China: Tibet: Monk sets himself on fire against Chinese occupation of Tibet. 21st case since March 2009

Ngaba - A Tibetan monk in Ngaba set himself on fire last night to protest Chinese occupation. It is the 21st case of its kind since March 2009, since when Beijing launched a new crackdown on monasteries. Most of the protagonists of these desperate actions are monks or former monks. The last episode of this chain happened in Ngaba (Chinese Aba) in Sichuan Province at 18.30 local time in front of a school. A man, shouting slogans set himself on fire. According to Tibetan sources in India, "the author of the protest looked like a monk, but we know neither his name nor place of origin or details."

According to local witnesses, "the man was immediately taken away by soldiers and police," and two other monks who were in the vicinity were arrested. Security was very recently reinforced in Ngaba. The self-immolation occurred in the evening, when Chinese security force surveillance is slackened. Today in particular, as Tibetans in exile around the world express solidarity with their compatriots, surveillance has been stepped up.

Six days ago three other Tibetans set themselves on fire in Serthar (Seda in Chinese), again in Sichuan province, to protest against the harsh Chinese repression of popular protests. At least six people were killed and 60 wounded, some of them seriously. According to Chinese media only two people died. Other protests took place in the provinces of Draggo (Luhuo in Chinese) and Dzamthang (Rangtang in Chinese).