In a tragic protest against the new Chinese Communist Party law “Destroying Tibetans,” Tibetan activist Loga Rangzen self-immolated outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday. This incident occurred just a day after the implementation of the CCP’s “Law on Ethnic Unity and Progress.” On Friday, Tibetan community and activist groups in Los Angeles held candlelight vigils at different locations to mourn the exile Tibetan and condemn the oppressive policies of the Chinese Communist Party that led to this new tragedy.
Since the Chinese Communist Party defeated the Tibetan army and “peacefully liberated” Tibet in 1950, it has enforced a harsh policy that includes massacring monks and nuns, restricting religious freedom, and attempting to eradicate the Tibetan language and culture. The spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, the 14th Dalai Lama, went into exile in India in 1959.
At the vigil for Loga Rangzen in front of Los Angeles City Hall, Tibetan Buddhist Wang Liangliang (Tibetan name: Jinme Wangbo) expressed how the CCP harshly oppresses the Tibetan people, not allowing them to worship the Dalai Lama and detaining anyone found doing so. Wang himself has faced persecution due to his faith.
In 2016, Wang bought a house in Larong Gully in Seda County, Sichuan Province, for long-term study at the Wuming Buddhist Academy. Unexpectedly, the CCP sent thousands of personnel to arrest Han students, leading to his deportation to his hometown of Changchun, where his house was forcibly demolished. Tens of thousands of Tibetan students were also arrested and suppressed, with many fleeing to India.
“Upon hearing the news about Rangzen, I felt immense sorrow; he was using his actions to speak up for Tibet,” Wang said. He highlighted the dire situation of Tibetan Buddhists under Communist Party rule, where they can’t even obtain passports, and Han students returning to their hometowns from Seda are subjected to long-term monitoring. The newly implemented “Law on Ethnic Unity and Progress” is seen as a draconian measure.
In the evening, participants lit candles on the steps in front of Los Angeles City Hall, including Chen Weiming, founder of Freedom Sculpture Park. Chen, who has met the Dalai Lama multiple times and has been warmly received by the Tibetan community, plans to erect a statue in the park in memory of Rangzen next year.
During a speech, Chinese Democracy Party member Zhang Zhijun condemned the new CCP law for not only harming Tibetans but also threatening all individuals in the international community. She emphasized that anyone who criticizes the CCP may be labeled as undermining ethnic unity and face transnational repression, instilling fear among dissenters.
According to statistics, since 2009, at least 170 Tibetans have self-immolated in protest against CCP persecution. Zhang believes that the CCP is not uniting ethnic minorities but rather dividing them, with the so-called “progress” in the law revealing the Party’s arrogance in considering minorities backward, which in itself is the most significant act of division.
That same evening, the Tibetan Association of Southern California (TASC) held candlelight vigils and prayer ceremonies to bid farewell to Loga Rangzen, who sacrificed his life for the belief in national freedom. Individuals from various activist organizations in Los Angeles attended the events.
Chinese Democracy Party member Yang Xiao wore Tibetan attire to participate in both vigils, expressing her respect for a life lost, despite not understanding Tibetan. She criticized the CCP for exploiting the new law to “unify” Tibetans while actually “forcibly erasing the culture.”
On the same day, the International Campaign For Tibet (ICT) issued a statement mourning Loga Rangzen’s death and extending condolences to his family and the Tibetan community. They urged resistance against CCP repression policies and their attempts to erase Tibetan identity.
In the statement, ICT President Tencho Gyatso expressed deep sorrow over Loga Rangzen’s passing. “Loga was a tireless advocate for Tibetan rights, dedicating his life to peacefully raising awareness about the human rights crisis in Tibet and the issue of independence. His unwavering dedication to justice and the Tibetan cause will be forever remembered by us,” he said.