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Towards the last two months of my last visit to India in the spring of 2012, I encountered the Tibetan community in exile in India experiencing painful news of their people self-immolating in fire one after another in China-occupied Tibet. My experiences in the past visits in India (drawing a cremation site in Varanasi, documenting fire pits, cremation alters, and contemplating on life and death around fire) synchronized with this particular movement, an extreme way of ‘offering’ their bodies to ‘fire’ for asking freedom and peace.I could not help drawing large and small drawings as emotional response and with a sense of mourning.

After coming back to Vancouver, the self-immolation kept happening and I felt that my personal and professional task is not finished.

I have come back to India to continue to document and draw under the same theme. tomoyoihaya@hotmail.com

17 February 2020

Remember Sonam and Choepak Kyap April 19th 2012

For Sonam and Choepak Kyap, who, together, self immolated on April 19 2012 in Barma township, Dzamthang county, Ngaba, Amdo, Tibet.

They carried out their protest close to a local government office.  Although paramilitary troops were deployed immediately, local Tibetans managed to prevent them from taking away their bodies and brought into Jonang Dzamthang Gonchen monastey.  The monks and local people kept gathering at the monastery to offer prayers for them, pushing the deployed troop away.

They were both nomads in their early twenties and were related.

They left a will behind.

" Tibetans have unique religion and culture that is based on a belief that with love and compassion, one should devote himself for others.  However at this moment,  Tibet has been ruled by communist China and are under suppression.  Tibetans' basic human rights were taken and we live in suffering.

With wishes that Tibet will be free and for the world peace, we will self immolate.
The pain of fellow Tibetans whose freedom have been taken is greater than our pain in the flame.

My dear parents, family and siblings, (the fact we will die today) does not mean we do not love you nor we want to be separated from you.  We do not take our lives lightly, either.
We are both clear mentally and with pure heart and thoughts,  we shall carry out this protest so as Tibet will gain its freedom, Buddhism keeps flourishing with wishes for all sentient beings' happiness and the world peace.

Please follow our last wishes  If our bodies are fallen under the Chinese authority, please do not go against them. Our wish is that no Tibetan gets hurt because of our protest.

Whenever you feel sad about our passings, please talk to the teachers and tulks in the monastery.  By doing so, please keep learning your culture and tradition. Please keep your love and trust to your fellow Tibetans, preserve the culture and stay united.  If you keep doing so,  some day,  our dream will come true.

May our last wish come true."