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Monk self-immolates on Uprising Day |
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[13 March 2012] A teenage monk died after setting fire to himself in Ngaba, eastern Tibet on 10 March, the anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan National Uprising. Gyepe, an 18 year-old monk from Kirti Monastery, self-immolated next to a Chinese military office and died at the scene.
 Immediately following the incident, which took place at about 5pm local time, Chinese soldiers took possession of the body. Despite repeated requests from Gyepe's family they refused to hand over the body. Instead of traditional rituals officials only allowed a cremation service, which was attended by five monks and was strictly guarded by Chinese soldiers. One report indicated the family was not allowed to attend.
Gyepe is the 26th Tibetan to have self-immolated in the past 12 months and the 14th in 2012. Twenty of the 26 Tibetans to have set fire to themselves are known to have died. The other six are either in hospital or their condition reamins unknown. All have undertaken the act in protest against China's ongoing brutal oppression of the Tibetan people.
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