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| Tibetan woman dies after setting herself on fire | Tibetan woman dies after setting herself on fire |
| (8 days later) | |
| A young woman has died after setting fire to herself in the latest of a wave of Tibetan self-immolations in western China, according to reports. | A young woman has died after setting fire to herself in the latest of a wave of Tibetan self-immolations in western China, according to reports. |
| The news came as US broadcaster Radio Free Asia reported that hundreds had been detained following a similar incident in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, on Sunday. | The news came as US broadcaster Radio Free Asia reported that hundreds had been detained following a similar incident in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, on Sunday. |
| Free Tibet said Rechok, in her mid thirties, was a herder and a mother of three children who travelled to the town of Zhongrangtang, known in Tibetan as Barma, to set fire to herself in front of the monastery. She died at the scene, said the campaign group. | Free Tibet said Rechok, in her mid thirties, was a herder and a mother of three children who travelled to the town of Zhongrangtang, known in Tibetan as Barma, to set fire to herself in front of the monastery. She died at the scene, said the campaign group. |
| It said she was the fourth person to self-immolate in the remote town in Aba county, also known as Ngaba, in Sichuan. | It said she was the fourth person to self-immolate in the remote town in Aba county, also known as Ngaba, in Sichuan. |
| Radio Free Asia named the woman as Rikyo, aged 33. | Radio Free Asia named the woman as Rikyo, aged 33. |
| It was not possible to verify the reports independently. | It was not possible to verify the reports independently. |
| At least 35 Tibetans have set fire to themselves since March last year, according to exile groups, with 27 or more of them dying. Many of the protests have taken place in Aba's county town. | At least 35 Tibetans have set fire to themselves since March last year, according to exile groups, with 27 or more of them dying. Many of the protests have taken place in Aba's county town. |
| Stephanie Brigden, director of Free Tibet, said: "Barma Township is like many other places in Tibet: people from all walks of life are rejecting Chinese rule and going to extraordinary lengths to make their calls for freedom heard." | Stephanie Brigden, director of Free Tibet, said: "Barma Township is like many other places in Tibet: people from all walks of life are rejecting Chinese rule and going to extraordinary lengths to make their calls for freedom heard." |
| Witnesses have described immolators protesting against Chinese policies and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. | Witnesses have described immolators protesting against Chinese policies and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. |
| Rechok's death came only three days after two young men set fire to themselves in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, in the first major protest there for four years. State news agency Xinhua reported that one of the men had died while the other was injured. | Rechok's death came only three days after two young men set fire to themselves in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, in the first major protest there for four years. State news agency Xinhua reported that one of the men had died while the other was injured. |
| Radio Free Asia reported on Wednesday that hundreds had been detained following that incident, citing anonymous sources. It said that local people were being held in detention centres in and around Lhasa while those from outside the Tibet Autonomous Region had been expelled. | Radio Free Asia reported on Wednesday that hundreds had been detained following that incident, citing anonymous sources. It said that local people were being held in detention centres in and around Lhasa while those from outside the Tibet Autonomous Region had been expelled. |
| Foreign journalists are barred from entering Tibet without special permission and the account could not be verified. | Foreign journalists are barred from entering Tibet without special permission and the account could not be verified. |
| The official Tibet Daily newspaper said Hao Peng, head of the Communist party's commission for political and legal affairs in the region, had urged authorities to tighten their grip on the internet and mobile text messaging. | The official Tibet Daily newspaper said Hao Peng, head of the Communist party's commission for political and legal affairs in the region, had urged authorities to tighten their grip on the internet and mobile text messaging. |
| "Hao Peng stressed that ... the trouble caused by the activities of the Dalai clique has persisted, and the situation for stability maintenance is still complicated and grim," it reported. | "Hao Peng stressed that ... the trouble caused by the activities of the Dalai clique has persisted, and the situation for stability maintenance is still complicated and grim," it reported. |
| Beijing accuses the Dalai Lama of fomenting separatism and attempting to split the country. Chinese state television recently screened a documentary blaming him for orchestrating the self-immolations and officials have dismissed the protesters as terrorists, criminals, or of having mental illnesses. | Beijing accuses the Dalai Lama of fomenting separatism and attempting to split the country. Chinese state television recently screened a documentary blaming him for orchestrating the self-immolations and officials have dismissed the protesters as terrorists, criminals, or of having mental illnesses. |
| The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader has said he seeks only meaningful autonomy for Tibet and has blamed the deaths on China's "cultural genocide". | The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader has said he seeks only meaningful autonomy for Tibet and has blamed the deaths on China's "cultural genocide". |
| In a separate sign of official anxieties over ethnic tensions, state newspaper Global Times announced that Xinjiang had approved a new regulation on responding to emergencies. The legislation authorises police to take measures without reporting to higher authorities, orders officials to disclose information on such cases in a timely fashion and stipulates severe punishment for people who spread rumours. | In a separate sign of official anxieties over ethnic tensions, state newspaper Global Times announced that Xinjiang had approved a new regulation on responding to emergencies. The legislation authorises police to take measures without reporting to higher authorities, orders officials to disclose information on such cases in a timely fashion and stipulates severe punishment for people who spread rumours. |
| Almost 200 people died and many more were injured in July 2009 when vicious ethnic violence broke out in the regional capital, Urumqi. Many complained that authorities had taken too long to regain control of the streets. | Almost 200 people died and many more were injured in July 2009 when vicious ethnic violence broke out in the regional capital, Urumqi. Many complained that authorities had taken too long to regain control of the streets. |
| More recently, police have shot dead suspects in alleged terrorist attacks in the region. | More recently, police have shot dead suspects in alleged terrorist attacks in the region. |
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