Tibet’s exiled government has appealed to its people to stop committing suicide by burning themselves alive following a surge of self-immolations in recent months in protest against China’s occupation of the region.
In 2012 alone, 83 Tibetans killed themselves in this way – 28 of them in November – according to a statement from Lobsang Sangay, political leader, issued by the office of the Dalai Lama, the veteran spiritual leader, who lives in exile in neighbouring India. Three more died in January, with the latest death being that of Kunchok Kyab, 26, a few days ago, he said.
Self-immolation as a form of protest was unheard of in Tibet until 2010 but since then nearly 100 Tibetans, most of them young and some still in their teens, have set themselves alight.