Twin Self Immolation

Name: Rinchen

Age: 17

Sex: Male

Status: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 19 February 2013 at around 9:30pm (local time)

Location: Dzoge Township, Ngaba County, Amdo, Northeastern Tibet

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Slogans: Not reported

Name: Sonam Dhargye

Age: 18

Sex: Male

Status: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 19 February 2013 at around 9:30pm (local time)

Location: Dzoge Township, Ngaba County, Amdo, Northeastern Tibet

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Slogans: Not reported

Teenagers Rinchen (17) and Sonam Dhargye (18) set themselves on fire in a dual protest on 19 February in Ngaba County at around 9:30 pm (local time). Both succumbed to the flames. According to sources, the families were able to recover their bodies. Rinchen and Sonam reportedly went to the same primary school in Kyangtsa Township. Rinchen had however attended another school in Wenchuan for a few years and moved to Qinghai, where he worked. At the time of his protest, Rinchen was on his Losar (Tibetan New Year) Holiday visiting his family in Kyangtsa. According to the same sources, the families were able to recover both their bodies; it is not clear if they were allowed to carry out the traditional prayers and rituals without interference by the Chinese officials. Rinchen’s parents were Dhondup Tsering and the late Aadon. Sonam Dhargye’s parents are Tsering Dhondup and Takho.

Name: Namlha Tsering

Age: 49

Sex: Male

Status: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 17 February 2013, 5:40 pm (local time)

Location: Labrang, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Slogans: Not reported

On 17 February 2013, 49-year-old Namlha Tsering — also known as Hoba — set himself on fire in the main street of Labrang, Gansu (the Tibetan area of Amdo). Images received from Tibet depict a man sitting cross-legged in the middle of the street as towering flames rage while vehicles cars pass by. Chinese police and paramilitary personnel immediately arrived at the scene, doused the flames and bundled his charred body away.

A resident of Gengya Township, sources cite that Namlha Tsering — although alive at the time of his removal — was “severely burned”. Security forces stated that he had died. Later photos show Chinese security personnel surrounding the area where his body had lain, ashes clearly visible on the ground. 

Name: Namlha Tsering

Age: 49

Sex: Male

Status: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 17 February 2013, 5:40 pm (local time)

Location: Labrang, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Slogans: Not reported

On 17 February 2013, 49-year-old Namlha Tsering — also known as Hoba — set himself on fire in the main street of Labrang, Gansu (the Tibetan area of Amdo). Images received from Tibet depict a man sitting cross-legged in the middle of the street as towering flames rage while vehicles cars pass by. Chinese police and paramilitary personnel immediately arrived at the scene, doused the flames and bundled his charred body away.

A resident of Gengya Township, sources cite that Namlha Tsering — although alive at the time of his removal — was “severely burned”. Security forces stated that he had died. Later photos show Chinese security personnel surrounding the area where his body had lain, ashes clearly visible on the ground. 

Name: Drugpa Khar

Age: 26

Sex: Male

Profession: Layperson

Date of Self-immolation: 13 February 2013, 1 pm Location: Amchok town in Sangchu County in Kanlho, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

Slogans: Not reported

On 13 February 2013, falling on the third day of Tibetan New Year and the centenary of the Declaration of Tibet’s Independence by HH the 13th Dalai Lama in 1913, Drugpa Khar doused himself in gasoline and set himself on fire in Amchok Township in Sangchu County in Kanlho. He passed away from his action. Drugpa Khar was the father of three aged between one and six years old. He was born at Lushu Kyi village in Tsoe, Kanlho.

His Slogans: Long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Name: Lobsang Namgyal

Age: 37

Sex: Male

Profession: Monk of Kirti Monastery

Date of Self-immolation: 3 February 2013 6 am (local time)

Location: Outside the County Public Security Bureau headquarters in Ngaba, Amdo

Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased

According to the exile-based Kirti Monastery in Dharamshala, India Lobsang Namgyal set himself ablaze near the local police building in Dzoge at around 6 am. Engulfed in flames, Lobsang shouted slogans for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama as he ran towards the PSB headquarters. He passed away at the scene of his protest. Chinese security personnel removed his body from the protest site and carried out his cremation without informing his family members, only handing back his ashes. Lobsang Namgyal’s identity was confirmed after Chinese police found his ID card and a letter inside a bag near the protest site. The contents of the letter are unknown. In September 2012, Lobsang Namgyal had gone missing for two weeks. A search by his family and friends later revealed that Chinese security personnel had detained him for no reasons. Upon release, due to constant harassment by local officials, he was compelled to live with his relatives. Before carrying out his self-immolation protest, Lobsang Namgyal reportedly visited Kirti Monastery to offer prayers. Following his self-immolation, Lobsang’s relatives have also been subjected to scrutiny and surveillance. His younger brother, monk Lobsang Sangay, was also detained for a few days following the protest. Lobsang Namgyal is survived by his father, Karkho, and mother, Kar Kyi, and eight brothers and sisters. Lobsang Namgyal was known as an exceptional student at Kirti Monastery who had been tipped to study for the highest qualification in Tibetan Buddhism, a Geshe (doctorate) degree. “He was regarded as a model for a new generation of students at Kirti,” added monastery sources.

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.