DHARAMSHALA, November 15: Hundreds of Tibetans and supporters today gathered at Tsuglakhang temple for an official prayer session for Tsering Gyal, the latest Tibetan to die due to self immolation.
The Chief Justice Commissioner, Justice commissioners, Tibetan cabinet ministers, Tibetan parliamentarians and officials of Tibetan government in exile attended the prayers that was presided over by Thomtok Rinpoche, the abbot of Namgyal Monastery.
20-year-old Tsering Gyal set himself on fire in Pema county in Golok to protest against Chinese government on Nov. 11.
Engulfed in flames, Gyal collapsed after walking a few meters towards the County headquarters from a giant lotus made up of concrete at the centre of the town. Chinese police on street patrol arrived at the scene and doused the fire. Tsering was rushed to the county hospital but he succumbed to his burn injuries later that day on the way to a bigger hospital in Xiling.
Before breathing his last, Gyal had said, “Today, I burned myself for the re-union of Tibetans. My only hope is the unity among Tibetans and the preservation of the Tibetan language and tradition. If we do that, all the Tibetans will be re-united.”
Calling Tsering Gyal a ‘martyr’, Pema Chhinjor, Minister of Department of Religious and Culture said, “through this prayer service, we pray for him to be reborn as a human being again soon.”
“The situation inside Tibet needs no explanation, it is known to everyone. During the four day 18th Chinese Communist Party Congress, it was declared that Xi Jinping will announce his future administrative plans but so far only little was seen and heard, their main aim seems to be to destroy the Tibetan government,” He added.
“It is not one or two, but 122 Tibetans have set themselves on fire for Tibet. We all need to remember this and should strive to let the world know through media that because of the crisis Tibetans inside Tibet are resorting to self immolation protests.”
He also noted that prayers will also be said for the victims of typhoon in Philippines.
Since 2009, as many as 123 Tibetans living under China’s rule have set themselves on fire to protest against Chinese hard-line policies while the conditions of more than ten remain unknown.
