DHARAMSHALA, February 14: With the number of known cases of self-immolations by Tibetans living under China’s rule reaching 100 earlier this month, the exile Tibetan administration today called on China to stop the deteriorating situation in Tibet.

The Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration in a press statement declared that case of Tibet is for the world to answer.

Lobsang Namgyal, a 37-year-old monk of the Kirti Monastery became the latest Tibetan to self-immolate under China’s rule when he set himself on fire near a Chinese police building in the Ngaba region of eastern Tibet on February 3. Lobsang Namgyal raised slogans for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama before succumbing to his injuries at his protest site.

CTA noted that the self-immolations have continued “despite the recent harsh and unlawful sentencing of 8 Tibetans and arrest of family members, for allegedly instigating Tibetans to self-immolation.”

“Though the CTA continues to repeatedly appeal to the Tibetans in Tibet to refrain from such drastic acts, sadly the self-immolations continue,” the exile administration said.

In the statement, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, the elected head of the Tibetan people said the “ongoing and unprecedented self-immolations by an increasing number of Tibetans in Tibet are the ultimate acts of civil disobedience against China’s failed rule in Tibet.”

“Instead of owning the onus of tragedy in Tibet – a self evident responsibility of its over 60 years of continuous iron-grip rule in Tibet – China relentlessly and irresponsibly accuses His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan leadership of inciting these self-immolations,” Sikyong Sangay said.

The CTA noted that it had earlier called on China to provide unfettered access to Tibet for the global media, diplomats and international NGOs in order to “unveil the truth of the matter in Tibet.”

Sikyong Sangay, who is currently on an official trip to the United States, further called on national governments and international agencies, including the United Nations, to “use their good offices and actively engage with China to stop the deteriorating situation in Tibet by addressing the genuine grievances of the Tibetans.”

“Concrete steps that the leaders of the world need to take immediately are to send Ms Navi Pillay of UNHCR on a visit to Tibet and investigate the real causes of self immolations, and convene a meeting to discuss and address the crisis in Tibet.”