[06. December 2011] Wall Street Journal
By Tsering Woeser

Leaving Lhasa for Beijing one month ago, I was relieved to no longer be living under martial law, with soldiers and police everywhere. But for Tibetans the pain follows wherever we go: The news that another Tibetan has set fire to herself arrives.

The Communist Party does not understand why this is happening. The despots only believe in guns and money. They not only have no faith themselves, they can’t even understand the power of faith to motivate acts of great selflessness.

Tibetans are not so foolish that they value their lives lightly. Rather it is the despots who have ignited the flames that engulfed these monks and nuns by pushing them to the point of desperation. Read more