Rangzen, a longtime Tibetan activist aged 52, had set himself ablaze — and died. The Dalai Lama. I do it for the Tibetan nation,” he says in Tibetan, sitting cross-legged, sweat dripping from his brow. Beijing, which contends it has improved economic and social conditions in Tibet, accused the Dalai Lama of “glorifying” self-immolations. While the Dalai Lama expressed sorrow and questioned the efficacy of such protests, some scholars criticized him for not trying to stop the practice.