Name: Konchok Kyab

Age: 23

Sex: Male

Profession: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 22 January 2013, 12 noon

Location: Bora, Sangchu County, Kanlho, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Slogans: Not Known

Father of a new-born ten-month old infant, Konchok Kyab (also known as Konba) set fire to himself around noon on 22 January near the local Bora Monastery. Konchok passed away during his fiery protest following which Chinese security personnel whisked his body away to an undisclosed location. According to reports from sources, a huge number of local Tibetans from the adjoining regions gathered at around 7 pm and marched to the local Chinese government office to pressure the authorities to return his body funeral rites could be carried out. However, the authorities responded with a strict warning prohibiting anyone from visiting Konchok’s home. Nevertheless the crowd insisted that if the authorities took such a hard-line stance, they would sit in front of the government office with their ritual instruments and perform the cremation rights right there and then. In the meantime a large contingent of armed forces were deployed in the Sangchu and Bora region. Konchok, who was from Gyara village in Bogtsa district of Bora Township, is survived by his wife, Kharmo Thar, and their newborn son.

Name: Konchok Kyab

Age: 23

Sex: Male

Profession: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 22 January 2013, 12 noon

Location: Bora, Sangchu County, Kanlho, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Slogans: Not Known

Father of a new-born ten-month old infant, Konchok Kyab (also known as Konba) set fire to himself around noon on 22 January near the local Bora Monastery. Konchok passed away during his fiery protest following which Chinese security personnel whisked his body away to an undisclosed location. According to reports from sources, a huge number of local Tibetans from the adjoining regions gathered at around 7 pm and marched to the local Chinese government office to pressure the authorities to return his body funeral rites could be carried out. However, the authorities responded with a strict warning prohibiting anyone from visiting Konchok’s home. Nevertheless the crowd insisted that if the authorities took such a hard-line stance, they would sit in front of the government office with their ritual instruments and perform the cremation rights right there and then. In the meantime a large contingent of armed forces were deployed in the Sangchu and Bora region. Konchok, who was from Gyara village in Bogtsa district of Bora Township, is survived by his wife, Kharmo Thar, and their newborn son.

Name: Tsering Phuntsok

Age: 20’s

Sex: Male

Status: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 18 January 2013, 3:15 pm

Location: Drachen village, Marthong County, Ngaba, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Slogans: Not reported

Tsering Phuntsok, set himself on fire in front of the local Chinese Police Station in Drachen Village, Marthong County, Ngaba. He passed away at the scene of his protest. Chinese security personnel then bundled his body into a vehicle and drove it to Barkham. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Name: Tsering Phuntsok

Age: 20’s

Sex: Male

Status: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 18 January 2013, 3:15 pm

Location: Drachen village, Marthong County, Ngaba, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Slogans: Not reported

Tsering Phuntsok, set himself on fire in front of the local Chinese Police Station in Drachen Village, Marthong County, Ngaba. He passed away at the scene of his protest. Chinese security personnel then bundled his body into a vehicle and drove it to Barkham. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Name: Tsering Tashi

Age: 22

Sex: Male

Status: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 12 January 2013, 8 pm (local time)

Location: Sangchu County, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Tsering Tashi dressed himself in full traditional Tibetan attire and wound his body with wire before setting himself on fire. Eyewitnesses state that Tashi shouted “Gyalwang Tenzin Gyatso” as he marched on the street engulfed in flames before he fell, succumbing to his injuries. Chinese security personnel arrived at the scene but the Tibetans managed to rescue Tashi’s body after a minor scuffle and delivered it to his home in Kyi Village. However, soon afterwards local Chinese police and Public Security Bureau officials arrived in several vehicles, enclosing the area and barring the monks of Amchok Monastery and local Tibetans from offering prayers. They ordered family members of the deceased to immediately cremate the body. Tashi’s mother, Tsering Dolma, reportedly fainted and had to be rushed to hospital when she heard the orders from the Chinese authorities. Despite the official intervention, monks and Tibetans from nearby gathered to offer prayers and pay their last respects. The officials then reportedly sent a local lama to persuade the family to comply with the orders. Tashi’s family members remained firm and refused to obey the orders for an immediate cremation without performing the necessary prayers and rituals. However, when the family members foresaw an imminent threat to the security and livelihoods of the villagers, they surrendered to the officials’ demands. The head of the local Public Security Bureau office had reportedly charged Tashi’s family members with having “close ties with the splittist Dalai group” and in fury banged his fist on a table. Tsering Tashi was cremated late on the night of 13 January when most people of the village were safely asleep. The Chinese authorities allowed only a few individuals to attend the cremation. Tsering Tashi is survived by his parents, his wife Yumtso Kyi, and two sisters. He was described by Tibetans who knew him as “good-natured and polite” with a keen passion for horses and horse-racing.

Name: Tsering Tashi

Age: 22

Sex: Male

Status: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 12 January 2013, 8 pm (local time)

Location: Sangchu County, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Tsering Tashi dressed himself in full traditional Tibetan attire and wound his body with wire before setting himself on fire. Eyewitnesses state that Tashi shouted “Gyalwang Tenzin Gyatso” as he marched on the street engulfed in flames before he fell, succumbing to his injuries. Chinese security personnel arrived at the scene but the Tibetans managed to rescue Tashi’s body after a minor scuffle and delivered it to his home in Kyi Village. However, soon afterwards local Chinese police and Public Security Bureau officials arrived in several vehicles, enclosing the area and barring the monks of Amchok Monastery and local Tibetans from offering prayers. They ordered family members of the deceased to immediately cremate the body. Tashi’s mother, Tsering Dolma, reportedly fainted and had to be rushed to hospital when she heard the orders from the Chinese authorities. Despite the official intervention, monks and Tibetans from nearby gathered to offer prayers and pay their last respects. The officials then reportedly sent a local lama to persuade the family to comply with the orders. Tashi’s family members remained firm and refused to obey the orders for an immediate cremation without performing the necessary prayers and rituals. However, when the family members foresaw an imminent threat to the security and livelihoods of the villagers, they surrendered to the officials’ demands. The head of the local Public Security Bureau office had reportedly charged Tashi’s family members with having “close ties with the splittist Dalai group” and in fury banged his fist on a table. Tsering Tashi was cremated late on the night of 13 January when most people of the village were safely asleep. The Chinese authorities allowed only a few individuals to attend the cremation. Tsering Tashi is survived by his parents, his wife Yumtso Kyi, and two sisters. He was described by Tibetans who knew him as “good-natured and polite” with a keen passion for horses and horse-racing.

Her Slogans: “Long Life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama”, “Independence for Tibet and “May Tibetan people prevail for tens of thousands of years”

Name: Bhenchen Kyi

Age: 17

Sex: Female

Profession: Schoolgirl

Date of Self-immolation: 9 December 2012, 8 pm (local time)

Location: Dokarmo Region of Tsekhog, Rebkong County, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Her Slogans: “Long Live Gyalwang Tenzin Gyatso”

On the eve of International Human Rights Day, a teenage schoolgirl, Bhenchen Kyi, set herself on fire calling for an end to China’s ongoing occupation of Tibet and a long life for Tibet’s spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Bhenchen Kyi passed away at the site of her protest. Subsequent to her self-immolation, local Tibetans managed to prevent her body from falling into the hands of the Chinese authorities. According to an informant in exile, “Around two thousand Tibetans gathered at the site of her protest and raised slogans calling for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s long life and reciting his long life prayers. The crowd was emotionally charged and many of them were crying,” the source added. Bhenchen Kyi was cremated around 12:15 next morning in the presence of her family members. Tibetan people from nearby started to rush to her cremation ceremony after hearing the news of her self-sacrifice. Approximately three thousand people were reportedly present at the funeral to pay their last respects. Prior to her action, Bhenchen Kyi had vowed she would self-immolate for the cause of Tibet and had further stated that she would carry out her action in a nomadic area populated by Tibetans, and not in a town centre, so that her parents could have access to her dead body. “I don’t want the Chinese authorities to take away my body,” Bhenchen Kyi had reportedly said. She is survived by her parents, Sonam Tsering and Sermo, and two siblings.

His slogans: “Long Life and Return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Kyabje Kirti Rinpoche”

Name: Kunchok Phelgye

Age: 24

Sex: Male

Profession: Monk

Date of Self-immolation: 8 December 2012 5:20 pm (local time)

Location: Outside the main prayer hall of Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery, Amdo, Northeastern Tibet

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Kunchok Phelgye, a 24-year-old monk from Sumdo Monastery in Dzoege region of Eastern Tibet, passed away following his self-immolation protest. Kunchok carried out his action in front of the main assembly hall of the Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery at around 5:20 pm (local time). Enveloped in flames, and with his hands joined in prayer, he raised slogans for the long life and return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Kyabje Kirti Rinpoche, the exiled head of Ngaba’s Kirti Monastery. He also raised slogans calling for the “return and reunification of Tibetans.” Monks of the monastery surrounded Kunchok Phelgye’s burning body and began to recite prayers, “Losang Gyalwa Kungi Nyingje Ter…” (a prayer usually recited in Kirti Rinpoche’s honour). Monks later carried Kunchok Phelgye’s body to his quarters in the monastery where hundreds of monks and local Tibetans continued to visit to offer their last respects and prayers. Local Chinese personnel placed Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery and the surrounding villages under a security blockade. Kunchok Phelgye had nine family members. His parents are Kunchok Kyab and Dolma Tso. Originally from Sumdo Monastery, Kunchok Phelgye joined Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery in 2010.

His Slogans: “Return His Holiness the Dalai Lama”, “Tibet’s Independence”, “Unity of Tibetans” and the “Land of Tibet to be Ruled by Tibetans”.

Name: Pema Dorjee

Age: 23

Sex: Male

Profession: Farmer

Date of Self-immolation: 8 December 2012 4:30 pm (local time)

Location: Near the main prayer hall of Shitsang Monastery in Luchu, Eastern Tibet

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Marking the death anniversary of the founder of the school of Tibetan Buddhism Gelugpa, Je Tsongkhapa, Pema Dorjee set himself on fire in front of the main assembly hall of Shitsang Monastery in Luchu. The anniversary, Gaden Ngamchoe, is commemorated by offering butter lamps in monasteries, temples, stupas and in private homes. A large number of Tibetans who were at the monastery to celebrate the festival, therefore witnessed the self-immolation protest by Pema Dorjee. He raised slogans calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Independence of Tibet, Unity of Tibetans and the land of Tibet to be ruled by Tibetans. The assembly witnessed Pema succumbing to his injuries at the protest site. Heavy restrictions have been placed around the monastery. Pema Dorjee is a native of Chokhor village in Shitsang region of Luchu. His village is located at around a distance of 30 kms from Shitsang Monastery.

His Slogans: “Return His Holiness the Dalai Lama”, “Tibet’s Independence”, “Unity of Tibetans” and the “Land of Tibet to be Ruled by Tibetans”.

Name: Pema Dorjee

Age: 23

Sex: Male

Profession: Farmer

Date of Self-immolation: 8 December 2012 4:30 pm (local time)

Location: Near the main prayer hall of Shitsang Monastery in Luchu, Eastern Tibet

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Marking the death anniversary of the founder of the school of Tibetan Buddhism Gelugpa, Je Tsongkhapa, Pema Dorjee set himself on fire in front of the main assembly hall of Shitsang Monastery in Luchu. The anniversary, Gaden Ngamchoe, is commemorated by offering butter lamps in monasteries, temples, stupas and in private homes. A large number of Tibetans who were at the monastery to celebrate the festival, therefore witnessed the self-immolation protest by Pema Dorjee. He raised slogans calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Independence of Tibet, Unity of Tibetans and the land of Tibet to be ruled by Tibetans. The assembly witnessed Pema succumbing to his injuries at the protest site. Heavy restrictions have been placed around the monastery. Pema Dorjee is a native of Chokhor village in Shitsang region of Luchu. His village is located at around a distance of 30 kms from Shitsang Monastery.