Tibetan leader says region where India-China troops standoff occurred was once peaceful

"We condemn this violence and peace should resume. Historically, it was a border between Tibet and India and this was a demilitarised zone. It was a peaceful zone and Tibet was a zone of peace and when this zone became a border between China and India then this tension started to come up and it continues to do so," he told CNN News 18.

He made the comments at a time when tension mounted between India and China and at least 20 Indian soliders were killed during a 'violent face-off' with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley of Ladakh. A report said 43 Chinese soldiers died.

"The unfortunate incident of three jawans being killed is uncalled for," Sangay said when the report of three casualties poured it. It later rose to 20.

"The CTA expresses deep concerns. Any kind of violent issue is condemned," he said.

He said when Tibet was occupied Chinese leader Mao Tse Tung had said that Tibet is a palm and Ladakh, Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan, and Arunachal Pradesh are five fingers.

The violent face-off prompted India Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to hold a high level review meeting in which the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishanker and three service chiefs were present.

The Defence Minister also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the operational situation prevailing at Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh, reports UNI.

"An incident happened in Doklam in 2017 and now it is happening in Ladakh. There is pressure on Nepal, Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh. It is a big lesson for India," he said.

"Unless you know what happened in Tibet, you cannot understand Chinese leadership's mindset, their strategy," he said.

“So once they occupied the palm and now they are coming after the five fingers. Their adventurism and the incursions in Ladakh and Sikkim are nothing surprising for us. In 2017, Doklam standoff happened and now it’s happening in Ladakh.

Update from Ladakh:

At least 20 Indian soldiers, including a Colonel, were martyred during a "violent face-off" with Chinese forces along the Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh on Monday night, the Indian Army confirmed. At least 43 Chinese soldiers died in the clashes, said a media report.

"Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area where they had earlier clashed on the night of 15/16 June 2020. 17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at the stand off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to their injuries, taking the total that were killed in action to 20," the Indian Army said in a statement. "The Indian Army is firmly committed to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation," the Indian Army said. 

It is pertinent to mention here that the troops of two nuclear powers have been ranged against each other in the remote snow desert of Ladakh since April in the most serious border flare-ups in years after Chinese patrols advanced into Indian side of the de facto border.