5 suspects arrested for inciting self-immolations

LANZHOU - Police in Northwest China's Gansu province said Wednesday that they have arrested five Tibetans for allegedly convincing three people to self-immolate.

The suspects are Karong Takchen, Samuten, Tashi Gyamuktso, Tenbe Gyalpo and Tentsang, according to Gansu police authorities.

The police said they found that Karong Takchen, a 21-year-old monk from a temple in neighboring Sichuan province, had entered Gansu last July to organize self-immolation activities.

Karong Takchen acted under the instruction of Gantrin and Kunga, both members of the Tibetan Youth Congress, as well as Amdo, a Tibetan broadcaster for Voice of America and VOA journalist Palden, the police said.

He had colluded with local monks Samuten, Tashi Gyamuktso and Tentsang to recruit self-immolation victims in several places, the police said.

They encouraged a series of self-immolations within 20 days that led to the deaths of three people, the police said.

Last October, Karong Takchen, working in tandem with Tenbe Gyalpo and Tentsang, selected Dogye Rinchen as the self-immolator. They repeatedly encouraged Dogye Rinchen to sacrifice himself and helped him obtain gasoline, according to a police investigation.

Persuaded by Karong Takchen, Dogye Rinchen lit himself alight on Oct 23 in Xiahe county.

Local police rushed to rescue the victim but were halted by another two people on the way, which ultimately resulted in the death of Dogye Rinchen.

Soon after Dogye Rinchen's death, Takchen and Samuten chose Thub Magyal as another self-immolator and convinced him that the act would constitute a contributions to Tibet's people.

Thub Magyal died on Oct 26 after he set himself on fire in Sangke township of Xiahe county.

Karong Takchen and Tashi Gyamuktso then persuaded the third victim Gonpo Tsering, who self-immolated and died on November 10 in the city of Hezuo, the police said.

After each incident, Karong Takchen and other suspects were on the spot to take photos and send them abroad, the police said.

The police said organizing self-immolations and convincing others to commit such acts represent criminal acts that harm others and jeopardize society.

They said they will continue to investigate such cases and punish those responsible.

On Jan 31, a court in Sichuan province sentenced Lorang Konchok to death with a two-year reprieve for inciting deadly self-immolations. His nephew and accomplice were both sentenced to 10 years in prison

A court in Northwest China's Qinghai province on Feb 8 sentenced a man to 13 years in jail for convincing a monk to self-immolate.