Beijing's cultural genocide cause of Self-immolation:Dalai

Dalai Lama blamed Beijing's cultural genocide for a wave of self-immolation among monks and nuns in ethnic Tibetan parts of Sichuan. Speaking to newsmen in Tokyo, the Tibetan spiritual leader said, hard-line officials had created a "desperate" situation.

Eleven young Tibetans have set themselves on fire this year in apparent protest against Chinese rule. The most recent was a nun in Dawu county, who died after setting herself on fire last week.