Dharamshala — Another young Tibetan has carried out a self-immolation protest in Ngaba County, northeastern Tibet, to protest against the harsh and repressive policies China has imposed on the people of Tibet.
Local residents and witnesses inside Tibet, speaking to TPI on the condition of anonymity, reported that "Dorbe, also known as Dhopo or Dopo, a 23-year-old Tibetan man, died after carrying out a self-immolation protest in the Ngaba region of eastern Tibet. The incident occurred on Sunday, November 4, 2018, and he subsequently died from his injuries".
The young Tibetan layman was from nomadic camp no. 2 of Jakorma village in Choejema Township, Ngaba County, Amdo, northeastern Tibet, and his father’s name is Chopa, and his mother, Trinley Kyi, passed away a few years ago.
Before setting himself on fire, Dhopo shouted slogans calling for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the opportunity to see his “golden countenance,” and freedom in Tibet. Sources recorded his words in several closely related forms, including "Long live His Holiness the Dalai Lama," "May we soon behold his golden countenance,” and "freedom in Tibet".
Another account rendered the statements as: “May the life of the Victorious One, Tenzin Gyatso, be long,” “May we soon have the opportunity to see his golden face,” and “We need freedom in Tibet".
Another source, referring to him as Dorbe, reported that he had been living at the house of his uncle Jampal Drakpa. No further detailed information concerning his personal circumstances was available because of the intense restrictions on information in the area and the risks faced by Tibetans communicating information to people outside Tibet.
Following the self-immolation, Chinese armed police reportedly increased their presence in Ngaba, and the area became increasingly tense. Sources reported an immediate lockdown and the blocking of internet communications. Chinese police, government officials, and religious affairs officials in the region either stated that they were unaware of the incident or did not respond to telephone calls. Such restrictions significantly impeded the flow of information concerning Dhopo’s death and the circumstances surrounding the protest.
The totalitarian Communist regime in China began its invasion of Tibet in 1949, with the total occupation of the country occurring in 1959. Since that time, stretching over the next 10 years, more than 1.2 million people—20% of the nation's population of six million—died as a direct result of China's invasion and occupation. In addition, over 99% of Tibet's six thousand religious monasteries, temples, and shrines have been looted or decimated, resulting in the destruction of hundreds of thousands of sacred Buddhist scriptures. Furthermore, the treasures of every family living in every corner of Tibet were forcefully taken away by either Chinese authorities or military forces and never returned. This occurred after authorities ostensibly catalogued them and orally told the families that these treasures belonged to the nation and would be equally distributed; however, they were permanently stolen.
