Singer jailed four years for singing song with “strong political theme” in Tibet

A Tibetan singer, Kalsang Yarphel, 39, has been jailed by China for calling on his people to unify and speak their their Tibetan language. His campaign was regard a flout of the tight cultural controls in the region currently in China's control. 

India-based news website Phayul.com reported on Sunday that the singer and his music arranger were convicted by a court in the southwestern province of Sichuan after taking part in concerts encouraging people to speak and learn Tibetan.

Yarphel was jailed four years while his music arranger was jailed two years.

AFP news agency reported that

It was not clear what crime the singer – who blends traditional Tibetan instrumentation with pop influences – was convicted of last Thursday.

According to US-based broadcaster, Radio Free Asia (RFA), Yarphel’s songs included “We Should Learn Tibetan” and “We Should Unite”. The concerts were in 2012 and he was detained since last year.

According to a Wikipedia article,

Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas, in China. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people.

The region maintained its autonomy until 1951 when, following the Invasion of Tibet, Tibet became unified into the People's Republic of China, and the previous Tibetan government was abolished in 1959 after a failed uprising. Today, the People's Republic of China governs western and central Tibet as the Tibet Autonomous Region; while the eastern areas are now mostly ethnic autonomous prefectures within Sichuan, Qinghai and other neighbouring provinces. There are tensions regarding Tibet's political status and dissident groups which are active in exile. It is also said that Tibetan activists in Tibet have been arrested or tortured.

An Aljazeera report states:

Wary of challenges to its rule, Beijing tightly controls cultural and religious practices in Tibet, and many Tibetans complain of economic discrimination.

Controls have tightened since a wave of deadly riots in Tibet's capital Lhasa in 2008.

Beijing says it has brought economic development to poverty-stricken Tibetan areas, and that it grants broad religious freedoms.

At least 130 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 in protest at Beijing's rule, with most of them dying.

China says that the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has encouraged the immolations, and has warned foreign governments against meeting with him.

Beijing heavily restricts journalists in Tibetan areas, making reports hard to confirm. Authorities in Sichuan province could not be reached for comment.