Protests are Still Running Rampant in China as another Tibetan

Monk Lights Himself on Fire

Immolating defined is to sacrifice; to kill as a sacrificed victim; offer in
sacrifice; to destroy by fire. It is hard for many, including myself, to
understand the extreme passion so many have felt in this world to lead them
to self- immolate.
China Takes Over Tibet
In 1950 Tibetan troops were overruled by China, and they were forced to
surrender to a new leadership. Negotiations were set into play between His
Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government to incorporate Tibet
into China. Many Tibetans see these negotiations as forced and do not
adhere to the agreement made between the two countries.
The Dalai Lama was so opposed to how China was treating his homeland that
in 1959 he fled to India for his own safety. Many other Tibetans have followed
him to India where they are not as religiously regulated.
Home In China?
Tibetans have been a part of China for 65 years, but have yet to feel
welcome. Reported by Shannon Sant of CBS News, an unknown Tibetan said,
"The Chinese people always look at us in a strange way. They don't believe
we are normal, or human."

Many Tibetans still feel like they are visitors, even though they have been a
part of Chinese rule since 1950. There is building frustration in the Tibetan
people because of this and their growing loss of identity. The new generation
Tibetans are expected to take classes in Mandarin Chinese, and are starting
to forget their own native language. They feel that the Chinese government
wants to extinguish the Tibetan culture. They are not allowing them to live by
their traditions they have followed for centuries, but they expect them to
conform towards Chinese communism. This feeling of prejudice is frequent
and prominent among Tibetans in China. It is common to see a sign outside
of a hotel saying no Tibetans or minorities.
Tenzin a source from CBS stated, "You realize how much courage people have
to have in order to speak up nowadays. There are so many people on the
streets with guns in their hands watching your every action. I don't know
what they are afraid of, because we have no guns, and we are not trying to
kill people."
Burning Unrest
One way Tibetans are protesting peacefully is by self-immolation, best
explained by Sant of CBS- Nuns, monks, students, herdsmen, farmers, taxi
drivers and mothers have walked into the streets of Rebkong and other
Tibetan communities, swallowed and poured gasoline over their clothes, and
lit a match.

Many protestors would wrap themselves up in barbed-wire to prevent

anyone from extinguishing the fire.
According to the International Campaign for Tibet, the official organization to
help Tibetans around the world, Since 2009 there have been 131 selfimmolations of Tibetans in Tibet and China whose common call has been for
the return of the Dalai Lama and for freedom in Tibet.
Many of the protestors were in the age range of, 20-30 years old. The
youngest case documented was Dorjee, a young boy 15 years of age.
There has been clear evidence from at least some of the immolators
themselves that they have acted as they have in order to demonstrate
resistance to Chinese rule, said Elliot Sperling, a scholar of Tibet at Indiana
University.
When there was a huge influx of immolations happening, China passed a law
stating that if anyone helped aid the protestor they would be sent to jail
under murder charges. Dolmo Toso, a young girl, was convicted December
2014 when she tried to offer help by lifting his [a protesters] charred body
in [a] vehicle, her brother Kungyam said, according to Radio Free Asia. She
was sentenced to three years in jail.
The Dalai Lama has stayed unusually quiet concerning these poignant
stories, trying to stay on impartial ground in regards to this very
controversial topic. He does not want to offend the Chinese government or
the families who have been affected by the immolations. It will be hard for

him to avoid the topic for much longer since many are protesting for his
return. One protestor shouted, We want freedom in Tibet and we want the
return of the Dalai Lama! As the flames grew higher the last exclamation
rang out, Free Tibet!