Tibetan Monks Thwart Attempt to Snatch Body After New Self-Immolation
February 19, 2012 — Tibetan monks on Sunday prevented Chinese security forces from taking
away the body of a Tibetan teenager who burned himself to death in front of a monastery to
protest against Chinese rule in southwest Sichuan province, sources said.
Nyadrol, who was 18, died on the spot after setting himself ablaze Sunday in front of the
monastery in Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) prefecture's Zamtang (in Chinese, Rangtang)
county, which was hit by bloody protests last month.
"He did it in front of the Zamtang Jonang monastery on Sunday around noon time,"
according to Tsayang Gyatso, head of the Jonang Buddhist Association in India's
Dharamsala hill town, where Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is living in
exile.
"The Chinese security forces tried to take his body away but the monks of Zamtang
Jonang monastery just managed to take possession of his charred body and conduct
prayers," he told RFA, citing contacts in the region.
Nyadrul's self-immolation brings to 23 the number of Tibetans who have burned
themselves to protest Chinese policies and rule in Tibetan regions since February 2009.
Three other self-immolations were reported in early February this year in Serthar county
(in Chinese, Seda) in Sichuan, but have never been confirmed due to communication problems
stemming from a stepped-up crackdown by Chinese security forces.
'Terrorists'
The Chinese authorities have labeled the self-immolators as terrorists and blamed the
Dalai Lama for the tense situation, saying he is encouraging the self-immolations, which
run contrary to Buddhist teachings.
But the Dalai Lama blamed China's "ruthless and illogical" policy towards
Tibet.
Chinese security forces had beefed up security in Zamtang in late January after shooting
dead a Tibetan protester and wounding several others as they opened fire on hundreds of
demonstrators.
The protests occurred as a poster appeared demanding freedom for Tibet and the return of
the Dalai Lama.
Crackdown
Beijing has arrested hundreds of Tibetans, mostly monks in Ngaba, following a crackdown
stepped up over the last year triggered by the self-immolations.
Last week, police detained a popular Tibetan writer Gangkye Drubpa Kyab, 33, in Serthar,
which was also rocked by bloody protests in January.
Two weeks earlier, a popular advocate of Tibet’s traditional culture and language, Dawa
Dorje, in his 20's, was believed to have been detained by Chinese authorities.
Reported by Tenzin Wangyal for RFA's Tibetan service. Translated by Karma Dorjee.
Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai.
View this story online at :
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burn-02192012102305.html
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