Aflame for Freedom in Tibet: The Origin and Development of the Self-Immolation Movement

Since 2009, images of Tibetans setting themselves on fire in protest of the repressive policies of the Chinese government have drawn attention from around the world. In Aflame for Freedom in Tibet: The Origin and Development of the Self-Immolation Movement, Namloyak Dhungser examines the protest movement and its motivations through interviews with Tibetans, both inside Tibet and abroad, and in the context of developments in Tibetan history, providing unique insight into the multifaceted origins of this movement in both contemporary and historic Tibetan perspectives. The number of self-immolating protestors continues to climb: a final plea from Tibetans to the world to secure their freedom. This book is not only a path to a deeper understanding of the Tibetan situation—past and future—but a call to action to recognize basic Tibetan human rights.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1. The Emergence of the Tibetan Self-immolation Protests Chapter 2. A Pan-Tibetan Movement Chapter 3. The Voice of the Protests Chapter 4. The Spirit of the Protests Chapter 5. Views on the Protests: Chinese, Western, and Buddhist Chapter 6. The Protests in International Context Chapter 7. The Future of Tibet

About the Author :
Namloyak Dhungser is an independent scholar and Tibetologist. Joshua Esler is a researcher and lecturer in Asian studies at Sheridan Institute of Higher Education.

Review :
“Namloyak Dhungser’s book is a passionate appeal for the survival of the Tibetan nation, founded upon its right to national self-determination. Based upon his own experiences and intimate knowledge of the situation in Tibet, as well as Tibetan, Chinese, and international sources, Dhungser analyzes the political phenomenon of Tibetan self-immolations. With sympathy and understanding, he explains their significance better than any other writer to my knowledge. This deeply researched, rational, and reasonable study introduces an important new Tibetan scholar and writer to the international debate about the fate of Tibet.” “Namloyak Dhungser wrote, ‘I once gave you a single tear in place of hopes and blessings’ while lingering in Chinese prison for ‘founding a counter-revolutionary organization.’ Thirty years later, he does just that in this profound tribute to over one hundred and fifty Tibetans—men and women, ordained and lay, young and old, educated and illiterate, influential and common—who sacrificed their bodies in the most dramatic political protest of our time to demand control over their own fate and land, the return of their leader the Dalai Lama, and the freedom to express their national identity, language, religion, and culture. Their heroism was largely met with silence on the world stage. This book is a must-read—and must be acted upon—in a world dominated by Chinese colonial propaganda and cultural imperialism catering to the narrow interests of Western media.” “Confined in a Chinese prison, writer Namloyak Dhungser was banned from having pens and paper in his cell. It was a crushing deprivation, so a friend smuggled him the inside of a biro, and Namloyak wrote poetry in cramped characters on cigarette papers. Now, from exile in Australia, Namloyak has written a book that is a call to action, inspired by the sacrifices made by more than one hundred and fifty Tibetans who committed the unimaginable act of setting their bodies on fire. With grace and insight, Namloyak conjures the gleaming details of Tibetan lives in the context of a centuries-old civilization known for its spiritual greatness and Buddhist teachings, sought by Chinese emperors and Mongol Khans alike. He makes a compelling case for the world to pay much more attention to Tibet and for us to understand the immensity of what Tibetans continue to experience, as if to feel ‘the sparks settling in the folds of our clothing, if not the pain of the fire on our skin.’”