US Reaffirms Support for Tibetan Cultural Preservation After Activists Self-Immolation

The United States on Wednesday reaffirmed its backing for Tibetans’ demands to preserve their culture, language, and religion following a Tibetan activist’s death from self-immolation in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York City.A State Department spokesperson said the United States “is committed to supporting the unalienable human rights and aspirations of Tibetans to celebrate and preserve their unique culture, language, and religion without fear of interference.”The spokesperson noted that “the United States will continue to call on China to return to direct dialogue, without pre-conditions, with the Dalai Lama and his representatives, and with the democratically elected Tibetan leaders, to resolve differences and achieve meaningful autonomy for Tibetans.”The statement came after the July 2 death of 52-year-old Lobga Rangzen, also known as Lobsang Palden. He was discovered around 6:30 p.m. ET suffering from severe burns near the U.N. complex. He was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to authorities. Police continue to investigate the incident.Tibetan advocacy groups identified Rangzen as an activist who had spent years taking part in peaceful, non-violent demonstrations to shed light on human rights conditions in Tibet. He was holding a Tibetan flag at the time and had livestreamed on Facebook before the act, issuing a call for Tibetan independence and addressing China’s occupation of the region, according to the Tibetan National Congress of New York and New Jersey.In a July 3 statement posted on Instagram, the organization said Rangzen made clear his actions arose from his commitment to Tibet and were not driven by personal circumstances. The group quoted his final message: “I don’t want you to mourn for me, I want you to continue the struggle for Tibetan independence, because the lack of independence is the root of all our problems.”Jamyang Norbu, founder of the Tibetan National Congress, said that it must be remembered that Lobga Rangzen committed this act for the political freedom of Tibet.“It is a tragedy that he passed away, but his commitment to the independence of Tibet will not be forgotten,” he said.Advocacy organizations called the New York incident the first recorded self-immolation by a Tibetan in the United States.Monitoring groups have reported more than 150 self-immolations by Tibetans inside Tibet since 2009, conducted in protest against the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) policies after Beijing’s takeover of the region in 1950.While China maintains that Tibet has been an inalienable part of its territory since ancient times, prior to the establishment of CCP control, Tibet exercised de facto self-governance, and from 1912 to 1950, effective independence from direct Chinese administration.In response to the New York incident, Beijing said related countries should oversee the matter in accordance with domestic laws and said that the United States is in “no position” to place blame on China regarding Tibet-related issues.Beijing views the Dalai Lama as a separatist and maintains that it must approve his successor under a centuries-old process. The Dalai Lama has called upon followers to reject any successor chosen by the Chinese regime.The State Department’s latest remarks continue a longstanding U.S. position, held across administrations, that emphasizes human rights protections for Tibetans and encourages direct talks between Chinese authorities and Tibetan representatives.The CCP’s military takeover of Tibetan areas has drawn international scrutiny over restrictions on religious practice, cultural expression, movement, and assembly.In December 2022, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on two Chinese officials for their roles in alleged human rights abuses in the Tibetan Autonomous Region, such as arbitrary detention, extrajudicial killings, and physical abuse connected to efforts to restrict religious freedoms.Rangzen’s protest took place against a backdrop of increased security measures in Tibetan regions, which rights monitors say authorities have intensified in response to past demonstrations. Some survivors of self-immolation protests inside Tibet have been detained, after which their whereabouts became unknown, according to advocacy reports.Reuters contributed to this report.