Two Tibetan men died in separate self-immolations on Monday, China’s state media said, the eighth and ninth reported to have set themselves on fire in the last week as the ruling Communists gather for a leadership transition.
Both incidents took place in Dowa township in Tongren, a county in northwest China’s Qinghai province, Xinhua news agency said, the latest self-immolations to highlight simmering desperation in Tibetan areas.
Nyangkhar Tashi, 23, set himself on fire at about 3.15pm in the village of Jiaolongwu, reported Xinhua, adding that several hours later, Nyangje Lhabon, 20, self-immolated in the village of Zhiyue.
The British-based Free Tibet group, who gave the first man’s name as Nyingkar Tashi, said he set himself alight during a prayer ceremony for a young mother who self-immolated in the area earlier this month.
The campaign organisation said he had called out for freedom in Tibet and for the long life of the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
Since 2009, 69 people have set themselves on fire in protest at Chinese rule, of whom 54 have died, the India-based Tibetan government-in-exile had said before the latest incidents.