Dharamshala [India], March 17 : The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) commemorated the life and sacrifice of Tibetan monk Lobsang Phuntsok, who tragically self-immolated on March 16, 2011, in Ngaba, Amdo, at the age of 21.
According to a commemoration posted on the official website of CTA, Phuntsok's self-immolation came on the third anniversary of the violent 2008 Kirti protests, a period of intense repression when at least ten Tibetans were shot dead by Chinese authorities.
As he set himself on fire, Phuntsok was heard chanting, "May His Holiness the Dalai Lama live for 10,000 years!"
The CTA, in its remembrance, emphasised the significance of Phuntsok's sacrifice and the ongoing struggle for Tibetan autonomy. As per CTA, his self-immolation was the second of at least 157 such acts by Tibetans, each one a call to the world to take notice of the ongoing human rights violations in Tibet.
The CTA's post called for the immediate resolution of Tibetan grievances and highlighted the urgent need for international awareness and action.
According to the London-based group Free Tibet, over 150 individuals have self-immolated in Tibet since March 2009 to protest the oppressive Chinese occupation.
The peak of self-immolation protests occurred in 2012, with more than 80 such acts. While the number has significantly decreased since 2013, it continues to be a form of resistance, with two confirmed self-immolations in Tibet in 2022.
Although many of those who have set themselves on fire have been monks and nuns, the majority of self-immolators have not come from religious institutions. Protesters have included teachers, students, herders, and both mothers and fathers. The youngest individual to self-immolate was only 15 years old.
The Tibet issue revolves around Tibet's political status and its relationship with China. Since China's military occupation in 1950, Tibetans have sought greater autonomy, preservation of their culture, and religious freedom, led by the Dalai Lama.
The Chinese government asserts sovereignty, leading to ongoing tensions, protests, and human rights concerns over Tibetans' rights and freedoms.