Phayul: In confirmed reports coming out of Tibet, a
Tibetan student set himself on fire today in Sertha region of eastern
Tibet in an apparent protest against China’s rule. The young Tibetan man has been identified as Wangyal, a student of Sertha People’s Middle School. Speaking
to Phayul, Sertha Tsultrim Wozer, a Tibetan living in south India said
Wangyal set himself on fire in the middle of Sertha town earlier today
and raised slogans for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. “Martyr
Wangyal set himself ablaze on one of the main roads leading to the town
centre at around 11:20 am (local time),” Wozer said. “Eyewitnesses say
his hands were clasped in prayers as he ran raising slogans for the
return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and freedom for the Tibetan
people.” Wangyal ran to the golden horse statue in the middle of Sertha town and fell on the ground. “Chinese
armed forces immediately arrived at the scene of the protest and took
Wangyal away after dousing the flames,” the same source added. Wangyal’s
condition and whereabouts are not yet known although eyewitnesses say
his entire body was engulfed in flames and he could have suffered major
injuries. Wangyal is around 20 years of age and an orphan. He has three brothers and one sister. The
deepening crisis inside Tibet has witnessed large scale anti-China
protests and a series of self-immolations that has now seen 82 Tibetans
set themselves on fire, since 2009, demanding freedom and the return of
the Dalai Lama from exile. November alone has reported 20
self-immolations and protests by thousands of Tibetans, including by
school students in the Rebkong region of eastern Tibet. The
Dharamshala based exile Tibetan administration has said that it will
observe a Global Solidarity Day on the occasion of the Human Rights Day
on December 10 following the continuing wave of self-immolations. The
Central Tibetan Administration noted that the escalation in
self-immolations “clearly reflect the gravity of Tibet’s current
situation,” while urging Tibetans and supporters to “light a candle or
lamp, observe a minute’s silence, and a say a prayer for all those who
have died for the cause of Tibet, and locally organise vigils and
rallies.” “Despite our repeated appeals not to take drastic
actions, self-immolations continue in Tibet,” Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay,
the elected head of the Tibetan people said. “Therefore, I appeal to
the international community and governments to stand for justice by
answering the universal aspirations of Tibetans in Tibet: the return of
His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and freedom for Tibetans.”
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