Tibetan Singer Disappears After Singing ‘Prince of Peace’ Honoring His Holiness the great 14th Dalai Lama

Tibetan Singer Disappears After Singing ‘Prince of Peace’ Honoring His Holiness the great 14^th Dalai Lama

My first glimpse of him was an unforgettable image shared by an activist on social media: a young Tibetan warrior with the word Tibet ‘བོད།’ inscribed on his head, an old rifle slung over his shoulder. He was captured in a moment of communal pride, held aloft by the people of his hometown during a religious ceremony at the Ngaba Kirti Monastery. This monastery has long been a center of resistance against Chinese rule.

But this was only the beginning of his defiance. As Tibetans worldwide celebrated the 90th birthday of His Holiness the great 14th Dalai Lama in July 2025, the young singer re-sang “Prince of Peace,” a song honoring His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This was an act of profound patriotism in a land where singing such songs is a crime. He followed in the footsteps of his mentor, the patriot singer Gebey, who also faced imprisonment for his music.

The Chinese government, in its relentless campaign of cultural assimilation and “sinicization,” aims to erase the very word “Tibet” from global discourse, replacing it with the colonial term “Xizang.” Under this oppressive regime, the singer, identified as Asang, was under constant surveillance, a scrutiny that extended even to his wedding day. Two weeks after his tribute to His Holiness the great 14^th Dalai Lama, he was arrested. His pregnant wife and two year old son were left in an agonizing void, with no knowledge of his whereabouts.

When video of his performance surfaced, a wave of admiration and fear washed over our exiled Tibetan community. While many praised his bravery, others, conditioned by years of Chinese oppression, urged for the video’s removal. “Sharing this puts them at risk. Many have been imprisoned by the authorities because of posts like this, so it’s better not to share it,” one commenter wrote, reflecting a narrative of fear that China perpetuates.

Nyiwoe la, who had shared the post, countered this sentiment, stating, “They were imprisoned by the Chinese authorities. The idea that Tibetans in exile are to blame for these arrests is a narrative straight from China. The singer himself posted this on social media, and the Chinese couldn’t stop him. What is the point of us stopping it now? His courage deserves to be respected and praised.”

To another who advocated for silence, the response was a stark reminder of the cost of defiance: “If they wanted to remain silent, they wouldn’t risk their lives to sing.”

The news of his imprisonment confirmed our worst fears, sending ripples of worry through the Tibetan community for him and his young family.

His story is tragically common. Numerous Tibetan singers have been jailed for honoring His Holiness the great 14th Dalai Lama and their leaders in exile. In defiance of this censorship, Students for a Free Tibet-India organized a “Banned Music” night, where exiled singers performed the forbidden songs, ensuring their voices, and the voices of our imprisoned brethren, would not be silenced. During the banned music night I stated, “Inside Tibet, singing in praise of exiled leaders means risking immediate imprisonment. But while the Chinese authorities can lock away the singers, they can never lock away their songs. So we, in exile, sing for them—ensuring their voices break free from that iron grip.”

The undying spirit of Tibetans in Tibet continues to be a powerful counter-narrative to Chinese propaganda that claims they are happy and content. Each arrest, each act of resistance, exposes this lie and highlights China’s failure to win the hearts and minds of the Tibetan people.

The deepest desire of Tibetans in Tibet is to witness the return of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to a free Tibet. This hope sustains them, even through the unimaginable torture of Chinese prisons, a hope that they will one day hear his voice and see him on the golden throne of the grand Potala Palace. It is a hope that fuels their resilience and a dream that haunts them in every sleepless night.

Inspired by their courage, we will continue to do whatever it takes to amplify their voices and work towards the restoration of Tibet’s rightful independence. The time is now for the Chinese government to engage with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and our political leaders to resume dialogue and find a peaceful, lasting resolution. This window of opportunity will not remain open forever, and China will bear the weight of the consequences should it fail to act.

Translated lyrics of the song “Prince of Peace”

“ As a youth, you were born in Amdo,

You left your footprints in Central Tibet,

And your noble deeds flourished in the Noble Land of India,

We remember you, O Prince of Peace.

We, the people blessed by the Dharma, do not treasure

Ornaments made of gold, turquoise and coral,

Nor garments sewn from tiger, leopard, fox or otter skin,

It is your heartfelt advice and teachings that we remember now.

You are the sun over our heads,

You are the parent in our hearts,

You are our loving teacher (Lama),