Why does Lhamo and Tenkyi's family flee their village in the novel, We Measure the Earth With Our Bodies?

In 1960, the region where the family lives is invaded by the Chinese, or soldiers who call themselves the People's Liberation Army. The soldiers, or Gyami, move from village to village, destroying the Tibetan people's homes, seizing their farms, and starving the residents. When Lhamo and Tenkyi's family hears of the Gyami's invasions, they decide to flee their home for Nepal.