shaken by a series of self-immolations and protests recently, leading to a bloody crackdown by security forces and the arrest of scores, if not hundreds, of Tibetans. Chinese authorities have virtually cut off communication lines amid the crackdown, and information flow has been severely restricted, according to sources who have traveled out of these places. Damchoe Sangpo was the youngest of 10 siblings, of whom all the others were girls, Shingsa said. “His father’s name is Taklha. His mother passed away when he was very young.” Damchoe Sangpo, who was described by Shingsa as a “highly responsible person,” was ordained as a monk in 1991 and went to India in 1994. “[Three years] later, he returned to Tibet and became the disciplinarian of the monastery. Before his death, he tutored the monks in religious texts.” It is not clear whether the Chinese authorities or the monks are now in possession of Damchoe’s body, Shingsa said. “Because of the heavy troop presence at the monastery, no more phone calls can be made, and it appears that all of the lines have been cut,” he said. Reported by Rigdhen Dolma, Dhondup Dorjee, and Lobe for RFA’s Tibetan service. Translations by Karma Dorjee and Rigdhen Dolma. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/intrusion-02172012113723.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to <mailto:engnews-leave@rfanews.org> engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to <mailto:engnews-join@rfanews.org> engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.