Tibetan Dies After Self-Immolation Outside UN In New York

NEW YORK, NY- Tibetan activist Lobga Rangzen died after self-immolating outside the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The incident occurred on the evening of July 2, a day after China’s “Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress Law” came into force. The legislation has drawn widespread criticism from the international community, with United Nations human rights experts warning that it risks “entrenching forced assimilation and encouraging transnational repression.”

Before the incident, Rangzen livestreamed a message on social media calling for Tibetan independence and unity. He later succumbed to his burn injuries at Bellevue Hospital in New York.

Tencho Gyatso, President of the International Campaign for Tibet, expressed grief over Rangzen’s death and urged the international community to address the worsening human rights situation in Tibet and hold the Chinese government accountable for its “policies of repression and forced assimilation.”

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Lobga, also known as Lobga Rangzen, following his self-immolation outside the UN headquarters in New York on the evening of July 2. Lobga was a tireless advocate for Tibet who devoted himself to peacefully raising awareness of the human rights crisis in Tibet, and he will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to justice and the Tibetan cause,” Gyatso said.

On July 1, Tibetan communities held demonstrations in several countries, including the United States and Belgium, to protest China’s Ethnic Unity and Progress Law as it came into effect. (IANS)