By Phuntsok Yangchen
DHARAMSHALA, March 28: Chinese authorities in Qinghai have reportedly enforced a ban on the sale and distribution of a Tibetan singer’s DVD for its alleged content of politically restricted lyrics.
According to exile sources, DVDs of Gar Samdup Tsering’s music album titled Tsebar ki Marmey (Life-long butter lamp) were confiscated or destroyed by authorities who raided several music stores. The Chinese authorities have also warned the local storeowners against keeping Samdup’s album for sale in their stores.
The same source also noted that local television channels and nightclubs were ordered not to invite Samdup for performances or appearances. He was also barred from performing at a musical concert scheduled in Qinghai.
The same source said that the authorities could not arrest Samdup because of his role as vocalist of a popular Tibetan musical group in Beijing called ‘Makey Amay Rolyang’. He is also very popular among the vast nomadic community and has appeared several times on Sichuan television and Chinese television channels. The source also added that there is a concern among Tibetans about his safety.
Samdup was born on April 2, 1988 in Majang region of Ba County, Tsolho. He started singing at the age of seven and won many trophies. His album Tsebar Marmey became hugely popular since its release in October 2013.
In February this year, he held a concert in Xiling city which also saw performances by other popular singers like Yangchuk Tso and Pema Samdup.
Tibetan singers, writers, and artists promoting Tibetan national identity and culture have often been target of China’s ongoing crackdown on intellectuals, especially after the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
In February last year, a popular Tibetan singer Lolo, 30, was sentenced to six years in prison for his ‘crimes’ of singing politically charged songs calling for Tibet’s independence. Another singer, Ugyen Tenzin was arrested by Chinese authorities for praising His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the elected leader of the Tibetan people Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay.
