Thousand attend self-immolator Dorjee Tsering’s cremation
DHARAMSALA, Mar 7: Thousands of Tibetans and supporters in Dharamsala on Mar 6 attended the funeral procession of Dorjee Tsering, the 16-yr-old Tibetan school by who set himself afire to protest against Chinese rule in Tibet and bring global attention to the Tibetan cause.
Dorjee Tsering staged his self-immolation protest on Feb 29 in Dehradun and succumbed to burn injuries three days later on Mar 3 at a hospital in Delhi.
A prayer session and brief ceremony to pay last respects to the deceased was held at Lhagyal Ri, located almost half-way on the circumambulation path around the Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s residence, where busts of two other Tibetans who took the fiery route to protest against Chinese occupation of Tibet in exile have been sculpted as well as a board containing pictures of Tibetan self-immolators from inside Tibet have been erected earlier to honour their sacrifice for the Tibetan cause.
Members of the Kashag (Tibetan cabinet) and Tibetan Parliament-in exile as well as representatives of various Dharamsala-based NGOs came to pay their respects.
In his address to the crowd gathered at Lhagyal Ri, Tamding Hrichoe, Vice President of Tibetan Youth Congress express great sadness and solidarity with the aggrieved family. He also called on the world leaders and United Nations to address the critical human rights situation in Tibet.
Tenzin Jigme, President of Tibetan Youth Congress acknowledged and spoke highly of the young boy’s sacrifice for the cause of Tibet. In addition, he urged the younger generation to contribute to the cause through excellence in education.
The bereaved father of Dorjee Tsering urged Tibetan youngsters not to self-immolate and realize His Holiness’ wishes by contributing to the Tibetan cause through education.
The funeral procession began from Lhagyal Ri, with thousands of Tibetans and supporters chanting and following the body of Dorjee Tsering covered with the Tibetan National flag.
Dorjee’s body was finally cremated around 10:00 am at the crematorium located half kilometer to Mcleod Ganj.
