Tibetan nun dies in self-immolation attempt: reports

Image
AFP Beijing
Last Updated : Jun 20 2013 | 9:10 PM IST
A Tibetan nun who last week set fire to herself in protest at Chinese rule has died, a US-based broadcaster and rights group said.
The woman set herself ablaze on June 11 near Nyitso monastery, the scene of similar protests, in Daofu country of southwest China's Sichuan province, Washington-based Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on its website.
Wangchen Dolma, aged 31, died on Friday in hospital and was "secretly cremated", RFA said, citing the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) -- the India-based government-in-exile -- in confirming the death.
The US-based International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) rights group said she was "taken away by police" after setting herself ablaze during a "gathering of several thousand monks". The ICT today confirmed the death.
RFA said "Chinese authorities have moved to block demonstrations of support" for the nun.
The ICT said "communications were restricted in the area and surveillance of monks at Nyitso monastery was intensified" following the self-immolation attempt.
Rights groups often raise concerns over surveillance issues in restive Tibetan areas.
Meanwhile, a report in China's state-run Global Times newspaper today said that all Internet, landline and mobile phone users in the Tibet region have provided service operators with their real names as part of government efforts which local officials claim will help curb "the spread of detrimental information".
The local regulation was passed in November 2011 to "help resolve problems, including the rampant circulation of online rumours, pornography and spam messages" local official Dai Jianguo was quoted as saying.
RFA said the nun was the 120th person to set themselves alight since Febrary 2009 in a wave of protests by Tibetans against what they view as Chinese oppression. Many of them have died.
The Dalai Lama, a Nobel Peace laureate who has lived in India since 1959 after a failed uprising in Tibet, has described the protests as acts of desperation that he is powerless to stop.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jun 20 2013 | 9:10 PM IST

Next Story