Tibetan Immolations--A Radical Struggle Against China

In the past year 21 Tibetans have torched themselves self-immolated.  Most of these demonstrations have been accompanied by the Tibetan immolating himself to cry out blessings to the Dali Lama or shout slogans such as "Freedom for Tibet".  What do these self-immolations represent?

I have written and spoken on goals of Chinese foreign policy.  One primary goal is maintenance of territorial integrity.  China, quite simply, refuses to recognize any argument regarding self-determination or independence of Tibet.  When the Chinese get concerned about Tibetans abroad disrupting their control over Tibet and Tibetans within China, then the Chinese government goes coercive, sending in the military to coerce behavior out of Tibetans.  The recent focus on delaying re-entry into Tibet of Tibetans who traveled into India is a sign of Chinese attempts to coerce Tibetan behaviors.

The Tibetan response has been to radicalize their struggle for self-determination and independence.  As long as the Chinese government continues to harass Tibetan monks, and engage in coercive behaviors toward the Tibetan populace, Tibetans are going to have to find alternative means of protesting, and engaging in radical struggle against Chinese rule.  Unfortunately that radical behavior is not marked by marches, rallies, and public denouncement of the government, which cannot happen because of the preponderance of force possessed by the Chinese.  Instead that radical behavior is gruesome to behold.