ON MONDAY for the second time, in the last five months, a Buddhist Monk immolated himself in protest against the repressing policies of the Chinese government. People in Sichuan Province in southwest China saw the monk setting himself on fire due to his loyalty to the exiled Dalai Lama and against China’s repressive laws.

The monk drank gasoline, drenched himself with the same before setting himself on fire in the center of Daofu, a town in Ganzi County in Sichuan on a bridge. Till the end he remained loyal to his spiritual leader and he was heard shouting, “We Tibetan people want freedom,” “Long live the Dalai Lama” and “Let the Dalai Lama return to Tibet.”

The monk was recognised as Tsewang Norbu, 29, who was protesting the treatment meted out to the Tibetans by the Chinese government.

The details of the death were given out by the advocacy group Free Tibet as Xinhua, China’s official news agency did report the incident but refrained from giving out any details of the incident. Free Tibet’s director Stephanie Brigden also said that the protest worsened after the people were not allowed to celebrate Dalai Lama’s 76th birthday. After the immolation of the second monk, the Free Tibet received information that all internet services have been switched off in the area and the army have surrounded the monastery. Concerns among the people are growing as to the protest after the second incident.

Ganzi is torn by the tensions in the area. The place is mostly covered by ethnic Tibetans. On the other hand the Chinese government also considers the Himalayan region of Tibet to be an important part of their country and anyone supporting Dalai Lama is in trouble.