Dr Gyal Lo Questions Impact of 159 Tibetan Self-Immolations: ‘One Book Instead of 159’
Dr Gyal Lo: Tibet Movement Failed to Maximise Impact of Self-Immolation Sacrifices
DHARAMSALA 7 Nov: To date, 159 Tibetans have self-immolated inside Tibet in protest against Chinese occupation, yet there is only one book instead of 159, Dr. Gyal Lo cautioned at the launch of the Tibetan translation of Barbara Demick’s book, “Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town.”
Dr Gyal Lo, an educational sociologist and leading expert on China’s assimilation and education policies in Tibet, stated that these 159 self-immolation protests represent the highest form of resistance in the Tibetan freedom movement. He observed that the movement has failed to maximise the impact of these sacrifices on the global platform.
“Why do we have just one book instead of 159?” Dr Gyal Lo asked, adding, “We must think about this.”
He recounted personally meeting three different families of Tibetans who staged the fiery protests in 2018 while he was in Tibet in 2019, as well as some Tibetans who were released after participating in the 2008 pan-Tibet uprising.
During a meal together, they wept in despair, saying they had done everything possible, he recalled, noting that he too was moved to tears. This experience led him to question whether non-violent protest through self-immolation was effective. However, he comforted them by saying that when their time comes to leave this world, they can rest their hands on their hearts, knowing they did everything they could for Tibet.
The decorated American journalist’s book, officially launched on 28 July, 2020, examines Tibet’s history and current situation through the lens of Ngaba, a significant centre of Tibetan resistance and a focal point for self-immolation protests against Chinese rule. The book spans several decades of modern Tibetan history, particularly from the 1950s to the present.
Ngaba alone accounts for 53 self-immolation protests against Chinese rule.
Dr. Gyal Lo emphasised that until the 21st century and throughout human history, No other people in human history except Tibetans have had so many individuals who have self-immolated for their country.
“Look at the Vietnam War; a single monk’s self-immolation helped stop the war. Now, look at us – even after 159 self-immolations, the situation has worsened instead of being resolved or improved,” he lamented.
He noted, however, that one positive outcome of the 159 self-immolation protests inside Tibet was the establishment of a sense of unity among Tibetans across the plateau, defying China’s false and forced demarcation of Tibet into the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region while incorporating other regions into Chinese territory.
In a video message, Barbara Demick expressed gratitude for the Tibetan translation of “Eat the Buddha.” While the book has been translated into multiple languages, she considered the Tibetan translation particularly meaningful.
“Through this book, I had the opportunity to speak with diverse local Tibetans, but I was surprised that many didn’t know about events that happened after 1950. That’s why I’m especially pleased that this book has been translated into Tibetan, making it accessible to all. If I can make any contribution toward documenting Tibetan history, I feel I have done my part. I’m grateful to everyone who has been part of this book, whether anonymously or through interviews,” she concluded.
The book was translated into Tibetan by Dipo Tso and published by Tibet Times, a Dharamsala-based Tibetan media outlet on Tuesday.
Dipo Tso shared that she was captivated by the book’s title. Upon reading it, she found it to be a detailed account of Tibet’s history, particularly focusing on Ngaba and the self-immolation protests that occurred there.
The book resonated with her personally, as her own younger brother had self-immolated along with his friend Tsultrim on 6 January 2012. “My younger brother succumbed to his injuries on the same day, while his friend passed away a day later,” she added, with tears in her eyes.
During the translation process, she found the book “extremely important as it contains historical accounts from 1930-2000, filling a 90-year void in our contemporary history and documenting how Chinese occupation reached eastern Tibet.” This realisation, she added, further motivated her work.
