Tibetans Have 'Sacred Duty' To Support Self-Immolations

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/10/exiled-tibetans-support-self-immolation_n_2109795.html?utm_hp_ref=religion

Religion News Service | By Vishal Arora
Posted: 11/10/2012 2:58 pm EST Updated: 11/10/2012 2:58 pm EST

NEW DELHI (RNS) As the 18th congress of China's Communist Party began in Beijing this week, six more Tibetans set themselves on fire as Tibetan leaders say they are powerless to stop a growing wave of self-immolations.

In fact, exiled Tibetan political leader Lobsang Sangay said that while he highly discourages the drastic action, it is the "sacred duty" of the exiled community to support it.

"We have made so many appeals (to stop self-immolations), but they are still doing it," said Sangay, the political successor of the Dalai Lama, as the number of self-immolations by monks, nuns and others swelled to 68 since March 2011.

The day before Beijing opened its party conference on Thursday (Nov. 8) to choose new leaders, three monks, a man, a woman and a teenager drank gasoline and set themselves ablaze, according to tibet.net.

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11 replies	Author	Time	Post
Tibetans Have 'Sacred Duty' To Support Self-Immolations (Original post)	cbayer	Nov 2012	OP
How does one support it?	longship	Nov 2012	#1
He has been clear in his repudiation of the practice, but makes	cbayer	Nov 2012	#3
Interesting. I would like to see independence for tibet.	xchrom	Nov 2012	#2
I would like that as well, but have seen no progress in that direction at all.	cbayer	Nov 2012	#4
The Tibetans have no international support.	xchrom	Nov 2012	#5
Even when they go to the extreme of setting themselves on fire.	cbayer	Nov 2012	#6
Oil maybe? I can only imagine their desperation. nt	Mnemosyne	Nov 2012	#7
Isn't that what this is all about at it's root?	cbayer	Nov 2012	#8
In the long run, possibly. How does it tie in? Thanks. nt	Mnemosyne	Nov 2012	#9
My understanding is that for the last 10 or so years, the Chinese	cbayer	Nov 2012	#10
Thanks cbayer, will be looking into this more later. Interesting. nt	Mnemosyne	Nov 2012	#11

Response to cbayer (Original post)

Sun Nov 11, 2012, 01:55 PM

longship (18,202 posts)

1. How does one support it?

But otherwise discourage it?

How does one wrap ones mind simultaneously around these mutually contradicting statements?

Maybe the only way to support it is with gasoline and a match. But I do not think that's what Sangay means by support.

I am utterly confused by this.

No. I did not click through. Nor will I.

If Sangay had half a heart, he would condemn this insidious practice in no uncertain terms.

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Response to longship (Reply #1)

Sun Nov 11, 2012, 02:15 PM

cbayer (120,432 posts)

3. He has been clear in his repudiation of the practice, but makes

the case that when it occurs, it is important to understand why and support the cause behind it.

Tricky line, there, but it's hard to argue against it, imo.