Name: Tamdin Dorje
Age: 52
Sex: Male
Profession: Farmer
Date of Self-immolation: 13 October 2012
Location: Mila Serkhar Choten near Tso, Amdo, eastern Tibet Current whereabouts/wellbeing: Deceased
His slogans: Not reported
Tamdin Dorje, the grandfather of a prominent young Tibetan reincarnate lama — the 7th Gungthang Rinpoche of Labrang Tashikyil Monastery — died after setting himself on fire near a white stupa beside Tsoe Gaden Choeling Monastery in Gansu’s Kanlho Prefecture. He reportedly shouted slogans demaning Tibetan freedom as he lit himself. According to sources, the local Tibetans took his body back to his home and refused to hand it over to Chinese authorities and monks of Tsoe Monastery offered prayer service. It was also reported that the Chinese officials have sealed off the monastery by deploying a large number of paramilitary forces in and around the monastery.
Tamdin was originally from Drong Che village in Khasag Township, Kanlho. Tibetans gathered in huge numbers to pray for him despite an intense military build-up following his fiery protest. This self-immolation is likely to raise a higher level of concern among the Beijing authorities due to Tamdin’s relationship to the influential young rinpoche.