Police reveal fraud behind self-immolations in Qinghai(2)

FRUSTRATION

Jinpa, a monk at the Rongwo Monastery of Tongren county for 10 years, set himself alight and died at Regong Cultural Square on Nov. 8, 2012.

He resumed secular life after falling in love with a woman, but later discovered that she was a prostitute and parted with her, according to Jigme Tenzin, Jinpa's closest friend.

Jinpa said he was sad about being slighted by family after he resumed secular life and thought that monks and locals would pray for him after he self-immolated, Jigme Tenzin recounted. On the night before his death, the two were watching a Tibetan-language TV program on Voice of America, which was broadcasting news about the self-immolations.

Kyihe Monkyi, a 26-year-old divorced woman, died by self-immolation on Nov. 17, 2012 in Rongwo township in Tongren. She had sexual relationships with several men, which led to her divorce, according to a police investigation.

Her family demanded that she reunite with her former husband for the sake of their children. She could not bear the pressure and set herself ablaze one day before the date her family had set for the resumption of her marriage.

Kyihe Monkyi, a taxi driver, attended Jinpa's funeral. She showed sympathy and worship for self-immolators and called them "heroes." At Jinpa's funeral, monks and locals offered donations.

Police investigation has found some people set themselves ablaze to achieve both "fame" and economic gains.