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A Free Monthly Publication For Tibetan Issues & Community Information Rgd No. HPENG/2013/51798
Volume: XVI Issue: 3
APRIL 2014
131st Immolation Occurs in Tawu, Kham Province
A Day of Joy and Sadness: Tibetans Celebrate Panchen Lama’s 25th Birthday
Thinley Namgyal, 32, set himself on fire at around 12 noon (local time) in Kardze in the traditional Tibetan province of Kham on April 15. Thinley died Thinley Namgyal in an on the spot. undated photo His body was taken to Gangthel monastery for prayers and later handed over to his family. Thinley lived with his father Dulho and mother Pelha in Khangsar township, Tawu County. He self-immolated in protest against China’s occupation of Tibet. Rikchung, a shop owner in Khangsar town and a relative of Thinley Namgyal, has been arrested in connection with Thinley’s self-immolation. He is accused of taking pictures of the selfimmolation protest and distributing them. Communication lines in the town have been shut down in order to prevent information about this latest selfimmolation from spreading beyond the Kardze region. China has arrested and sentenced several Tibetans for alleged connections with self-immolation protests in Tibet. A candle light vigil took place in Dharamshala to express solidarity with Thinley’s protest and to mourn his death. No further details on the immolation are available at present.
By Peter Newman Sangay, Speaker of Parliament Kenpa April 25 found Tibetans around the world Tsering, and Gaden Tripa Rinpoche celebrating the twenty-fifth birthday of presided over a day of celebration at the the Panchen Lama and protesting Tashi Lunpo Monastery, where he against his disappearance appealed to the Chinese at the hands of Chinese authorities to release authorities. The day Gedun Choekyi Nyima, brought a mingling of his family and other joy and suffering to the prisoners of conscience international Tibetan as a step towards c o m m u n i t y, w h e r e restoring China’s moral birthday festivities were leadership. tempered by grief at the In Dharamshala, continued loss of one of thousands attended a Tibetan Buddhism’s most commemoration of the Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the day hosted by the Central beloved Lamas. G e d h u n C h o e k y i 11th Panchen Lama, before Tibetan Administration Nyima, the 11th Panchen his disappearance in 1995 in the courtyard of Lama and the second Tsuglakhang, the main highest ranking leader in the Gelugpa temple. Traditional Tibetan music and Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, was taken dance lent an air of festivity to the into “protective custody” at the age event, but a reading of the Sikyong’s of six by Chinese statement by Kalon authorities, shortly Pema Chhinjor after his identification reminded all present by the Dalai Lama in of the gravity of the May 1995. Since Panchen Lama’s then, his whereabouts disappearance. Kalon and condition have Chhinjor read, “[The remained unknown, disappearance of the Sikyong Sangay, Gaden Tripa creating deep unease Lama] serves as a Rinpoche, and Speaker Tsering at Tashi Lhunpo monastery within the Tibetan strong testimony of the Photo: Radio Free Asia community. To this Chinese government’s day, the release of the Panchen Lama conscious and deliberate efforts to is one of the top priorities of Tibetan control every aspect of the Tibetan way people. of life…The international community In New Delhi, Tibetans in exile must make it plain to China that flagrant marched to protest against the Panchen human rights violations such as the Lama’s disappearance. In Bylakuppe, disappearance of the 11th Panchen Karnataka state, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Lama cannot be papered over.”