Suicide by a Tibetan monk sparks tensions in China

A Tibetan monk committed suicide today in southwest China, the second such incident of self immolation in recent times, sparking tensions in the area which has a large Tibetan population.

Tsongwon Norbu, 29, a monk in Sichuan Province at Nyitso Monastery in Dawu County of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, set himself on fire this afternoon, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Tsongwon Norbu was a native of Dawu County. It was unclear why he had burnt himself, it said. This is the second suicide of a monk in four months.

In April a similar suicide by a monk has created unrest in Kirti Monastery one of the major monasteries in Aba County in the same province has stirred up unrest among the monks.

Subsequently, China denied reports of clashes between monks and police refuted reports of suppressing any unrest by the monks.

Tension prevailed there due to rumours that government planned to shift the monks from the monastery.

Several people were killed in 2008 Lhasa riots in which a number of monks took part. The Chinese government had blamed the exiled Tibetan leader Dalai Lama for instigating the riots then.