Tibetans pay tribute to self-immolator in Dharamsala

Scores of Tibetans living in-exile in Dharamsala on Saturday paid tribute to a teenage boy who immolated himself earlier this week to protest Chinese rule in Tibet.

The 16-year-old Dorjee Tsering, who set himself on fire in Dehradun on February 29, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday in New Delhi.

Tenzing Jigme, President of Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), said Tsering's mortal remains were brought to Dharamsala so that the people could pay their last respects to him.

"A couple of days ago, a young Tibetan boy, Dorjee Tsering, who was just 16 years old, last week he self-immolated and he was taken to the hospital in Delhi where he passed away and. so today in Dharamsala, we have brought his body to Dharamsala so that he can receive a proper, well deserved, respected funeral for his sacrifice," said Jigme.

On February 29, a monk, Kalsang Wangdu, had self-immolated near his monastery in the Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture demanding complete independence for Tibet.

Tibetans in Tibet and in other parts of China have in nearly the last two decades been protesting against Chinese rule by setting themselves on fire after pouring petrol over themselves.