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A person of Tibetan descent, identified as Lobga Rangzen, self-immolated by setting himself on fire in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York, USA. This act was in protest against China’s Tibet policy and a demand for an independent Tibet. The incident occurred on Thursday evening (local time).
According to the New York Police Department, officers responded to a report at 6:32 PM that a person had set himself on fire in the area near First Avenue and 42nd Street. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition, where doctors pronounced him dead.
Eyewitnesses, as quoted by the US media outlet The New York Post, stated that Rangzen was holding a free Tibet flag and was dressed in traditional Tibetan monastic attire at the time of his self-immolation. It is also reported that he live-streamed his protest on Facebook.
Lobzang Paljor, a friend of Rangzen, stated that the 42-year-old had been living in the United States for nearly two decades and had also obtained US citizenship. He worked as an Uber driver. Paljor said, “He was a peaceful person. He opposed China’s occupation of Tibet and always advocated for achieving Tibet’s independence through peaceful means. Ultimately, he made that demand by sacrificing his own life.”
Tencho Gyatso, president of the International Campaign for Tibet, a pro-independence organization, stated that Rangzen was a staunch critic of China’s “Ethnic Unity and Progress” law. He alleged that this law undermines the cultural identity and rights of minority groups, including Tibetans and Uyghurs. Beijing, however, claims the law’s objective is to foster a common national identity among the country’s diverse ethnic groups.
Tibetan activists have long campaigned to draw the UN’s attention to the Tibet issue. However, they claim that a lack of effective action from the international community still persists.
It is noteworthy that China sent troops into Tibet in 1950 and incorporated the region as part of its territory. After suppressing the Tibetan uprising in 1959, the spiritual leader Dalai Lama sought asylum in India. Since then, movements demanding Tibet’s autonomy and the establishment of its people’s rights have continued.
Source: New York Post