April 5, 2013

A Tibetan woman has set herself on fire to protest the demolition of her home as Chinese authorities bulldozed around 1,000 houses rebuilt in Kyegudo. The unidentified woman’s protest occurred last week when a wrecking crew arrived to destroy her house. The fire was quickly put out by people who had gathered nearby and her condition was not life-threatening. Amid reports of the woman’s protest, an area resident and father of 10 named Gogey also threatened to set himself ablaze to protest the confiscation of his own land and has arranged for prayers to be read for him in local monasteries.

Kyegudo was hit by a devastating earthquake on April 14, 2010, that largely destroyed the town and killed almost 3,000 area residents by official count. Rebuilding in Kyegudo has progressed slowly and is scheduled for completion by July.

Reconstruction has resulted in the eviction of Tibetans living in the Rishuggul area and behind the Yulshul Normal School, sites that were empty or used as farmland before the earthquake struck.

Chinese security forces have bulldozed newly built Tibetan houses and tents, and have beaten and detained anyone resisting the demolition.