By Phuntsok Yangchen
DHARAMSHALA, December 25: The Tibetan Parliament in exile has expressed its solidarity with the recent spate of self immolation protests by three Tibetans in Tibet in less than a week.
“The Chinese government constantly criticises and intimidates friends and families of the Tibetan self-immolators. They accuse the self-immolators of being of unsound mind, who commits self-immolation under instigation from others. They also explain that the self-immolations were a result of domestic problems. These allegations are totally outrageous and undermine the conviction of the Tibetan people and the brutality of their sufferings,” the Tibetan Parliament in exile said in a statement.
“Instead of addressing the grievances of the Tibetan people, the Chinese government resorts to intimidation to clampdown on the Tibetan people’s basic human rights. They threaten the families of the self-immolators, depriving them of basic necessities and accuse them of murder.”
The Tibetan Parliament appealed the international community to urge the Chinese government to end its repressive policies in Tibet and called on countries and Parliament around the world to pass resolutions denouncing the repressive policies of the Chinese authorities.
The Tibetan Parliament also urged China to investigate the real causes of the self-immolation protests and address the grievances of the Tibetan people.
On December 23, Kalsang Yeshi, a monk of Nyitso Monastery, set himself ablaze in front of the police post in the premises of the monastery in Tawu. On December 22, a 19-year-old Tsepey Kyi set herself on fire in Ngaba and on December 16, Sangay Khar immolated himself in Amchok town in Sangchu County. All three have died in their fiery protests.
Since 2009, 136 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in Tibet protesting against China’s occupation of Tibet and its hard line policies.
