Two Tibetan Teens Die in Self-Immolations

China's leaders blame the Dalai Lama, the Tibetans' exiled spiritual leader, for inciting the self-immolations and encouraging separatism. File photo

Two Tibetan teenagers have died after setting themselves on fire in Sichuan province in an apparent protest against Chinese rule and religious repression.

Lobsang Kalsang, an 18-year-old monk, and Damchoek, a 17-year-old former monk, set themselves on fire on Monday morning, London-based Free Tibet said.

It happened outside the Kirti Monastery in Aba county, where many of the self-immolations have taken place.

The teenagers died on Monday evening after being taken to a hospital by Chinese authorities, Free Tibet said.

The young men were shouting slogans against Chinese rule and policies in Tibet as their bodies burned, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported, citing witnesses.

"Witnesses saw them run about 20 steps with their bodies on fire, and then they fell to the ground," two monks based in India told RFA.

Kirti Monastery, which has been the focus of protests for more than a year, is surrounded by heavy security.

China's leaders blame the Dalai Lama, the Tibetans' exiled spiritual leader, for inciting the self-immolations and encouraging separatism.

He rejects this, and both activist groups and the Tibetan government-in-exile say the self-immolations are protests against tight Chinese control of the region and religious repression.

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