Chinese Authorities Detain Two Young Tibetans for Performing Song Honoring Dalai Lama's 90th Birthday

As the Dalai Lama celebrates his 90th birthday, two young Tibetans, Asang and Pelkyong, have been arbitrarily detained by Chinese authorities after they performed a cover of a song honoring the spiritual leader. The duo's whereabouts remain unknown, and their families are in severe emotional distress. This incident is part of a broader campaign by Chinese authorities to suppress Tibetan cultural and artistic expression, as well as any form of reverence for the Dalai Lama.

Key Takeaways:

• Asang, a young and widely admired Tibetan singer, was detained in early July along with Pelkyong, a fellow Tibetan singer, after they released a cover of the song "Prince of Peace" on the Chinese video-sharing platform Kuaishou.
• The song, originally performed in 2006, is known for its reverential content about the Dalai Lama's life and legacy, and Asang's cover gained traction from the public before being deleted from the platform.
• Asang, married with a young child, is a student of Gebey, a well-known Tibetan artist who has been previously subjected to repeated detentions for his music.
• Pelkyong, hailing from Adue Village, has been married for over three years and is the father of a young child.
• A Tibetan monk, Tsewang Dhongo, was detained around July 1, 2023, for posting an image of a symbolic hat commemorating the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday on social media.
• These recent detentions are part of a relentless campaign by Chinese authorities to suppress Tibetan artistic and cultural expression, as well as any form of reverence for the Dalai Lama.
• TCHRD documented similar cases in 2022 and 2023, including the detention of five Tibetans and a Tibetan singer, Palden, who was sentenced to three years in prison for a song seen as indirectly referencing the Dalai Lama.
• The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy calls on the Chinese authorities to immediately disclose the whereabouts of Asang, Pelkyong, and Tsewang Dhongo and cease the criminalization of cultural and religious expression.

Statistics:

• 2 young Tibetans, Asang and Pelkyong, have been arbitrarily detained by Chinese authorities.
• Asang's Kuaishou account has been disabled since the cover song was deleted.
• 4 weeks have passed since the arrest of Tsewang Dhongo.
• 2022: 5 Tibetans, including a singer and musician, were detained for performing songs celebrating the Dalai Lama's birthday.
• 2023: Tibetan singer Palden was sentenced to 3 years in prison for a song seen as indirectly referencing the Dalai Lama.

Sources:

• The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD)
• [No external reference]