Tibetan man self-immolates in Machu, toll reaches 146
By Lobsang Tenchoe
DHARAMSALA, Dec 9: A Tibetan who self-immolated yesterday in Machu county in the traditional Tibetan province of Amdo has been identified as Tashi Rabten, Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet said in its report today.
Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet, an organization of former political prisoners of Tibet said Tashi Rabten hails from a nomadic family in Washul division of Trokho Medma in Machu county. Tashi’s condition after his self-immolation protest remains unknown as Chinese authorities extinguished the blazing fire and whisked him away in a car.
The report of Tashi Rabten’s self-immolation in an apparent protest against China’s repressive rule in Tibet fist appeared on social network sites late yesterday night.
Lhase Sonam, who first posted the video of Tashi Rabten’s self-immolation protest on Facebook remarked that the protest took place around 5 pm (local time) in Machu county in traditional Amdo province.
The video circulating on social media shows Tashi lying on the ground engulfed in fire and while local Tibetan pedestrians mumbled prayers in the name of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Tashi became the 146th known Tibetan to have self-immolated since 2009, all of whom have called for freedom to be restored in Tibet and His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s return to Tibet.
