'China out of Tibet': Why did Tibetan man self-immolate outside UN headquarter? All eyes on China's ‘Ethnic Unity Law’

A 42-year-old Tibetan man, Logba Rangzen, set himself on fire outside the United Nations Headquarters while making a desperate plea for his country. He reportedly left behind a Tibetan flag and a simple message written on a piece of paper: "CHINA OUT OF TIBET."

Police said on Thursday that he died from severe burns near the United Nations headquarters. He breathed his last at Bellevue Hospital in New York City.

A New York City Police Department spokesman was quoted by Reuters as saying that police responding to an emergency call made around 6:30 pm ET (2230 GMT) on Thursday found the man badly burned.

He was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said, adding an investigation was ongoing.

Police did not name the man or provide a potential motive for his actions.

Who was Lobga Rangzen? Why did he 'self-immolate'?

Voice of Tibet, a media outlet of exiled Tibetans, said Tibetan activist Lobga Rangzen "self-immolated outside the UN headquarters in New York after a live appeal for Tibetan independence and unity."

According to Tibetan Frontline, Rangzen worked as an Uber driver and had lived in the United States for two decades. "Friends said he was deeply angry over China’s strict and cruel control of Tibet," the report added.

Rangzen reportedly went to the scene with a Tibetan flag, local news site amNewYork reported. Rangzen "was enraged by the restrictions the Chinese government had placed on his countrymen," the website quoted fellow Uber driver Lobsang Paljor as saying.

Tencho Gyatso, president of the International Campaign for Tibet, described Rangzen as "a tireless advocate for Tibet" and said she was "deeply saddened" by his death.

China's Ethnic Unity Law

The incident happened the same week China implemented a new ethnic unity law. The law gives Beijing the legal basis to take action against people outside its borders.

The law creates a "shared" national identity among the country's 55 ethnic minority groups, including Tibetans and Uyghurs, some of whom chafe under Chinese governance.

The Chinese government claims this law helps minority groups get along and share a national identity. However, human rights experts warn that the law is actually a tool to wipe out Tibetan culture, Tibetan Frontline claimed.

"It forces Tibetan children to learn Mandarin over their mother tongue and gives China the power to punish Tibetan activists even if they live in other countries," the report added.

Tibetans around the world have opposed the law. The United States and the European Union also expressed concern on Thursday about China's new law on ethnic unity.

An EU spokesperson said the law may further restrict the cultural, linguistic and religious rights of ethnic minorities. Such rights should be upheld in line with international human rights standards and China's commitments within the UN framework, the spokesperson added.

"We are concerned about the extraterritorial application of the law. The EU opposes the extraterritorial application of third-country legislation in breach of international law," the spokesperson was quoted by Reuters as saying.

"We call on any third country to refrain from attempts to conduct transnational repression within the European Union or elsewhere," the spokesperson added.

In a separate statement, a US State Department spokesperson called the law "problematic" for forcing people outside China to "actively promote the Chinese Communist Party's 'ethnic unity' agenda, or face retaliation from Chinese authorities."

"The United States will safeguard our sovereignty and defend individuals from the overreach of foreign governments and regimes trying to silence, intimidate, harass, harm or coerce them within our borders," the official said.

China seized control of Tibet in 1950 in what it describes as a "peaceful liberation" from feudalistic serfdom. Beijing has exerted greater institutional control in Tibet since Xi Jinping became the country's president in 2012.

Ethnic minority issues are highly sensitive in China, with Tibetans and other minorities put under heavy surveillance for any sign of alleged "separatism," Reuters reported.

How did China react?

Speaking about the immolation at a daily news conference on Friday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Tibet has been an inalienable part of the country's territory since ancient times and Beijing believes "relevant countries will handle the matter in accordance with domestic laws."

In response to criticism over the new ethnic unity law, China urged countries on Friday to "stop spreading falsehoods" about it.

"We urge the countries concerned to respect the basic facts, stop spreading falsehoods, and stop exploiting the so-called ethnic issues as a pretext for interfering in China's internal affairs," foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a news conference.

International human rights groups and exiles, however, have routinely condemned what they call China's oppressive rule in Tibetan areas. China rejects such assessments.

The International Campaign for Tibet says there were more than 150 self-immolations by Tibetans between 2009 and 2022. According to its data, 10 self-immolations by Tibetans have occurred while people were in exile.

(With inputs from Reuters)