Tibet Immolations Instigated

( 2012-March-3 12:48:06)

Tibet Immolations Instigated

It's painful to see self-immolation in recent years in places that ethnic Tibetans inhabit, said Zhao Qizheng, spokesman for the Fifth Session of the 11th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee. Such acts go against Buddhist teachings, Zhao said during a news conference on Friday. A series of self-immolations have occurred in recent years in various places with Tibetan communities. Many of those who set fire to themselves were young, some being only 18 years old. Zhao said the acts were instigated.

"Someone would announce when an act of self-immolation was to occur even before it was committed," he said. "A camera would be there and the video would be quickly uploaded online. And no one would be allowed to rescue the protester."

"He (the Dalai Lama) is two-faced if he told you that he discourages self-immolation," Zhao said. "At least, that's not what I've heard. I encourage people to treasure their lives and not to be deluded."

In Sichuan province, most of those who recently set fire to themselves were about 20 years old, and the youngest person to die from self-immolation was only 16, the provincial information office said in January.

To improve the living standards of monks and nuns in the Tibet autonomous region, authorities have built roads to monasteries and worked to provide basic water and electrical services, he said.

(Source: China Daily)