by Kunchok Dhargyal 14 July 2020
Chinese government in Tibet had arrested two Tibetans after they composed the song to the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet. On the 85th Birthday celebration of the Dalai Lama in 2020, more than 130 world leaders wished him, and the compiled video carrying 85 messages were watched by the Dalai Lama himself from his dwelling place, the Himachal State of India.
Since Tibet was occupied by China in 1959, it has been more than 60 years for Tibetans in Tibet, and Tibetan refugees around the world; nevertheless they are continuously fighting for the truth. According to the Tibetan government in exile, Chinese government has killed 1.2 million Tibetans after the illegal occupation of Tibet; and Tibetan refugee’s population in India has been reduced to 44 percent since 2011 because many of them are going abroad to countries like the United States of America and Europe.
In 2008, Tibetans from all the three provinces, had publicly demonstrated in Tibet after Chinese government had officially announced, “The”, and with athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees. In 9 years from 2008, 154 Tibetans from Tibet and India had burned themselves on fire (self-immolation), and 132 Tibetans were passed away out of 154, leaving everything behind including their own parents.
In addition, it has been headlined as “Tibetans as separatists” by China like they don’t want to give any clear clarification on the pandemic which has already killed 572,000 people out of 13 million people affected by the deadly virus which was initially noticed from Wuhan, China in 2019. Similarly, on 16 June 2020, the People’s Liberation Army of China killed 20 Indian soldiers in a clash with India at the Galwan Valley of Ladakh and disputed Himalayan border areas.
However, things had seen getting better after a sudden visit of Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister. Unfortunately, they were not happy with Indian news channels, their several interviews with the president of Tibetan Government in Exile, and India’s official ban of 59 apps from China after the loss of 20 Indian soldiers. As a result, China started threatening with more brutalities on anyone who tries to stand against them.
To the world, the Dalai Lama might be a Nobel laureate but he is thorn in the eyes of China, and it has been like this for the last 60 years. In Tibet, China had completely banned Tibetans from keeping his photograph after he fled from Tibet to India in 1959. Recently, they got better strategies and started detaining Tibetans if they discuss and record songs in the praise of their spiritual leader, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
Khando Tsetan, from Malo, Amdo County, Tibet, human rights activist,
prisoner, songwriter. Photo with his son. Arrested on 14th July 2020.
According to Tibet TV and Tibet Times on 14 July 2020: two Tibetans , songwriter, Khando Tsetan, and singer Tsego in Malho; Amdo county of Tibet have been arrested and sentenced 7 and 3 years in the Chinese prison. They did nothing wrong but released a song for their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. From October 2010, Tibetan students from both secondary and high schools had peacefully protested after China introduced the new education system demanding mandarin to be the medium of subjects being taught in Tibetan schools. In 2012 and 2014, Khando Tsetan, the songwriter was arrested a few times due to his active participation in the protests with students. In 2019, he wrote lyrics having venerable messages to the Dalai Lama, and it was sung by Tsego and released the song two months ago.
A young Tibetan girl in the last month, she sent the song in Wechat-group which led all of them in prison. In the response of Chinese government, “they were trying to destroy and destabilize social security and vital state secrets”. It’s not something new, they would arrest, and block the account if Tibetans post on Wechat anything related to Tibet and the Dalai Lama. More than 71 percent of Tibetans are using Wechat to contact their: friends, relatives and family staying in Tibet. The recent ban of Chinese pps might have imposed another burden for Tibetans from around the world.
Tselgo from Malo, Amdo County, singer. Arrested on 14th July 2020