Dharamshala — The Chinese authorities arrested a Tibetan singer named A-sang after he sang a song entitled "Prince of Peace" for His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, on the occasion of the 90th birthday of His Holiness, which is being celebrated around the world by Tibetans, Buddhists and followers of the Dalai Lama.
According to reliable sources, the Chinese authorities arrested Tibetan singer A-sang from Ngawa (Ngaba) county, north-east Tibet, in the first week of July 2025, after he and another Tibetan singer reprised the song entitled "Prince of Peace" for His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The video of the song was posted online on June 30, 2025, which according to the Tibetan calendar is His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's 90th birthday.
Every year, particularly in the run-up to, during and just after the birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, who was forced into exile more than six decades ago, the Chinese government tightens restrictions on Tibetans and warns them not to do anything related to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This year, particularly on the occasion of His Holiness' 90th birthday celebrations, the Chinese government has deployed Chinese army, police and special forces in the Tibetan regions of Amdo, Kham and Utsang, with a particular focus on Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, from June to July, 2025.
The Chinese government detains, arrests, imprisons and tortures to death Tibetans who keep photo of their exiled spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, including his teachings, books and videos. Many Tibetans imprisoned for simply keeping a picture of their beloved spiritual leader, writing and singing songs for him to express how much they miss His Holiness and long for his return, instead of making their wish come true, the Chinese authorities prevent them from expressing themselves and torture and imprison them.
The source said on July 21: "The Tibetan singer A-sang was arrested and disappeared for a fortnight, but we don't know the reason for this sudden arrest, because of the restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities on the circulation of information from Tibet. He along with another Tibetan singer reprised the song the "Prince of Peace" for His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, I think this is the reason for his arrest, as Chinese authorities not allow Tibetans to do anything related to His Holiness, and the author of this song was also arrested by the Chinese government".
The Prince of Peace was written by Arig Choten Thar and sung by the famous Tibetan singer Sherten. The lyrics of the song "Prince of Peace", roughly translated, are as follows:
"Although you were born in Amdo, you left your mark in Central Tibet, and your noble deeds flourished in the noble land of India. We miss you, Prince of Peace. You are the sun above our heads, you are the parent in our hearts, you are the compassionate lama (teacher), we will never forget you."
Another Tibetan singer Gyegjom Dorjee, from Khyungchu county, Ngaba prefecture, Amdo region, detained by Chinese authorities in February 2024 for singing “Tearful deluge of a sorrowful song” on January 15, 2024. The lyrics read: "in this land where the victorious one is absent, leaders exist, but false ones. The Tibetans are bereft of direction, like a deer lost in the midst of a fog".
Lhundrub Dakpa, a popular Tibetan singer from Kham Driru in Nagchu, was arrested in May 2019 and sentenced by the Chinese authorities to six years in prison for singing a song entitled ‘Black Hat’ (ཞྭ་མོ་ནག་པོ་) criticising Chinese government's repressive policies in Tibet.
