Chinese intruded 6 km on Dalai Lama's birthday: Locals

NEW DELHI: Chinese troop movements in the Demchok area of Eastern Ladakh on Dalai Lama's birthday have drawn attention with locals claiming that they came 6 km into Indian territory. Government sources, however, downplayed the claims saying the Chinese military stayed on their side of the Line of Actual Control.

The incident is believed to have taken place on July 6 and images of the Chinese planting their flag purportedly in the area have emerged on social media site, Facebook. Locals whom ET spoke to said that they were celebrating the Dalai Lama’s 84th birthday on this day, when the Chinese intruded up to 6 km in the Demchok area. They were dressed in civilian clothing and arrived at the site in vehicles and allegedly planted the Chinese flag. Locals claimed that the Chinese asked them to take down the Tibetan flag, because it was ‘instigating’ them. The locals later put down the flag. They added that the Chinese had arrived on July 5 and July 7 as well to check the situation in the area. They said that they have been celebrating the Dalai Lama’s birthday every year and such a move by the Chinese has never taken place in the region.

Government sources said that the Chinese showed a banner which read ‘Ban all activities to split Tibet’. However, they added that the Chinese, who numbered to about 10-11 people, were on their side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and didn’t cross into Indian territory on July 6 and the other two dates as well. The Chinese territory is on the other side of the Indus River there. It is not clear whether they were civilian or PLA personnel. The incident took place two years after the Doklam standoff between Indian and Chinese troops, raising security concerns in the region.

Urgain Chodon, who claims to be the sarpanch of Koyul village in Demchok, raised the matter on social media site, Facebook, on Thursday.

“This is the story of six July when people of Koyul, Demchok and Dungti comes together at Dohlaa community to celebrate the birthday of his Holiness the Dalai Lama and it's a customary celebration, which has been celebrated for many years. On this day, we used to put or unfurl the national flag, Buddhist flag and Tibetan flag, but this time China comes six kilometer in our territory saying that we are instigating them and told us not to put the flag,” Chodon wrote.

“But my question is why they haven't got instigated till now cause we are not celebrating his holiness birthday for the first time. And my second question is why they came themselves when they have is telecommunication facility with them, they should have informed our forces,” she wrote.

Speaking to ET, she said that on July 6 the Chinese, dressed in civilian clothing, came 6 km into Indian territory in Demchok, near Fukche. “They planted the Chinese flag and said not to put the Tibetan flag. They said that it was instigating them. We have been placing the Tibetan flag and the Buddhist flag for several years while celebrating the Dalai Lama’s birthday. Such an act has not happened before in that region. It has happened for the first time,” she said, adding that the locals later took down the Tibetan flag.

Chodon posted pictures of the Chinese standing next to their flag and vehicles. She said the Chinese were there on July 5 as well. “They came up to 6-7 km in India again on July 7 to check what was happening,” she told ET.

Sources, however, said there was no intrusion at all. “About 11 Chinese, dressed in civilian clothing, showed banners which read ‘Ban all activities to split Tibet’. But they didn’t come to our side of the LAC.”