Name: Lobsang Phuntsok
His slogans: “Long Live His Holiness the Dalai Lama” and “Allow His Holiness to Return to Tibet”
Age: 20
Sex: Male
Profession: Monk at Kirti Monastery
Date of Self-Immolation: 16 March 2011, at around 4 pm (local time)
Location: Ngaba County Town, Amdo, Eastern Tibet
Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased 17 March 2011, 3 am, at his monastery
Lobsang Phuntsok set himself ablaze on 16 March 2011 at around 4pm. It is widely believed that this action was to commemorate the March 2008 uprisings, which swept across Tibet, protesting against China’s illegal and detested occupation since 1950. At the same time as extinguishing the flames, the armed police assaulted Lobsang. Lay Tibetans intervened and rushed him to Kirti Monastery. When the rescuers tried to transfer him to hospital, Phuntsok was still alive. But the hospital refused to admit and treat him without prior government permission. Phuntsok passed away at Kirti Monastery the next day in the early hours.