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Ashwini Bhatia/AP
An exile Tibetan places candles on a sculpture known as Tibetan martyr's wall, during a candlelit vigil earlier this month in Dharmsala, India, in solidarity with Tibetans.
The number of Tibetans who have set themselves on fire in protest at Chinese rule of their homeland has topped 50 after two teenagers burned to death in a southwestern corner of the country, a rights group said.
The pair, one an 18-year-old monk and the other a 17-year-old former monk, died on Monday after setting themselves on fire outside the Kirti monastery in Ngaba, a heavily Tibetan part of Sichuan province, the London-based Free Tibet group said.
An eyewitness account quoted by Radio Free Asia described the pair shouting “Ki! Ki!,” a Tibetan battle cry.
Their protest brings to 51 the number of Tibetans who have set themselves alight since 2009, when the burnings first began, according to a Free Tibet statement dated August 27.
At least half of them are believed by rights groups to have died, while scores of other Tibetans have been reported detained by security forces after protests that follow the burnings.
Amid unrest, China bans travel to Tibet
"Free Tibet has grave concerns for the well being of the hundreds of Tibetans who we know are in detention following protests," Free Tibet Director Stephanie Brigden said.
Calls seeking comment to the government in Ngaba, known as Aba in Chinese, were not answered.
Video captured a landslide burying a major highway in Tibet last week. Msnbc.com's Dara Brown reports.
China has branded the self-immolators "terrorists" and criminals, and has blamed the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Dalai Lama, for inciting them.
Beijing considers the Dalai Lama a separatist, while he says he merely seeks greater autonomy for his Himalayan homeland, and denies supporting violence.
Report: Hundreds detained after Tibet self-immolations
Activists say China tramples on religious freedom and culture in Tibet, which has been ruled with an iron rod by the Chinese since 1950. China rejects such criticism, saying its rule ended serfdom and brought development to a backward area.
Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, talks to TODAY's Ann Curry about his conversation with President Obama and his thoughts about the spirit of American resilience.
The self-immolations came two days after a nun in a nearby region staged a protest alone to challenge Beijing’s rule, according ti Radio Free Asia. The nun was detained and taken away.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
So how is setting yourself on fire suppose to work as a protest? How would you know?
You're right that is just plain stupid the Chinese government is probably hoping a few more will protest the same way. I wonder if the matches were made in China.
They will be forgotten along with the rest. I wish they knew how to protest in a way that they lived to see the results.
These guys take the "better dead than red" to a whole nother level.
Self-immolation is a personal expression that has little to do with others and little to do with furthering a cause. It means "I'm done" --and it's expressed in an unbelievably intense demise.
Suicide has been a traditional form of protest in Asia for many centuries. It has much more meaning politically there than the same act would here. Particularly in the Buddhist cosmology, suicide is not a sin; though the act is frightening, one will be reborn again in a higher plain because one is accepting great pain and sacrificing oneself for the greater good.
It is hard not to, but we should try to not judge people from other countries through our own cultural and historical lenses.
we need to fly a few Occupy Wallstreet experts over there and show them how to do it right.
actually scratch that.
Why set yourself on fire? My God can answer your prayers, His name is Jesus Christ.
Too many false religion in this today. Want change? Come to Jesus Christ.
II Cor. 5;17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all thing are become new."
Seriously folks. I'm just trying to help you out, sounds like you are all in need of answers and help.
Tibet. China's Vietnam. Here's hoping. Self immolation brought attention to the American public what was going on in Vietnam. How soon we forget or in some instances never learned.
@proud
What are a veteran of? The War on Granada?
jerry-1795679,
I love it when trolls like you quote the bible. It's so easy to hang you with your own book.
If you espouse the bible, then do you believe in these little gems too? If you don't, then you're cherry picking and that makes you a Cafeteria Christian.
EX 21:20-21 A slave owner is to be punished if he strikes his slave and the slave dies shortly thereafter. If the slave lives a day or to and then dies, the slave owner is not to be punished. A slave is the same as money to his owner.
EX 21:7-11 A father can sell a daughter into slavery to pay a debt. A daughter sold into slavery is not released at the end of six years as is an ordinary male slave.
There is something seriously wrong with a book that allows the sale of ones own daughter into slavery over a debt and how to properly beat a slave.
One person setting themselves on-fire triggered the 'Arab Spring'...
The Monk setting himself on fire was one of the triggers that motivated the US population against the Vietnam Conflict...
The Chinese should remember their own history.
Genghis Khan was motivated by the Muslim invasion and suppression of the Buddhist and other religions. He formed the largest single empire the World has even seen, as he pushed the Muslims back to Iraq & Iran. Along the way he conquer almost ALL of China, but only occupied & continued to let Tibet exist. The Mongol's adopted Buddhism as their official religion, acceptting the Tibetan Monks as religions advisers...
obviuosly theyre sick and tired of china oppressing them.but your right about one thing ,how is this supposed to do any real good.your a veteren like my dad who fought with the 101st airborne division,and he took his own life because of a vietnam flashback.so when i see this ,I dont just think ignorent thoughts or just call them crazy,or stupid for burning themselves alive, no i wonder what really drove these humans to choose to take their lives in the most painfull way possible.
and of course the chinese are going to blame the Dalai Lama for "inciting them", the chinese hate the Dalai Lama ,for @!$%#s sake they tried to assassinate him.obviously the chinese leaders are no good crooks.the Dalai Lama is the most peacefull man on this earth.
It would work in a sense as they are acting as martyrs.. Others see your protest through your death.. I don't believe in that, but I am assuming they weren't doing it for theirselves.
Then I hope they find the serenity and peace they were seeking.
I find it very concerning. There is a significant difference between self immolation and walking through fire. Walking through fire is something that happens when you cross the red sea, and by the way you see Buddha. What is so concerning is that they are giving their lives rather than actually walking through that fire and eliminating the possibility for the one thing they exist to represent.
Since the Communists took over China im 1949 they have set out on a policy of cultural genocide and wide spread murder against the Tibetan culture and their soverign state.The Chinese must be considered international criminals against the peace and agianst humanity.Suicide is common in Asian countries to highlight a political cause.We in the west might not always understand it,but these people chose it.Long live a free Tibet and the preservation of Tibetan Buddhism which has treasures and riches for all of humanity!
@martin fart
Since israel occupied Gaza the zionist have set out on a policy of cultural genocide and wide spread murder against the Palestinian culture and their soverign state.The zionists must be considered international criminals against the peace and agianst humanity.Fighting occupationwith makeshift weapon is common in the middle east to highlight a political cause.We in the west might not always understand it,but these people chose it.Long live a free Palestine and the preservation of Palestinian life which has treasures and riches for all of humanity!
Henrich,
The difference is that the "cultural genocide" on Palestinians only happens in your imagination.
Although, I'd love to hear about all the treasure and riches of Palestinian culture, so far the only treasures Palestinians have been presenting for humanity is creative terrorism.
There is no difference between Tibet and Palestine except to a Zionist or those who benefit from the stolen land.
Eli100
Perhaps genocide is more appropriate than cultural genocdie. I should have adjusted the wording rather than simply recap martin fart's posting word by word except replace China with israel and Tibet with Palestine.
OK Henrich, I can rephrase mine too:
Any genocide against Palestinians only happens in your imagination.
Unlike Palestinians, Tibetans really have been oppressed, and yet they do not blow themselves up in crowded buses or restaurants, nor do they shoot rockets Chinese cities.
They have the decency to limit themselves to peaceful protests, or at least protests that harm no one but themselves.
eli
the way your raging about defending the zionist regime oppressing the Palestinians, you are moving a step closer to join the league of the current "gang of four" of zionist apologists.
I can also say it is your imagation that Tibetans are opppressed.
China has already moved in more Han Chinese into Tibet than there are Tibetans living there. It's kind of like Texas in the 1830's having a majority of Americans rather than Mexicans: if you gave Tibet independence it would probably soon ask for annexation to China like Texas did with the USA in the 1840's.
Buddhism is crap and those burned bodies are proof.
Buddhism is no more crap than any other religion. At least their beliefs aren't making them set OTHER people on fire like Christianity and Islam have taught people to do.
Yes, better to do yourself in than take your frustrations out on other people.
The Dalai Lama, on entering a pizza palor inquired, "Can you make me one with everything?"
Huh?
The Dalai Lama went to a dentist to get a tooth filled. When asked if he wanted novocaine he replied, "I will transcend dental medication."
actually the joke is: what did the Buddhist master say to the hotdog vendor?
Can you make me one with everything....
what did the hotdog vendor say to the Buddhist master when he ask for his change back from the 20$?
Ah change must come from within.....
I think you get everything wrong Puppet Master. According to the history books, of course they may be wrong, Chinese started to fight the Japanese as early as 1930. That is almost 12 years before the US jointed the war. And 2/3 of the Japanese force were held up by the mainland battlefield. The scale of fighting in the Pacific islands were actually small when compared with those battles inside China mainland which usually last for several months and in Corps level. And the help from US mostly directed to Europe not Asia. In fact it is more accurate to say that Chinese helped us out rather than we help them out during WW2. Other mistakes you made are for the passed 50 years China took no land from other countries. Taiwan is part of China right from the beginning of their history. Tibet was once a British colony and later became part of China during the Ching period that has nothing to do with China today. Japan, there is an island we still do not know belong to who and is now under Japan control. East Timor have problem with Indonesia not China. People have the right to express themself that I agree with but those you want to express must base on fact not imagination.
Well said old man.
Welcome to the Chinese bloggers here, and welcome to free speech. Please leave it the way you found it.
Another inspiration from dalai, another self-immolation!
The cycle goes.
Are we Americans the only Society in the World that has footprints all over their backs? The United States is becoming the largest 'POULTRY FARM' on the face of this Earth.
Do something! Take back your government.
Huh? Poultry Farm? Does that mean you feel we are cowards? If so, what does that have to do with Tibet?
i am not at all sure that it is possible, here in the West to see the picture of Tibet(and Buddhism) clearly. To understand the actions of these protestors one must have an understanding of the Buddhist perception of "self". Buddhists are taught to see the "self" as the trap that keeps us trapped in Samsara, what we think of as the "self" is a delusion of our perception, and when we think me,my,I(first) we are self grasping, an action that deepens the delusion. If instead we disbelieve the "self" and think of others first(the happiness of all others out weighs our own happiness) then we begin to see through the delusion to the ultimate truth of no self. Setting ourselves on the path to Enlightenment.
So it is possible that these protestors are considering the happiness(and safety) of all other Tibetans before their own health. And taking their own lives is a method to try to non violently change the state of other Tibetan's lives. The non violence is a critical part of this picture, because to take the lives of those that oppress them is strictly against Buddhist teaching. No other action one takes in this life can be as negative as taking the life of another. To understand this one might consider the futility of buying a hand gun to "protect" oneself in the eyes of Buddhist teaching. You would kill someone to protect yourself and in so doing gain massive negative Karma which will then "ripen" in negative results in future lives.
The Tibet problem is very complex because many Buddhist masters have said that it is the collective Karma of Tibet to suffer through this invasion and occupation, this is a negative seed on the collective Karma of Tibet that has ripened into the resulting negative condition. If one follows that logic then it is the Buddhist practice of the collective practitioners of Tibet that can change this condition. China is also gaining massive negative collective Karma by their treatment of Tibetans!
Here in the West we must demand good treatment and really autonomy for Tibetans, as HH expresses, and for the good of Buddhist Tibetans this must come through non violence, but from inside Tibet we must hope for the spiritual practice of each Buddhist to bring about a change of condition. Because that is the only way change can come about, the practice of each Buddhist changing the world from within, as changing the world from outside is delusion... it is a sublime spirituality that more in the West should embrace, peace world wide would not be a problem if all were Buddhists :)
Actually, if you've ever walked through that fire and seen Buddha, you have to maintain a very firm grasp of self or you're not going to make it across. The relevance of an acknowledgement of other than self is the knowledge that when you make that journey you do not make it alone and that you have a pair, or twin. Not acknowledging that you have a twin can be detrimental to their being whether you are a man or a woman. Buddha oversees the success of said journey. He likes butterflies.
I can say this because I've made this journey.
Suicide has been a traditional form of protest in Asia for many centuries. It has much more meaning politically there than the same act would here. Particularly in the Buddhist cosmology, suicide is not a sin; though the act is frightening, one will be reborn again in a higher plain because one is accepting great pain and sacrificing oneself for the greater good.
It is hard not to, but we should try to not judge people from other countries through our own cultural and historical lenses.
Errr........ok.
lol .... isn't someone from the 1st Sig Bde supposed to get the message?
It's sad that these young men are committing suicide, but they're making a peaceful statement. This shows the peaceful nature of Buddhism instead of the violent suicide bombings of Islam that kill as many people as possible.
I think these self immolation would be more affective if the Dalai Lama performed it. But he is not that stupid. That's what his followers are for.
Why not train as commandos and go kill as many Chinese as they can?
They are already suicidal so at least kill your enemy.
Can't we teach republicans this trick when protesting against that kenyan,muslim communist,terrorist,antichrist like son of lucifer on earth himself Ob
When Dalai Lama was interviewed here in USA, he said that independence is not necessary for Tibet, as long as China becomes a democratic country.
He said people of Tibet should stop fighting fro independence and concentrate on sharing the idea on democracy with the people of China.
We can only hope Dalai's followers will get his message eventually.
China remains so fearful of these protestors that it calls them Terrorists and Criminals. How can these daring people possibly be such? China refuses to admit it holds Tibet illegally and only wants to have Tibet become a Han Chinese province. China is unbending to public opinion and only thinks it can build status in the world by acting the bully and taking whatever it wants. China has no idea how to treat its people and certainly does not know how to treat Tibet and other minorities under the fist of China.
Is there a Comet Coming?
China will free Tibet right after they finish removingthe country's natural resources...
Almost 1/3 of China's coal reserves are in Tibet...
Then there are the 'Rare Earth' deposits, copper, hydro-resources, etc, etc...
The World should be preparing itself for WWIII. The resource grab by China in the China Sea, is just the beginning...
Russia is already craving-up the Arctic...
This is another fallacy of the farang living in Thailand.
China's coal reserves are mostly in Shanxi province. Tibet only has very small reserve of poor quality coal which accounts to why there is no major coal mining in the region. In addition to mining coal domestically, China imports the bulk of her coal consumption from Australia and Brazil. Lately China is turning to Mongolia and Pakistan for coal importation.
WWIII may only occur when israel pre-emptive strikes Iran, and with Iran's retaliation which devasted most of israel, israel resorts to use nuclear weapons draw in Russia, USA and China.