Self-Immomilation: China's Illegal Occupation Of Tibet

Self-immolation is “an act of killing oneself as a sacrifice.” So far, more than 146 Tibetans have set themselves on fire to protest China’s illegal occupation of Tibet and systemic abuse of human rights. For Tibetans, self-immolation is a desperate means to express their grievances and attract global attention to the suffering of Tibetans under Chinese rule. Writing this essay will also be a way of protesting; in the form of writing. This essay will prove China’s subjugation of Tibet should end. This is because their occupation of Tibet is illegal, violating human rights, and rapidly destroying Tibetan language and culture.

Tibet has never been a part of China and is an independent nation under unlawful occupation. First of all, prior to

An American organization dedicated to defending human rights, Freedom House, has reported Tibet as the second worst place in the world for political rights and civil liberties. In Tibet, peaceful protesters are subjected to imprisonment, torture, and killed in several cases. During a peaceful protest in 2008, 16-year-old student Lhundup Tso was one of 13 people shot dead by Chinese police. In China, UN conventions have also been constantly violated through the large-scale use of torture against Tibetan prisoners. “After 16-year-old Tsomo (name changed) and her uncle shouted “Long live the Dalai Lama” and “Freedom for Tibet”. . . she was detained for more than a year and tortured. . .” On top of that, many Tibetans are arrested on suspicious or unspecified charges, their whereabouts unknown to their families. They have no legal recourse because independent judiciary is literally non-existent in Tibet and China. Of many cases of disappearances and abduction conducted by the Chinese police, there is one high profile case taken place in May 1995 when China abducted a 6-year-old boy from his home. The whereabouts of him are still unknown. He is Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the reincarnation of the 2nd highest spiritual leader after the Dalai

Thousands of Buddhist monasteries have already been destroyed and more than 1.2 million Tibetans have been systematically raped, tortured, and murdered since 1949. One-fifth of Tibet 's population. Gone. The Chinese are also forcing millions of Tibetan Nomads from their lands, “ending their centuries-old way of life and leaving them dependent on the state as second-class citizens in their own country.” One way to get imprisoned and tortured in Tibet is to wave the Tibetan flag or to sing the national anthem. The same thing applies for carrying images or teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. “I cannot read and write my own language. It makes me feel ashamed and always sad to face that fact.” Chinese is the language of schools and businesses. This disadvantages Tibetans and endangers their mother tongue. The quote above is from a Tibetan Schoolgirl in Tawu,