self-immolations for Tibet

[DrLeftover]

On the chilly afternoon of March 24, Kalkyi - who like some Tibetans went by just one name - stood outside the monastery gates with about 200 to 300 other worshippers. She doused herself with gasoline and lit a match. Flames instantly engulfed her, and as they did, she shouted words that no one could make out.

Witnesses say it took less than 15 minutes for the blaze to kill Kalkyi. She was 30 years old.

It was the ninth time in just over a year that a Tibetan mother had set herself on fire, an especially startling statistic to emerge from a grisly campaign of suicidal political defiance that shows no sign of ending.

Since 2009, at least 117 Tibetans have committed acts of self-immolation in China in protest against Beijing's policies in Tibet and nearby regions with large Tibetan populations.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/06/us-china-tibet-mothers-specialreport-idUSBRE95500Q20130606

 

[Jazzy]

(This story corrects the sixth paragraph to make clear that 117 people have committed acts of self-immolation, not died from self-immolations.)

Whether they died or not this story is alarming the numbers of people even attempting this. It's very sad they are doing it to honor the Tibetan community. Sad because what they are doing will not make one bit of difference.

 

[Evil Eye]

It'll make a difference, just not the sort of difference they want to make. Provided the Chinese government keeps doing nothing, the fire will burn out eventually, so to say. At some point everyone with the will to set themselves on fire will be gone...

 

[DrLeftover]

It's only been sixty years since China clamped down on the independent region.

 

[Evil Eye]

Well, it might take a 100 years and it really isn't a desirable solution, but I very much doubt they'll keep at it.