Monk distorts suicide as Tibetan self-immolation

A man burned himself to death after being rejected by his girlfriend in Yushu, Qinghai province on May 27, but a local monk distorted the incident and described it as a Tibet-related self-immolation, local website qhnews.com reported Tuesday.

The dead man Tenzin Sherab, 33, an ethnic Tibetan, worked as a herdsman in Qumarleb county, Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefecture. Sherab had been divorced for many years and lived with his 8-year-old daughter.

He had an argument with his girlfriend and was rejected by her on May 15. He then burned himself with gas on May 27.

After the incident, a local monk Rae-Bleak (male, 25, an ethnic Tibetan) took the opportunity of sending things to Sherab's father and took the photo of the body. He also reshot the previous photos of Sherab wearing a Tibetan robe and then sent the photos to Indian monks by mobile Internet.

Overseas websites that support Tibetan independence published these photos on May 29 and distorted the incident as a Tibet-related self-immolation.

The suspect Rae-Bleak has admitted the whole offence.