Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

DHARAMSHALA, December 9: A teenaged Tibetan schoolgirl set herself on fire today in eastern Tibet protesting China’s continued occupation of Tibet and calling for the long life of Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Bhenchen Kyi, 17, set herself on fire in Dokarmo region of Tsekhog, Rebkong, eastern Tibet at around 8 pm (local time). She passed away at the site of her protest.

Sonam, a Tibetan living in Switzerland, told Phayul that Bhenchen Kyi raised slogans for the ‘long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’ and for the ‘Tibetan people to prevail for tens of thousands of years’ while engulfed in flames.

Taiwanese feel that human rights in the country have deteriorated, according to a survey of public opinion by the government-affiliated Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, with media independence receiving its worst score since the annual survey was first conducted in 2009.

The survey, conducted by Shih Hsin University, polled 1,076 people from Nov. 20 to Nov. 23 to gauge public opinion on the development of democracy, freedom and human rights this year.

The survey monitors six aspects: personal freedom and legal protection; personal liberty and equality; freedom of expression and religion; the right to protest; the right to participate in elections and vote; and the right to access public services.