Tibetan man dies after setting himself on fire near U.N. headquarters, activists say
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- A Tibetan man identified as activist Logba Rangzen died from severe burns after setting himself on fire near the United Nations headquarters in New York City, in an apparent protest for Tibetan independence.
- Rangzen, an Uber driver, reportedly carried a Tibetan flag and made a live appeal for Tibetan unity before his self-immolation, motivated by anger over Chinese government restrictions on Tibetans.
- The incident occurred amid international concern over China’s new ethnic unity law, which aims to enforce a shared national identity among its 55 ethnic minority groups, including Tibetans and Uyghurs.
- Tibetans have a history of self-immolation protests against Chinese policies, which Beijing denies as oppressive, while international groups criticize China’s control over Tibetan regions since its 1950 takeover.
- Human rights advocates, including the International Campaign for Tibet, mourned Rangzen’s death, highlighting his dedication to the Tibetan cause and condemning the ongoing repression of ethnic minorities in China.
