Tsewang Norbu from Kham Tawu, Tibet, set himself ablaze calling for Freedom;
Tibetan NGOs in Dharamsala hold candle light vigil
Dharamsala – At 12.30 in the afternoon of 15th August, 2011, 29 year old Tsewang Norbu, a monk from Nyitso monastery in Kham Tawu, Eastern Tibet, protested in the town’s market calling for ‘Freedom in Tibet’ & the ‘return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’; several leaflets with similar messages were also scattered in the air. After 10 minutes of protest, he set himself on fire, which led to his immediate death on the spot.
Latest information according to telephone messages received in Dharamsala says that immediately after the incident, restrictions of movement have been placed by the Chinese police in and around the monastery. Armed guards can be seen everywhere on the street, on the road and in Tibetan neighborhood.
Telephone reports from Tibet say that after carrying the body of the deceased monk back into the monastery and while preparing for the last rites and puja, Chinese govt. deployed thousands of troops around the monastery who also tried to take away the body forcibly from the monks. Tension due to this confrontation still grips the town as we write this.
This incident occurred after tens of thousands of Tibetan people and monks from Nyitso & Tsoen Monastery in Kham Tawu were stopped from celebrating His Holiness’ birthday day this year on 6thJuly, 2011 after which all the possible water and electric supply to the monastery were curbed by the Chinese Govt.
This is the second such incident following the death of Thinley from Beri Serkha, Kham Kardze, Eastern Tibet, who passed away on 10th August, 2011 due to several months of torture in prison for his involvement in protest against the Chinese Govt. in 2009.
In support of this call for freedom, Dharamsala based Tibetan NGOs have come together to highlight this dire situation and offer prayers for the deceased.
Tibetan Women’s Association
Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet
Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Dharamsala
Students for a Free Tibet-India
