In Tibet, More Self-Immolations

A 33-year-old Tibetan woman set herself on fire May 30 in front of the Jonang Dzamthang monastery in the Ngaba prefecture of Sichuan province, where more than 20 self-immolations have occurred since March 2011. The woman, identified as Rikyo, reportedly lived near three men who self-immolated earlier in 2012, which could have encouraged her act of protest.

This self-immolation occurred just days after two young Tibetan laymen set themselves on fire May 27 in front of the Jokhang temple in Lhasa. These were the first self-immolations to occur in Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), since protests demanding increased freedoms began in 2011. Lhasa is the historical spiritual center for Tibetan Buddhism and was a flash point for Tibetan-led protests during the 2008 unrest. China has maintained strict security in the city to prevent or contain further dissent.

It is not clear whether the two men had lived in TAR for some time or were visiting from outside the region. If they were locals, it could indicate that dissent is spreading within TAR, which could embolden disaffected Tibetans and lead to more self-immolations in the region. If they were visiting from another region, it could indicate that while individuals from the eastern regions outside TAR are continuing to protest, those inside TAR — who are familiar with intense Chinese security crackdowns — have remained subdued. The subdued nature of TAR during the 2011 unrest also could indicate that other discontented Tibetans in TAR could be influenced by different discourse that does not promote self-immolation as a protest tool.

Regardless of where the men were from, their self-immolations have elicited an immediate and widespread security clampdown. Because of Lhasa's significance, Chinese authorities will remain on high alert to watch for further spillovers of unrest into the Tibetan region.