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    November 10, 2011

Tibetan Sets Himself on Fire in Nepal

   VOA News
   Poster shows pictures of Tibetan monks who have self-immolated since
   March, Dharmsala, India, Oct. 19, 2011.
   Photo: AP
   Poster shows pictures of Tibetan monks who have self-immolated since
   March, Dharmsala, India, Oct. 19, 2011.

   A Tibetan exile set himself on fire in Nepal's capital Kathmandu on
   Thursday, the latest in a series of self-immolation protests against
   Chinese policy in Tibet.
   Police say the man was dressed in monk's clothing and had a Tibetan
   flag wrapped around him. He chanted "long live Tibet" before setting
   himself on fire. Police say the man's friends quickly put out the
   flames, and the group left the scene.
   According to The Associated Press, a witness said she and other
   strangers raced to extinguish the flames and that the man didn't appear
   hurt badly. He quickly fled the scene.
   The protest took place at the holy Buddhist stupa of Boudhanath.
   In southwest China, at least 11 ethnic Tibetans have set themselves on
   fire in recent months, demanding greater religious and cultural
   freedom. A Tibetan exile also took part in a self-immolation protest in
   the Indian capital last week. At least five of the protesters have
   died.
   China has blamed exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, for
   inciting the violence and called self-immolation demonstrations
   immoral. The Tibetan government in exile denies encouraging the
   protests.
   More than 20,000 Tibetan exiles are living in Nepal after a failed 1959
   uprising against Chinese rule. Nepal has prohibited demonstrations by
   Tibetan exiles and cracked down on such gatherings in recent years as
   part of its 'one-China' policy.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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