Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, July 30: Chinese authorities have reportedly detained a Tibetan singer and a Buddhist monk in Ngaba (Ch. Aba), eastern Tibet, for commemorating the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, according to the Dharamshala-based Tibetan news outlet Tibet Times.
Tibetan singer Palchung was arrested after performing a tribute song titled Prince of Peace, in collaboration with fellow artist Ah Sang, who is also currently in custody. The song, which expresses deep reverence for the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, was performed during local celebrations marking the milestone birthday.
In a separate incident, Tibetan monk Tsewang Dhonko from Adu Monastery was taken into custody around July 1. He was reportedly arrested for sharing online images of symbolic hats used to mark the Dalai Lama’s birthday celebrations.
The three individuals have now been held incommunicado for nearly four weeks. Their whereabouts and well-being remain unknown, raising grave concern among family members, the local Tibetan community, and human rights groups.
The latest arrest is part of a long-standing pattern of escalating repression in Tibet, highlighting China’s growing crackdown on artistic and cultural expression, which now extends beyond political activists and monks to include artists, singers, writers, and ordinary civilians. Among those targeted in recent years are well-known figures such as singers Gegjom Dorjee, Palden, Pema Trinley, Chakdor, and Lhundrub Drakpa; writers and intellectuals like Gendun Lhundrup and Tashi Wangchuk; and prominent scholar Rongwo Gangkar, among others. This widening scope of repression reflects Beijing’s efforts to silence any expression of Tibetan identity and cultural resilience.
