China: Unclear Motives Behind Tibetan Self-Immolations

Many of the nearly 100 self-immolations that have occurred in Tibetan areas of China since March 2011 have been attributed to a form of protest calling for a "Free Tibet" and the return of the Dalai Lama. However, it has not been confirmed that all who have lit themselves on fire did so for this purpose. These unconfirmed motives, combined with the inconsistent reporting in Tibet, raise questions as to the bias behind the reports and whether some of these individuals used self-immolation as a means of suicide unrelated to political matters.