Statement by Tibet Action Institute on the Self-Immolation Protest by Lobsang Palden

 

For Immediate Release
July 3, 2026

Statement by Tibet Action Institute on the Self-Immolation Protest by Lobsang Palden (also known as Lobga Rangzen)

Tibet Action Institute is deeply saddened by the passing of long-time Tibetan independence advocate Lobsang Palden (known as Lobga Rangzen) after his self-immolation protest outside the United Nations in New York City on July 2, 2026. 

Though his choice may seem incomprehensible, it reflects the deep and mostly unknown suffering of Tibetans who are facing attacks on their very existence as a nation by China. This includes the forcible separation of approximately one million Tibetan children from their families and into colonial boarding schools that strip them of their language and culture, the installation of fake Buddhist leaders, banning children from visiting monasteries, and as of just days ago, implementing an ethnic erasure law that essentially criminalizes the very act of being Tibetan.

Several members of the Tibet Action team knew Lobga Rangzen through his activism in New York. Dorjee Tseten, Advocacy Director and former member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile described him as “a tireless advocate for Tibetan independence” who, after escaping Tibet to flee the Chinese government’s persecution “devoted his entire life to advocating for Tibetan human rights and Tibet’s independence.

In a video message recorded in Tibetan on Facebook hours before his self-immolation protest [1], Lobga Rangzen stated: Communist China is waging a campaign to destroy the Tibetan people through its genocidal policies in Tibet. I have little to say to Tibetans inside Tibet, who are doing everything in their power to safeguard our culture, religion, language. I am doing this for my country. For the Tibetan nation.

Lobga Rangzen was serving as the President of the Tibetan National Congress New York/New Jersey that issued a press statement here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DaUfFoqR5GT/ 

Tibet Action Institute sends our deepest condolences to Lobga Rangzen’s family and loved ones. We will not forget his sacrifice.

Note:

[1] English translation of Lobga Rangzen’s full statement (Translation by Tenzin Dorjee):

What I want to say is that Communist China is waging a campaign to destroy the Tibetan people through its genocidal policies in Tibet. I have little to say to Tibetans inside Tibet, who are doing everything in their power to safeguard our culture, religion, language. I just want to thank them. 

For Tibetans in exile, I want to remind you that in the course of a national liberation struggle, there is no such thing as achieving success without taking any action. So those of us in exile, we need to put more effort into the struggle. 

We have this great exile democracy thanks to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the buddha of compassion, and we are fortunate to enjoy this democracy as a gift without having demanded it in the first place. Now His Holiness the Dalai Lama democratized the Tibetan polity not to create division in our community but to prompt the development and progress of the Tibetan nation and people. 

In particular, as His Holiness has said in his past address to Tibetans living in the West, “it is shameful to become complacent in exile simply after owning a house and a car, because you are all spokespersons of the Tibetan people and therefore have a much greater responsibility to our nation and to our people.” He cannot say more than that as a global leader dedicated to serving and uniting all peoples across the entire world regardless of caste or color or creed. While he is a buddha, we’re normal human beings, and we’re subject to internal conflict in our community. So today my message to all is: the Chinese government does not distinguish what kind of Tibetan you are, what region you’re from, whether you’re from Dotoe, Domey, or Utsang — they persecute all of us equally. We are all Tibetans and need to devote ourselves to the common cause of the Tibetan nation and people. 

Right now we have not a single freedom in Tibet, neither human rights, nor freedom of speech, nor the freedom to display a photo of His Holiness on the altar. All these freedoms disappeared because we lost our national independence. So from this day onward, all of us –– including the Tibetan government in exile, the Tibetan parliament, and the Tibetan public –– all must unite and work toward the cause of the Tibetan nation and people. I am asking all Tibetans in exile to realize we are all Tibetans, without being divided by our regional or sectarian affiliations. I beg you all to be united as Tibetans and struggle for an independent Tibet. We’re not without a country, our country has been invaded. We have to take it back. With unity we must take action for an independent Tibet. 

Now, if I take a major action today, I don’t want you to suspend your upcoming celebrations of His Holiness’s birthday and other cultural activities. In fact, please organize bigger and better celebrations of His Holiness’s birthday and engage more actively in cultural practice and observation of our traditional musical arts to celebrate the occasion. These are ways of safeguarding and practicing our culture and nation. 

So, if I do a big action today, I want you to know it is not for any personal reason, it is not because I have nothing to eat or nothing to wear, but because I am doing this for my country. For the Tibetan nation. So we should do all we can for the national cause. I don’t want you to mourn for me, I want you to continue the struggle for Tibetan independence, because the lack of independence is the root of all our problems. 

Victory to Tibet. Victory to Tibetan independence.

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