SELF-IMMOLATIONS

Living under immense repression, more than 150 Tibetans have self-immolated since 2009.

You might have seen the famous photo of a Vietnamese monk lighting himself on fire to protest oppression. In Tibet, scenes like that have become all too common since 2009.

Self-immolation is a profound cry for help by those who feel they have no other way to tell the world about their suffering. The wave of self-immolations in Tibet began after the Chinese government cracked down on human rights following mostly peaceful widespread protests by Tibetans in 2008.

military at labrang

Tibetans are driven to self-immolate because China denies their most basic freedoms. Tibetans can’t freely study and practice their religion, take part in cultural activities or simply assert their Tibetan identity.

self-immolation

The self-immolators include Tibetans monks, nuns and laypeople who chose to harm themselves rather than harm their oppressors. The vast majority of them are known to have died following their protests. No foreign journalist has ever been allowed to independently investigate cases of self-immolations because China blocks outside access to Tibet.

vigil

The Chinese government has responded to the outbreak of self-immolations by punishing friends and families of the self-immolators. They’ve implemented collective punishment by making it a crime to help someone light himself or herself on fire or even to witness someone self-immolating.

But the only way to prevent these tragic acts is for China to address Tibetan grievances and put a stop to its brutal oppression of the Tibetan people. That’s where you can make a difference.

Living under immense repression, more than 150 Tibetans have self-immolated since 2009.

You might have seen the famous photo of a Vietnamese monk lighting himself on fire to protest oppression. In Tibet, scenes like that have become all too common since 2009.

Self-immolation is a profound cry for help by those who feel they have no other way to tell the world about their suffering. The wave of self-immolations in Tibet began after the Chinese government cracked down on human rights following mostly peaceful widespread protests by Tibetans in 2008.

Tibetans are driven to self-immolate because China denies their most basic freedoms. Tibetans can’t freely study and practice their religion, take part in cultural activities or simply assert their Tibetan identity.

The self-immolators include Tibetans monks, nuns and laypeople who chose to harm themselves rather than harm their oppressors. The vast majority of them are known to have died following their protests. No foreign journalist has ever been allowed to independently investigate cases of self-immolations because China blocks outside access to Tibet.

The Chinese government has responded to the outbreak of self-immolations by punishing friends and families of the self-immolators. They’ve implemented collective punishment by making it a crime to help someone light himself or herself on fire or even to witness someone self-immolating.

But the only way to prevent these tragic acts is for China to address Tibetan grievances and put a stop to its brutal oppression of the Tibetan people. That’s where you can make a difference.

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Why Tibet
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TIBETAN POLICY   |   ENVIRONMENT   |   HUMAN RIGHTS   |   RACISM   |   RECIPROCITY   |   RELIGIOUS FREEDOM   |   GLOBAL SECURITY   |   REFUGEES   |   POLITICAL PRISONERS   |   SELF-IMMOLATIONS

TIBETAN POLICY   |   ENVIRONMENT   |   HUMAN RIGHTS   |   RACISM

RECIPROCITY   |   RELIGIOUS FREEDOM   |   GLOBAL SECURITY

REFUGEES   |   POLITICAL PRISONERS   |   SELF-IMMOLATIONS

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