Tibetan Activist Dies After Self-Immolation Near UN Headquarters in New York

Email: online@newsofbahrain.com

New York: A man identified by Tibetan exile groups as a Tibetan activist has died after setting himself on fire near the United Nations headquarters in New York in what supporters described as a protest calling for Tibetan independence and unity.

Exiled Tibetan media outlet Voice of Tibet identified the deceased as Lobga Rangzen, describing him as a Tibetan activist who carried out the self-immolation after making a public appeal for Tibetan independence and unity. Local media reports said Rangzen worked as an Uber driver and was carrying a Tibetan flag at the time of the incident.

New York police said officers responded to an emergency call on Thursday evening and found the man suffering from severe burns near the UN complex. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Authorities have not officially identified the man or determined a motive, and an investigation is ongoing.

Members of New York's Tibetan community told local media that Rangzen had been deeply concerned about China's policies toward Tibetans. The incident comes amid growing criticism of China's new ethnic unity law, which took effect this week and has drawn concern from the United States and the European Union.

The legislation seeks to promote a shared national identity among China's ethnic minority groups, including Tibetans and Uyghurs. Critics, including Tibetan advocacy groups, argue that the law could further erode cultural and ethnic identities and expand Beijing's authority beyond its borders.

Self-immolation has been used by some Tibetans as a form of protest against Chinese rule in Tibet and neighbouring Tibetan-populated regions. According to the International Campaign for Tibet, more than 150 Tibetans self-immolated between 2009 and 2022, including 10 cases involving Tibetans living in exile.