Tibetan Teenage Monks Attempt Suicide After Forced Schooling Under Harsh Conditions

Five teenage Tibetan monks in Sichuan province's Zungchu county attempted suicide in early September, citing unbearable conditions at a Chinese government-run boarding school, according to Radio Free Asia. The boys, ages 13 and 14, were forced to leave their monastery due to a directive banning monks under 18. They described the school as "prison-like," alleging beatings and poor food. This is part of China's broader effort to impose Mandarin education and suppress Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Local Tibetans intervened to stop the boys from jumping into a river during the incident.