Tibetan sets fire to herself

A TIBETAN woman set herself on fire in south-western China yesterday in protest over Chinese rule, a Tibetan rights group said, the latest in a series of self-immolations that signal growing unrest in the Tibetan areas of China.

The incident came a day before China’s annual parliamentary session – an occasion often used by authorities to clamp down on potential sources of unrest and project political unity.

Campaign group Free Tibet said the woman, identified as Rinchen, a 32-year-old mother of four, died after setting herself ablaze yesterday morning near a monastery in Sichuan province.

The Kirti monastery in Aba county, known as Ngaba in Tibetan, has been at the forefront of pro-Tibetan protests in recent months including several self-immolations.

Rinchen is the 23rd Tibetan to self-immolate in the past year.