Self-immolations in Tibetan regions politically orchestrated, officials say
Source: Xinhua |
March 8, 2012, Thursday
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Print Edition
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SIMILARITIES found in self-immolations in China's Tibetan-populated regions have pointed to behind-the-scenes orchestration with a transparent political motive, officials charged yesterday.
Wu Zegang, chief of the Aba Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province, said police have probed immolations in Tibetan areas in the provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu in recent months, finding that the victims were used by separatists to create chaos.
One similarity, he said, was that most of the self-immolaters had shouted separatist slogans like "Free Tibet" while setting themselves on fire.
"Moreover, photos revealing the daily lives of most of the self-immolaters had been sent in advance to separatist forces abroad. These photos, contrasted by pictures depicting the self-immolation sites, were immediately dispersed by separatist forces to play up the situation," Wu told Sichuan lawmakers attending the annual meeting of the National People's Congress.
"To encourage self-immolations, they even offer a price of compensation for the dead. All these prove that self-immolations are pre-mediated political moves," he said.
"The Dalai Lama clique and overseas separatist forces are leading Tibetan Buddhism onto the track of extremism," Wu said. "By touting self-immolaters as heroes and performing religious rituals to expiate the sins of the dead, they support and inspire self-immolations. They instigate people to emulate this behavior and are not hesitant to use terrorism to reach their objectives."
Police investigations showed that a number of the self-immolaters were secularized monks with criminal records.
"The double-faced tactics of the Dalai Lama clique are alluring and deceptive," said Wu. "It is because of the beguilement and instigation of the Dalai Lama clique that self-immolations in China's Tibetan-populated regions appear contagious."
Gyalto Lhorongchangpa, vice-chairman of the Garze Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Sichuan and a deputy to the National People's Congress, said that people from all religious sectors oppose the self-immolations.
"Self-immolations have largely affected the normal activities of Tibetan Buddhists and run counter to the teachings of Buddha," said Gyalto.
Liu Qibao, the Party chief in Sichuan, admitted that self-immolations are a problem in the province, adding that efforts have been made to protect the culture of ethnic Tibetans.
"In Tibetan-populated regions, facilities and activities that uphold Tibetan culture can be found everywhere. We all have free access to Tibetan cultural facilities. Buddhist monks and nuns also enjoy social benefits. Public complaints about cultural repression do not exist. On the contrary, Tibetan culture is flourishing," said Liu.
During a separate discussion by the Tibet delegation open to press, Padma Choling, chairman of the Tibet autonomous region said that no self-immolations had taken place in Tibet, adding that the situation in Lhasa and Tibet remains stable overall.
Wu Zegang, chief of the Aba Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province, said police have probed immolations in Tibetan areas in the provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu in recent months, finding that the victims were used by separatists to create chaos.
One similarity, he said, was that most of the self-immolaters had shouted separatist slogans like "Free Tibet" while setting themselves on fire.
"Moreover, photos revealing the daily lives of most of the self-immolaters had been sent in advance to separatist forces abroad. These photos, contrasted by pictures depicting the self-immolation sites, were immediately dispersed by separatist forces to play up the situation," Wu told Sichuan lawmakers attending the annual meeting of the National People's Congress.
"To encourage self-immolations, they even offer a price of compensation for the dead. All these prove that self-immolations are pre-mediated political moves," he said.
"The Dalai Lama clique and overseas separatist forces are leading Tibetan Buddhism onto the track of extremism," Wu said. "By touting self-immolaters as heroes and performing religious rituals to expiate the sins of the dead, they support and inspire self-immolations. They instigate people to emulate this behavior and are not hesitant to use terrorism to reach their objectives."
Police investigations showed that a number of the self-immolaters were secularized monks with criminal records.
"The double-faced tactics of the Dalai Lama clique are alluring and deceptive," said Wu. "It is because of the beguilement and instigation of the Dalai Lama clique that self-immolations in China's Tibetan-populated regions appear contagious."
Gyalto Lhorongchangpa, vice-chairman of the Garze Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Sichuan and a deputy to the National People's Congress, said that people from all religious sectors oppose the self-immolations.
"Self-immolations have largely affected the normal activities of Tibetan Buddhists and run counter to the teachings of Buddha," said Gyalto.
Liu Qibao, the Party chief in Sichuan, admitted that self-immolations are a problem in the province, adding that efforts have been made to protect the culture of ethnic Tibetans.
"In Tibetan-populated regions, facilities and activities that uphold Tibetan culture can be found everywhere. We all have free access to Tibetan cultural facilities. Buddhist monks and nuns also enjoy social benefits. Public complaints about cultural repression do not exist. On the contrary, Tibetan culture is flourishing," said Liu.
During a separate discussion by the Tibet delegation open to press, Padma Choling, chairman of the Tibet autonomous region said that no self-immolations had taken place in Tibet, adding that the situation in Lhasa and Tibet remains stable overall.
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