Tibetan teenager self-immolates on anniversary of failed uprising

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/13/tibetan-teenager-self-immolates-revolt-anniversary


Tibetans and supporters of a Free Tibet hold placards while marching through Los Angeles to mark the anniversary of Tibet's failed revolt against Chinese rule Photograph: Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty Images

A teenage Tibetan monk set himself on fire on the 53rd anniversary of the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule, an overseas activist group said on Tuesday.

The London-based Free Tibet group said 18-year-old Gepey self-immolated on Saturday in Aba, a town that is under heavy security lockdown in western Sichuan province.

The group says Gepey was a monk from the town's Kirti Monastery, the scene of numerous protests against the Chinese government over the past several years. 10 March marked the start of the unsuccessful revolt that eventually caused the Dalai Lama to flee the Himalayan region in 1959.

More than two dozen Tibetans, including several teenagers, have set themselves on fire in China over the last year, protesting against China's suppression of their religion and culture and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama.

[katherinefreetibet]

1. Tibet Needs Us

A fourth immolation in the past week – it’s terrible. The situation in Tibet is becoming more volatile and these profound acts will not stop unless significant action is taken. Look at what President Obama has said about the situation in Tibet:

We need to encourage our leaders to speak out for those who need it, not just for those who are convenient politically!