“Gonpo Tsering was a person with a lot of humanity and had a really positive attitude all the time. He was involved in a comedy sketch relating to education a few months ago and people were really affected by his commitment and actions.”

19-year old Gonpo Tsering, known as one of the brightest students at his school, died after setting himself on fire in front of a monastery in Tsoe.

Gonpo Tsering, who had married in 2011, called for freedom for Tibetans, the protection of the Tibetan language, and for the Dalai Lama to be brought back to Tibet. Monks from the monastery gathered at the scene and tried to extinguish the flames but failed. His body was taken back to his family village.

Gonpo Tsering was from Ked village in Lushod, Ngagod township, Gannan. He went to Lushod primary school from the age of 11, and left school in the second year of his middle school. According to Tibetans who knew him, when at school, Gonpo Tsering was always top of his class and received a number of prizes. A Tibetan in exile who spoke to Tibetans who knew him said: “Gonpo Tsering was a person with a lot of humanity and had a really positive attitude all the time. He was involved in a comedy sketch relating to education a few months ago and people were really affected by his commitment and actions.” He left school to get married in 2011.

Read more:

Death of popular, educated young Tibetan after self-immolation confirmed by Chinese media (13 November 2012)