Tibetan Monk Sets Himself on Fire, 107th Self-Immolation

A monk has set himself on fire in central China, the third Tibetan in two days to take part in self-immolation protests against Chinese rule.

VOA sources say a monk, identified as Sandhag, set himself alight late Monday in the main street of Ngaba in China's Sichuan province.

Same sources say the security forces put out the flames and took the monk to the hospital, but that his current whereabouts and condition are unknown.

Earlier on the same day, Tsezung Kyab, 27, died after lighting himself on fire in front of a Gaden Shedrup Choekhorling Buddhist monastery in neighboring Gansu province.

On Sunday, a 20-year-old man, identified as Phakmo Thondup, set himself ablaze at a monastery in nearby Qinghai province, also allegedly protesting China's policies in Tibet. He died Sunday night in a hospital in Xining, the provincial capital of Qinghai.

At least 107 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 to protest what they say is Chinese repression of their culture and homeland. Thus far, 90 of them have died.

China denies it is repressing Tibetans and says the suicide protests are acts of terrorism.

Beijing also contends that Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has incited the self-immolations to promote Tibetan separatism. The Dalai Lama says he has done nothing to encourage the protests.