TCHRD PRESS RELEASE

20 March 2012, Dharamsala               

Contact: Mr. Jampel Monlam (Tibetan/Chinese)

              Ms. Dukthen Kyi (English) 

Tel:             +91 1892 223363      , 229225, 225874

Tibetan Monk Dies Days after Self-immolation

A 20-yr-old Tibetan monk who self-immolated on 16 March 2012 died yesterday in Ngaba(Chinese: Aba) County, Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, sources told TCHRD.

Lobsang Tsultrim, a monk at Kirti Monastery, set himself afire at around 5 pm (Tibet Time) on 16 March on the main road of Ngaba County market protesting against the Chinese government.

On 19 March 2012, Lobsang succumbed to burn injuries at Barkham (Chinese: Maerkang), capital of Ngaba Prefecture. In the evening of the same day, the authorities cremated Lobsang's body at a nearby cremation ground in Barkham. Only his ashes were given to his family. 

On the same day, monks at the Kirti Monastery held prayer ceremony in the wake of Lobsang's death.

Sources say Lobsang was a cousin of Norbu Damdul, a 19 yr-old former monk at the Kirti Monastery, who self-immolated on 15 October 2011 and later died on 5 January 2012.

After Lobsang Tsultrim’s self-immolation, for three days local shops and restaurants owned by Tibetans remained closed as a sign of mourning and solidarity. 

TCHRD earlier reported Lobsang Tsultrim's self-immolation on 16 March 2012 (http://www.tchrd.org/press/2011/pr20120316.html ) Lobsang walked up and down the main road of the Ngaba County town before the security officers knocked him down. The officers arrested him after extinguishing the flames. Lobsang was then thrown into a police vehicle and taken away.

Dukthen Kyi (Ms)
Researcher and UN Personnel
Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy
Top Floor Narthang Building
Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamsala
H.P. INDIA 176215
www.tchrd.org office.             +91-1892 223363      / 225874