Aimed at the wrong target

First it was Baroness Ashton, on behalf of the European Union. Then came Hugo Swire, British foreign office minister.

They expressed "serious" worries about the "human rights situation" in China's Tibet, the self-immolations in particular.

They have also displayed a "balance" in their respective statements. They are appealing for both the "Chinese authorities" and "Tibetans" and "their community and religious leaders" to play a role in stopping self-immolations, though they ignored the efforts of local officials and communities to prevent such tragedies.