Name: Tsegyal

Age: 27

Sex: Male

Profession: Farmer

Date of Self-immolation: 7 November 2012

Location: Bankar Village, Driru County, Kham, Tibet

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased 18 November

His slogans: Not reported

A father of two, Tsegyal and a mother and three teenagers self-immolated on the eve of the pivotal Chinese Communist Party’s 18th National Congress in Beijing on 7 November 2012 at Bankar village in Driru County, Kham, Eastern Tibet. At the time of his action, save for information that a self-immolation had occurred in Driru County, there was no information about the identity or any further details. According to recent reports, Tsegyal was immediately taken into police custody subsequent to his action and succumbed to his injuries after prolonged neglect and ill-treatment in custody. Sources reported that since his detention, he reportedly received no treatment for his burns and finally died in the evening of 18 November in police custody. Tsegyal is survived by his two children — a six-year-old and an eight-month-old infant.

Name: Dorjee Lhundrup

Age: 25

Sex: Male

Profession: Farmer

Date of Self-immolation: 4 November 2012

Location: Rebkong, Amdo, Northeastern Tibet

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased same day

On the morning of 4 November 2012, Dorjee Lhundrup self-immolated on Taglung Street, Rebkong, a few kilometres west of Rongwo Monastery, a Tibetan area of Amdo. Dorjee was calling for freedom in Tibet and the return of HH the Dalai Lama from exile. He died subsequently. A farmer from Chuma village in Rebkong, Dorjee is survived by his two-year-old daughter and four-year-old son. Thousands of Tibetans gathered to pay their last respects to Dorjee Lhundup later that day. According to a source in exile, “Many people gathered in the place where he set fire to himself, and then a number of monks went there too. They protected his corpse from Chinese police and troops, and brought him to the monastery where monks and laypeople prayed for him. His father spoke, and many people were crying. Dorjee Lhundrup was cremated on the side of a hill behind the monastery. Traditionally only high lamas were cremated there. Sonam Dargye, who selfimmolated in March, was also cremated there.”

Name: Dorjee Lhundrup

Age: 25

Sex: Male

Profession: Farmer

Date of Self-immolation: 4 November 2012

Location: Rebkong, Amdo, Northeastern Tibet

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased same day

On the morning of 4 November 2012, Dorjee Lhundrup self-immolated on Taglung Street, Rebkong, a few kilometres west of Rongwo Monastery, a Tibetan area of Amdo. Dorjee was calling for freedom in Tibet and the return of HH the Dalai Lama from exile. He died subsequently. A farmer from Chuma village in Rebkong, Dorjee is survived by his two-year-old daughter and four-year-old son. Thousands of Tibetans gathered to pay their last respects to Dorjee Lhundup later that day. According to a source in exile, “Many people gathered in the place where he set fire to himself, and then a number of monks went there too. They protected his corpse from Chinese police and troops, and brought him to the monastery where monks and laypeople prayed for him. His father spoke, and many people were crying. Dorjee Lhundrup was cremated on the side of a hill behind the monastery. Traditionally only high lamas were cremated there. Sonam Dargye, who selfimmolated in March, was also cremated there.”

Name: Thubwang Kyab

Age: 23

Sex: Male

Profession: Layperson

Date of self-immolation: 26 October 2012

Location: Serti Village, Sangkhog Town, Sangchu County, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

His slogans: “Freedom in Tibet” and the “Return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama”

Thubwang Kyab self-immolated near the bus stand on the main street of Setri village in a Tibetan region of Amdo. Tsewang died on the spot. Despite attempts by Chinese officials to intervene, local Tibetans covered Tsewang’s dead body with traditional Tibetan scarves (khatag) and took him to his hometown. Gendun Phuntsok, an exile Tibetan monk living in South India, reported that many thousand Tibetans from around the region converged to pay their last respects to Thubwang Kyab. “Tens of thousands of Tibetans attended the cremation of martyr Thubwang Kyab in his native hometown,” Phuntsok said, citing sources inside the region. “Even though Chinese armed forces were present, they failed to reach near the deceased’s body due to the overwhelming presence of Tibetans.” His slogans: “Freedom in Tibet” and the “Return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama”

Name: Thubwang Kyab

Age: 23

Sex: Male

Profession: Layperson

Date of self-immolation: 26 October 2012

Location: Serti Village, Sangkhog Town, Sangchu County, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

His slogans: “Freedom in Tibet” and the “Return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama”

Thubwang Kyab self-immolated near the bus stand on the main street of Setri village in a Tibetan region of Amdo. Tsewang died on the spot. Despite attempts by Chinese officials to intervene, local Tibetans covered Tsewang’s dead body with traditional Tibetan scarves (khatag) and took him to his hometown. Gendun Phuntsok, an exile Tibetan monk living in South India, reported that many thousand Tibetans from around the region converged to pay their last respects to Thubwang Kyab. “Tens of thousands of Tibetans attended the cremation of martyr Thubwang Kyab in his native hometown,” Phuntsok said, citing sources inside the region. “Even though Chinese armed forces were present, they failed to reach near the deceased’s body due to the overwhelming presence of Tibetans.” His slogans: “Freedom in Tibet” and the “Return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama”

His slogan: The return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile

Name: Lhamo Tseten

Age: 24

Sex: Male

Profession: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 26 October 2012

Location: Amchok Township in Sangchu County, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Husband and father of a two-year-old daughter, Lhamo Tseten self-immolated in front of the local military base and township administration buildings in Amchok. He succumbed to his injuries at the protest site. According to Ajam Amchok, a Tibetan now in South India with close contacts in the region, “Lhamo Tseten repeatedly raised the slogan calling for the “return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile.” Ajam cited witnesses who reported that Chinese security and armed forces immediately arrived at the protest site; however, local Tibetans encircled the charred corpse to prevent the Chinese authorities from taking the remains away. His family members were able to cremate his body with Buddhist rituals. “Following the self-immolation, a large number of Chinese armed forces and security police are deployed in the area and the situation in Amchok is described as tense and under strict surveillance,” Ajam reported. Lhamo Tseten is survived by his wife, Tsering Lhamo, his small daughter Nyingmo Kyi, his father Namchuk Tsering and mother Sungdue Kyi.

His slogan: The return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile

Name: Lhamo Tseten

Age: 24

Sex: Male

Profession: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 26 October 2012

Location: Amchok Township in Sangchu County, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Husband and father of a two-year-old daughter, Lhamo Tseten self-immolated in front of the local military base and township administration buildings in Amchok. He succumbed to his injuries at the protest site. According to Ajam Amchok, a Tibetan now in South India with close contacts in the region, “Lhamo Tseten repeatedly raised the slogan calling for the “return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile.” Ajam cited witnesses who reported that Chinese security and armed forces immediately arrived at the protest site; however, local Tibetans encircled the charred corpse to prevent the Chinese authorities from taking the remains away. His family members were able to cremate his body with Buddhist rituals. “Following the self-immolation, a large number of Chinese armed forces and security police are deployed in the area and the situation in Amchok is described as tense and under strict surveillance,” Ajam reported. Lhamo Tseten is survived by his wife, Tsering Lhamo, his small daughter Nyingmo Kyi, his father Namchuk Tsering and mother Sungdue Kyi.

Twin Self Immolation

Name: Tenzin

Age: 25

Sex: Male

Status: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 25 October 2012 4 pm (local time)

Location: Near a government building in Driru County, Nagchu TAR

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Unknown

Their slogans: Unity, Independence for Tibet, the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet

Name: Tsepo

Age: 20

Sex: Male

Status: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 25 October 2012 4 pm (local time)

Location: Near a government building in Driru County, Nagchu TAR

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased same day

Cousins Tenzin and Tsepo set fire to themselves in front of a government building in Narong Phampa village in Driru County calling for independence for Tibet and the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet. While Tsepo died on the way to hospital, Tenzin was removed from the site by government personnel and his current whereabouts or his wellbeing is still unknown. Tenzin had enrolled in TCV Suja School near Dharamshala, India, where he studied for around six months. According to an informant in exile, “brothers also pleaded for all Tibetans to be united like brothers.” It took two days for this report to reach exiles in India due to the intense security and communications clampdown in the area. The Chinese security forces have been deployed in large numbers and all communication channels – internet and telephones – have been blocked. Where lines are still working, Tibetans are too afraid to talk about what is happening because they fear that their conversations are being surveilled by the government.

Name: Dorjee Rinchen

Age: 58

Sex: Male

Profession: Bread vendor

Date of Self-immolation: 23 October 2012 at 3:30 pm (local time)

Location: Near a military camp Gyugya market main street, Labrang, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

His slogans: Not reported

Dorje Rinchen set himself on fire on the main street of Labrang town right in front of the military headquarters and not far from Labrang Tashikyil Monastery. Nearby Tibetans reportedly shielded the burning body from the Chinese authorities, resulting in a standoff. Security personnel tried to prevent the locals from carrying Dorjee Rinchen’s body back to his family; but after a brief confrontation, his corpse was taken to his home in Upper Zayue village, Sangchu County. But later, tensions flared when Beijing’s security forces prevented monks from Labrang Tashikyil Monastery from visiting Dorje Rinchen’s residence in Upper Zayue to pay their last respects. The monks reportedly sat at the roadside in defiance and started their prayers there and then for the man who sold bread to their monastery.

Later on, many Tibetans headed towards Zayue village to pay their respects, despite the fact that a large Chinese security contingent had already been deployed there. Chinese state media reported that, “Dorje Rinchen got up very early this morning and went to pray at Labrang Monastery. He walked around the monastery several times, and walked three times between the monastery and his home,” a source said. “After that, he cleaned his house inside and out and then went to the Chinese police station, where he self-immolated and died.” Dorje Rinchen is survived by his wife, Luthar Tso, a son Tabo, and a daughter.

Name: Dhondup

Age: 60

Sex: Male

Profession: Farmer/petty business

Date of Self-immolation: 22 October 2012 at 9:47 am (local time)

Location: Labrang Tashikyil Monastery, Kanlho, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

His slogans: Not reported

Dhondup set himself on fire beside a temple called Serkhang (the golden house) in the complex of Labrang Tashikyil Monastery — the major monastery in the Tibetan area of Gansu Province. The self-immolation took place on the circumambulation route near the entrance to Labrang Monastery. Eyewitness accounts state that the flames produced a huge blaze and that Dhondup died at the site of his protest. Subsequently armed soldiers put Dhondup’s body in a bag and removed it, according to the report. When monks from Labrang TashiKyil Monastery later attempted to hold a prayer ceremony for Dhondup at the place of his demise, Chinese police sent by the local government, and the monastery’s Management Committee, tried to prevent the prayer service being held. Local Tibetans reportedly offered khatags (traditional Tibetan ceremonial scarves) at the place of his self-immolation protest. Dhondup was born in DhongNhe Do village in Denme Township, Sangchu County. He is survived by his wife, Drolma Tso, and their adopted son, Rigzin Choepel.