A string of self-immolations by young Buddhist monks and nuns recently in the Tibetan areas of Southwest China's Sichuan province has aroused public concern. But with a better awareness of the facts, people can understand what is behind these suicides.

As the separatist attempts of the so-called Tibetan government-in-exile have failed, some figures in the Dalai Lama clique have become restless with anxiety and seek to use the deaths of young monks and nuns as a means to put pressure on the authorities and undermine the social stability in the Tibet autonomous region and other Tibetan areas.

Some rinpoches, or living Buddhas, living in exile have been quick to extol the monks who burn themselves to death as "heroes" and overseas media have seen fit to present real time video of the deaths.

But this unseemly haste to try and make political capital out of the loss of innocent young lives is repugnant and the behind-the-scene actions of the plotters of these deaths and their supporters should not be condoned.

Most of the suicides have taken place in Kirti Gompa, a large monastery in Aba prefecture of Sichuan.

These young monks and nuns are uneducated and easily misled by those that harbor evil intentions.

The former abbot of Kirti, Kyabje Kirti Rinpoche, who fled into exile after the rebellion in 1959, has been involved in a variety of separatist activities in Dharamsala, from where he imposes his will on the monastery.

The self-immolations show that not only does the monastery not abide by the core tenets of Buddhism - as one of the most fundamental of all Buddhist precepts is to avoid killing or harming any living being - it is also relinquishing any claims to basic humanity.

If the abbots do not give young monks proper guidance and young monks cannot uphold the precepts of their faith, how can parents entrust their children to the monastery?

According to some Western media, prior to carrying out the self-immolations, the young monks and nuns shouted slogans, such as "Tibet freedom" and "Tibet independence", which suggests that their deaths were engineered with political premeditation.

The 14th Dalai Lama and his political clique are determined to separate Tibet from the motherland so they can restore the theocratic feudal serfdom and regain their privileges.

At the fifth central government working conference on Tibet in January last year, a series of special preferential policies were formulated for the Tibet autonomous region and other Tibetan areas, involving huge investments of human, material and financial resources, which will improve the lives of all residents.

This also includes attaching importance to the repair and maintenance of lamaseries, and providing effective protection of traditional Tibetan sutras. Many projects related to the well-being of local monks are under way, including providing access to water, electricity and communications, and supplying social security and healthcare for elderly monks and nuns.

Many eminent Tibetan monks are actively carrying forward the fine traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and give their followers true leadership and guidance. They have been playing a positive role in maintaining stability and promoting development and cultural prosperity in the Tibet autonomous region and other Tibetan regions.

The self-immolations, which attempt to damage the social order and people's pursuit of prosperity and happiness, are dissonant notes that cannot alter the trend for improving people's well-being.

The author is a researcher with China Tibetology Research Center.