Ngawang Chophel
Encyclopedia
Ngawang Choephel is a Tibet
an ethnomusicologist, filmmaker, and political prisoner.
in 1966, but his family fled to India
in 1968. He later went to the USA to study ethnomusicology
through the Fulbright program
in 1993 and 1994 at Middlebury College
. He returned to Tibet
in 1995 to make a film on traditional music and dance. He was later arrested by the Chinese
in September 1995 on spying charges and held incommunicado and without trial for over 14 months. Then in late 1996, he was sentenced in a secret trial to 18 years in prison for "espionage and counter-revolutionary activities". The Chinese authorities have not produced evidence to support the charges against him.
In August 2000 his mother and his uncle were allowed to visit him. He told his mother Ms. Sonam Dekyi that he had been on a hunger strike in protest at not receiving proper medical care. He told her that he had liver, lung and stomach ailments, and possibly a urinary tract infection and tuberculosis. After the visit, his mother Sonam Dekyi reported that her son Ngawang Choephel was very frail, just "skin and bones", with pale, almost yellow skin.
His case received international attention, and support from musicians including: Paul McCartney
and Annie Lennox
.
In 2002, Ngawang Chophel was released on "medical parole" from Chengdu
prison after 6 years in jail.
"Missing in Tibet", a film realised on his story received the prize of "best Human Rights Film" at a film festival
in Taos, New Mexico.
Ngawang Choephel resumed working on his film, entitled "Tibet in Song" upon his release in 2002. It premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2009 where it won the Special Jury Award in the World Documentary Competition. Since then, "Tibet in Song" has won numerous awards and screened worldwide. Among those are"
CINE Golden Eagle Award; Emerging Director Award, AAIFF; Best Documentary, Calgary International Film Festival; Cinema for Peace International Human Rights Award, Berlin; Best Documentary, San Louis Obispo International Film Festival; Special Jury Mention, One World International Film Festival Prague; Audience Award, Watch Docs International Human Rights Film Festival;Special Jury Mention, Watch Docs International Human Rights Film Festival; and Audience Award, Movies that Matter, the Hague.
"Tibet in Song" will make its theatrical release in New York City on September 24, 2010, and will be released nationwide. Worldwide release is also being planned.
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. 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...
an ethnomusicologist, filmmaker, and political prisoner.
Overview
Choephel was born in TibetTibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. 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...
in 1966, but his family fled to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1968. He later went to the USA to study ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology is defined as "the study of social and cultural aspects of music and dance in local and global contexts."Coined by the musician Jaap Kunst from the Greek words ἔθνος ethnos and μουσική mousike , it is often considered the anthropology or ethnography of music...
through the Fulbright program
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the...
in 1993 and 1994 at Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
. He returned to Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. 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...
in 1995 to make a film on traditional music and dance. He was later arrested by the Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in September 1995 on spying charges and held incommunicado and without trial for over 14 months. Then in late 1996, he was sentenced in a secret trial to 18 years in prison for "espionage and counter-revolutionary activities". The Chinese authorities have not produced evidence to support the charges against him.
In August 2000 his mother and his uncle were allowed to visit him. He told his mother Ms. Sonam Dekyi that he had been on a hunger strike in protest at not receiving proper medical care. He told her that he had liver, lung and stomach ailments, and possibly a urinary tract infection and tuberculosis. After the visit, his mother Sonam Dekyi reported that her son Ngawang Choephel was very frail, just "skin and bones", with pale, almost yellow skin.
His case received international attention, and support from musicians including: Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
and Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...
.
In 2002, Ngawang Chophel was released on "medical parole" from Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
prison after 6 years in jail.
"Missing in Tibet", a film realised on his story received the prize of "best Human Rights Film" at a film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
in Taos, New Mexico.
Ngawang Choephel resumed working on his film, entitled "Tibet in Song" upon his release in 2002. It premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2009 where it won the Special Jury Award in the World Documentary Competition. Since then, "Tibet in Song" has won numerous awards and screened worldwide. Among those are"
CINE Golden Eagle Award; Emerging Director Award, AAIFF; Best Documentary, Calgary International Film Festival; Cinema for Peace International Human Rights Award, Berlin; Best Documentary, San Louis Obispo International Film Festival; Special Jury Mention, One World International Film Festival Prague; Audience Award, Watch Docs International Human Rights Film Festival;Special Jury Mention, Watch Docs International Human Rights Film Festival; and Audience Award, Movies that Matter, the Hague.
"Tibet in Song" will make its theatrical release in New York City on September 24, 2010, and will be released nationwide. Worldwide release is also being planned.
External links
- http://www.tibetinsong.com - Official Website
- http://theajnabee.com/ ‘Tibet in Song’: One Man’s Melody of Courage
- Documentary film by former Tibetan political prisoner premieres in Dharamsala
On release of Ngawang Choephel and his flight to Detroit, one month before President George W. Bush visits Beijing
- 2002-01-21 (Mon) http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/ENGASA170052002
- ... http://web.amnesty.org/wire/March2002/Tibet
- 2002-01-20 (Sun) http://www.duihua.org/media/press/statements/statement_on_choephel_release.htm
- 2002-01-20 (Sun) http://www.tibetanliberation.org/nchoephelrel.html
- 2002-01-20 (Sun) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1772198.stm
- 2002-02-07 (Thu) http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/ENGASA170062002
Amnesty International appeals for the release of Ngawang Choephel
- 2001-05-28 (Mon) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1355696.stm
- 2000-10-09 (Mon) http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/ENGASA170412000
- 2000-08-11 (Fri) http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/ENGASA170362000
- 2000-02-14 (Mon) http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/ENGASA170032000
- 1996-03-28 (Thu) http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/ENGASA170491996