£5,000 rewards offered for self-immolation tip-offs

Police in a heavily Tibetan region of west China are offering to reward people who tip them off about planned self-immolations.

Dozens of ethnic Tibetans have set themselves on fire since March last year in protest at what activists say is Beijing's heavy-handed rule in Tibetan regions. Many have called for the return of the Dalai Lama, their exiled spiritual leader.

Gannan police issued a notice saying the string of recent immolations had "seriously impacted social stability and harmony as well as people's ability to live and work".

It said anyone providing details of immolation plans would receive 50,000 yuan (£5,000), and that a 200,000 yuan reward would be paid for information about the "black hands" who organised four recent self-immolations.

AP