Tibetans protest as self-burnings go on

  • 12 years ago
Tibetan students silently protest in northern India on Friday.

They're expressing solidarity with fellow Tibetans who've burned themselves to death in protest at Chinese rule in their homeland.

Tibetan self-immolations have surged to 60 since March 2011.

Security has increased in Tibet and Tibetan areas, with some protesters being beaten after they set themselves ablaze.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) GYLUP NAMGYAL, A LOCAL TEACHER:

"We are staging this rally in support of those self-immolations and also to protest the Chinese to stop torturing Tibet and to stop doing injustice in Tibet."

Students also appealed to the United Nations, who recently called on China to address Tibetan frustrations.

Beijing says the Tibet issue has nothing to do with human rights, ethnicity or religion and says the land is an integral part of Chinese territory.

The Chinese government says Tibetans have enjoyed unprecedented advances and rights under Communist Party rule.