By Tendar Tsering
DHARAMSHALA, June 22: In solidarity and support with the ongoing wave of self-immolations inside Tibet, hundreds of Tibetans in the exile Tibetan seat of Dharamshala led a first of its kind torch vigil yesterday evening.
Large torches, symbolic of the 42 Tibetans who have set themselves on fire since 2009, were carried by the marches in place of the usual candles during the vigil organised by the regional chapters of the youth and women’s associations.
Ngawang Norphel, 22, and Tenzin Khedup, 24 set themselves on fire Wednesday in Zatoe town of Keygudo, Kham, eastern Tibet calling for Tibet’s independence and long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Both of them were carrying Tibetan national flags in their hands at the time of their self-immolation protest.
Tenzin Khedup passed away at the site of his fiery protest while the condition and whereabouts of Ngawang Norphel is not yet known.
In a note left behind by the two young Tibetans before taking their drastic action, they urged all Tibetans to be united in the fight for Tibet’s freedom and the return of the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama from exile.
“People like us are unable to contribute anything toward Tibetan religion and culture, or contribute economically to help Tibetans,” Ngawang Norphel and Tenzin Khedup wrote. They said their actions “show love to the Tibetan people and loyalty to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.”
In a 7-second video clip of their self-immolation protest that is being widely circulated on the internet, Ngawang Norphel and Tenzin Khedup could be seen standing next to each other and raising the ‘banned in Tibet’ Tibetan National flags just before huge flames envelope their bodies. While one of them immediately falls down on the ground, the second self-immolator trips and then stands up to run for a few metres before falling down.
According to reports, Tenzin Khedup is from Tridu in Keygudo. His parents are Legdup and Kyizom. Ngawang Norphel is believed to be from Ngaba, the region which remains the nerve centre of the ongoing wave of self-immolations in Tibet.
The Central Tibetan Administration has been reiterating its appeal to the Chinese government to address the genuine grievances of the Tibetans inside Tibet and resolve the Tibet issue peacefully.
