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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

14 January 2021

For Shurmo, who had self immolated on 17 September 2015 ( confirmed on January 12 2021)

 
                                                                                                                                  For Shurmo,  Copy Right Tomoyo Ihaya 2021


For Shurmo, a 26 years old, who had self immolated on September 17 2015 protesting against CCP's repressive policies in Tibet. 

The protest took place around 1 pm local time nearby a bus station in Chagchukha Village in Driru County, Nagchu in Tibet.  Police arrested Shurmo immediately after his protest and he was taken to a local hospital but he passed away on the same day.  

There were many Tibetan eyewitnesses. However due to the immediate shutdown/censorship with means of communication,  the news did not arrive the Tibetan in exile community till now, more than five years later. 

It is said that police also arrested three of his relatives and till date, there is no information whether the three are still detained, sentenced or released. 

Shurmo belonged to Shagchukha Village in Nagchu county.  His picture did not come with the news. 


News source:  Central Tibet Administration's site: Tibet.net

https://tibet.net/2015-tibetan-self-immolation-protest-news-surfaces-more-than-5-years-later/?fbclid=IwAR1OOdjXmT5CCg-9dyqnzTXlxD-pefabgOYIhHBUemG6yRJAQ4ZYd8YPJdE