Dharamshala: A latest sources from inside Tibet said, a Tibetan Buddhist protesting against Chinese rule set himself on fire in the tightly controlled Ngaba region of eastern Tibet on Tuesday, July 17, (10:30 AM Tibet time).
An 18-year old Tibetan monk, Lobsang Lonzin from Gyarong Tsodun, a monastery called 'Kirti Geden Tashi Choeling' of Bakham County of Nagba, north-eastern Tibet self-immolated in front of the monastery and then walked towards the local Chinese government buildings and shouted free Tibet slogans.
"The momentum from his run is said to have created an intensified conflagration because of which Lobsang sustained very severe burns and passed away," Kanyak Tsering, a, the media coordinator of Kirti Monastery based in Dharamshala, India told TPI.
According to eye-witnesses, as Lobsang self-immolated himself, he continued to shout a string of protests, which were unintelligible due to his worsening condition.
Lobsang walked around 100 steps toward the Chinese official building in the area, according to sources, after the incident, monks from the monastery immediately took away his corpse. They prayed over his body and performed ritualistic cremation. Many Chinese police as well as military personnel from Bakham county came to investigate the episode but people of Tsodun village tried to halt the forces at the bridge resulting in an altercation between the police and the locals.
Lobsang Tenzin is from Sholajiang village, Tsodun township of Bakham county. His father's name is Jorgye and mother's name is Tse Popo. He joined Tsodun Monastery when he was very young and is survived by 5 other members of the family.
The Kirti Geden Tashi Choeling monastery is 85 kilometers away from Bakham county and currently resides 300 monks. It is the biggest monastery of the Gyarong area.
The sources from inside Tibet said Lobsang "died on the spot" after setting himself on fire at noon local time as he shouted slogans and marched around 100 steps toward the Chinese government office. "He was one of the best students at the monastery, said Lobsang Yeshe, media coordinator of India based Kirti monastery, adding local Tibetans blocked a bridge to prevent a large Chinese police and armed forces from moving in.
Two other monks from the same monastery self immolated themselves On the 30th of March this year. They were Chime Palden and Tenpa Dhargye.
Since 27 February 2009, there have been confirmed reports of 46 self-immolations in all three traditional provinces of Tibet.
"The Central Tibetan Administration has learnt with deep concern the latest self-immolation and death of an 18-year-old Tibetan monk in Ngaba in northeastern Tibet," said Tibetan government in exile on Tuesday.
