Tibetan activist dies after self-immolating outside UN headquarters in New York

New York, July 3 (IANS) Tibetan activist Lobga Rangzen died after self-immolating outside the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The tragic incident unfolded on Thursday evening– a day after Beijing’s new legislation, the “Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress Law”, came into force.

This legislation has drawn widespread criticism from the global community, with UN experts warning that it risks “entrenching forced assimilation and encouraging transnational repression.”

Moments before the incident, Rangzen livestreamed a message on his social media platform calling for Tibetan independence and unity. He later succumbed to his burn injuries at Bellevue Hospital in New York.

Tencho Gyatso, President of the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), expressed grief over the incident, urging the global community to address the worsening human rights situation in Tibet and hold the Chinese government accountable for its “policies of repression and forced assimilation.”

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Lobga, also known as Lobga Rangzen, following his self-immolation at the UN headquarters in New York on Thursday evening. Lobga was a tireless advocate for Tibet who devoted himself to peacefully raising awareness of the human rights crisis in Tibet, and he will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to justice and the Tibetan cause. Lobga’s passing is one day after the implementation of China’s new so-called Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress Law,” Gyatso stated.

“In his final statement, which he posted on his Facebook account, Lobga warned that China’s policies threaten the very survival of Tibetan identity, language, and culture and called on all Tibetans to be united in their fight for the cause of the Tibetan struggle. While we mourn this tragic loss, it is imperative that the international community heed the message behind his profound despair by addressing the worsening human rights situation in Tibet and holding the Chinese government accountable for its policies of repression and forced assimilation,” she added.

On Wednesday, the Tibetan communities held demonstrations across the globe, including in the US and Belgium, to protest against China’s Ethnic Unity and Progress Law, as it came into effect.

Gyatso described the law as “a dangerous escalation in China’s campaign of forced assimilation and a tool of identity erasure.”

–IANS

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