The death toll in the fiery wave of self-immolations in Tibet since March 2011 has risen to ten with the deaths of Tsultrim, Tenyi, and Norbu Damdul.Tsultrim and Tenyi, both around 20 years of age, had set their bodies on fire on January 6 at around 2:40 pm Tibet time in the distraught Ngaba region of eastern Tibet, which alone has witnessed ten instances of self-immolations since early last year.Following their self-immolation, all the Tibetan shops and business were closed as a mark of respect and to show solidarity with the family of the two deceased.However, as in earlier instances, local Tibetans were barred from visiting the families of the deceased to offer their condolences and prayers by the Chinese authorities.

Norbu Damdul, a former monk of Kirti Monastery, who set himself on fire on October 15, 2011 passed away in a Chinese military hospital in Barkham, eastern Tibet on January 5, 2012.

His whereabouts remained known for nearly three months after Chinese security personnel arrested him following his self-immolation in the central town of Ngaba.

Norbu Damdul had raised slogans demanding ‘Complete Independence for Tibet’ and ‘Return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet’ according to eyewitness accounts.

Kirti monastery said that the Norbu Damdul’s family was denied the right to perform his last rites.