Mongolia Brief June 12, 2014 Part IV
Committee
for Reducing Air Pollution cracks down on air polluters
June 12 (UB
Post) The National Committee for Reducing Air Pollution (NCRAP) has sent
official statements to 2,000 air polluting businesses operating in Ulaanbaatar,
demanding they strictly follow pollutant emission standards as stated in the
law.
These 2,000
businesses produce around 20 percent of air pollution in Ulaanbaatar City,
according to Secretary of NCRAP J.Erdenetsogt.
The businesses
noted that their reason for poor enforcement of the standards was connected to
their limited understanding of air pollution laws, so NCRAP provided guidance
for meeting the standards as well.
NRCAP will
inspect each of the businesses from September 15 through October 15 to check
whether they have fixed their stoves and other pollutant emitting equipment to
keep their emissions within permitted levels. If they’ve failed in meeting
standards, the business owners will face fines between 570,000 to 1,700,000
MNT, equal to three to nine times the minimum monthly wage, or will have their
operation permits terminated.
J.Erdenetsogt
highlighted that such a wide range action against air polluters has never been
taken before and NCRAP has high expectations of positive results.
Emission
standards for all types of stoves have been clearly outlines in their
statement.
“Professional
organizations have found that air pollution has decreased over the past few
years, although the public is not very convinced. Actually, air pollution in
Ulaanbaatar can be reduced by 70 to 80 percent if households use improved stoves
and briquettes properly, according to instructions,” J.Erdenetsogt also noted.
The UB Post has
re-released its extensive coverage of air pollution in UB and its effects on
public health. See our Facebook page for more information.
Sh.Tuvdendorj:
Politics is not boxing
June 12 (UB
Post) Parliamentary member Sh.Tuvdendorj
shared his views on current political issues before his appointment to the
position of Minister of Industry and Agriculture, which has been empty since
the resignation of Kh.Battulga.
The public, especially local media outlets,
feelS that the Democratic Party’s decision to appoint you to the position of
Agriculture and Industry Minister breaches the President’s “double deel”
policy, which states that a minister or Member of Parliament should not
simultaneously hold two posts, Member of Parliament and a Member of Cabinet.
What is your position regarding the appointment?
The Democratic
Party’s decision is not in conflict with the President’s policy at all. I see
the President’s policy as just and correct policy in terms of Mongolia’s social
and economic development. I have supported the President’s policy from the very
beginning. I feel that one circumstance should be considered. The DP
should realize its political responsibilities, as it is the strongest political
force that received the citizens’ trust in the 2012 Parliamentary elections.
The issue of
holding two positions started being discussed at the end of the 1990s. Today,
the DP faces demands to make a principal choice about whether it is important
to provide the state with sustainability, implementing its action platform
focused on the fulfillment of its promises to the nation, or whether to overly
attach significance to political games, disorienting the government in the name
of resolving the double position issue and wasting time with inefficient
political disputes and debate.
As an
experienced politician, I believe the President foresaw this. Therefore, he
submitted a request to implement the “double deel” policy after the 2016
elections.
There is some confusion. The President has
recently expressed his position regarding your appointment, stating that he
rejects the Prime Minister’s proposal to promote a Member of Parliament as a
Member of Cabinet, hasn’t he?
If I did not
misunderstand, the President did not say, “do not promote Sh.Tuvdendorj’s for
the position of Minister.” I understand that he suggested that the government
start implementing the policy not to hold two positions in Parliament and the
Cabinet, starting with this appointment. I am a Member of Parliament elected by
the party roster. Therefore, I am obliged to follow decisions made by the
party’s governing bodies. In other words, I have to follow the decisions of the
government and the political party faction in the parliament. Obviously, the
party made such a decision by major votes, considering various sides such as
the current situation, further consequences, party policy and governmental
operations etc.
So, you are considering working as a Member
of Cabinet, aren’t you?
Yes, I am. In
simple words, politics is not a boxing match. It requires team play, like
football or volleyball. This game has one feature. You are a team member. Thus,
you should complete your duties and follow team principles. Of course, a team
needs a couple stars who can make goals with every ball they receive, like
Lionel Messi. However, one can’t do anything without the support of other
members of the team.
The Democratic
Party faction in the Parliament is a unified command. Whether our team will win
or lose will depend on team play. I am a member of that team, so is the
President of Mongolia. The passing of the ball is on me now and I have to do my
best to make a goal with that ball. The DP competed in the 2012 parliamentary
elections with a very simple, clear and comprehensive action platform, and
that’s why the nation gave us their trust. Therefore, our duty is crystal
clear. As a politician, I have to fulfill the duties I am obliged to, since I
am a member of this command.
Where would you start if you are appointed
as the Agriculture Minister? What would you focus on?
I worked as
Defense Minister. I believe I have some experience. Obviously, the current
situation and circumstances have completely changed since that time. Plus, the
defense sector is totally different from industry and agriculture.
The work of a
minister starts from studying and being introduced to the relevant sector’s
features, current development status, complete and ongoing programs and
projects, as well as to acquaint themselves with the sector’s colleagues, etc.
I will start my work with these common standards.
Obviously, I
have to study and go through lots of relevant material in a short time and I
have to meet many people in person to share my views.
All in all, one
minister does not develop an economy. An economy is developed by itself.
Ordinary, hardworking people who bear the economy on their backs, who are
herders, farmers, entrepreneurs and businessmen, are developing the economy.
The role of government is to help them and support them with policies. At
least, if the government can’t help, it should not become a barrier for them.
If my appointment to the position of Agriculture and Industry Minister is
approved by Parliament, the main policy I will adhere to is to support those hardworking
people.
5.8
billion MNT budgeted for flower beds in streets
June 12 (UB
Post) For the last two years, the Office
of the Ulaanbaatar City Governor (OUCG) has been focusing on increasing green
areas in the city. Last year, they trained over 200 people in gardening courses
and another 200 people this year. Gardeners have been taking care of green
areas on public streets and Central Square, planting and maintaining trees
since April 1, and plating flowers starting June 5. L.Baatartsogt from the
OUCG, an expert responsible for the city’s green areas, elaborates on this
matter.
This year, how much money is budgeted for
green areas?
We will take
care of green areas on 85 streets, gardens and other areas of the city, and
plant trees. Although the Ulaanbaatar Incorporated Public Service Authority is
responsible for this work, due to inadequate staffing, capacity and technical
support, the private sector is in charge of the work for some streets. The city
council approved 5.8 billion MNT for the green areas of the city.
How many trees and flowers will be planted?
Forty-five
thousand trees and shrubs were planted in April and May. Now we’re planting
flowers. This year we will be planting on 300 thousand square meters and
installing one-year-old trees in those areas. It’ll probably continue until
Naadam Festival. We’re planning to begin tending to weeds on 500 thousand
square meters of area by the end of June.
Which company are you getting plants from?
This year we’ll
be planting 10 different types of one-year-old trees. We got plants from four
or five companies, and trees and shrubs from 12 to 13 companies. We’ll be
planting 300 thousand flowers on 45 streets near the city center. Last year, we
planted flowers on 24 streets. The difference this year is that we’ll be
planting flowers and trees in areas that have never been cultivated before,
such as both sides of the road from Traffic Circle-32 to the last bus stop of
Doloon Buudal, and the road of the 22nd traffic check point of Amgalan.
Mongolia
to save 2 million USD on entrance fees to Erenhot
June 12 (UB
Post) Mongolian citizens started travelling to Erenhot, China free of entrance
fees on Tuesday as the fee has been eliminated through a mutual agreement
between Zamyn-Uud soum and Erenhot administrators at their latest official
meeting.
The entrance
fee was five CNY and Mongolians travelling to Erenhot were obligated to pay.
The total
annual sum paid by Mongolians for entrance fees was an average of 12 million
CNY, approximately two million USD.
‘2
Moms, 10 Kids’ breaks new ground in Mongolian television
June 12 (UB
Post) Melanie Kocke is the American co-host of Eagle TV’s Eagle Live’s newest
talk and lifestyle program, “2 Moms 10 Kids”, with Migaa Amraa. The
concept for the talk show came about when Batkhatan, executive producer at
Among Mongolia, approached Melanie about making a TV talk show specifically for
mothers. Amid the many TV shows directed at women they saw a real need
for something uplifting and encouraging, but beyond that, something that would
be geared and tailored specifically to the needs of mothers.
The show’s goal
is to encourage and support mothers in their role. Melanie, Migaa and the
show’s producers believe, “As goes the family so goes the nation. Mothers
are a powerful force and vital to the future of this country and it is our
honor to help them in any way we can.”
Melanie is mom
to four kids, ages twelve, ten, eight, and four. She and her husband,
Hetee have been married 13 years. Melanie has lived in Mongolia since
1999, teaching English to young learners throughout that time and becoming
fluent in Mongolian. She has experience with counseling young mothers
regarding health and child rearing. Melanie wants to see moms take on their
roles with confidence and to generate a shift in the way society envisions the
“stay-at-home” mom.
Migaa is mother
of six, three boys and three girls. She and her husband, Borhuu have been
married eight years. Migaa has professional experience in directing television
shows. Meeting and getting to know other mothers is something that drives
her. Her goal is to encourage other moms and help them to rise to the
challenge that is motherhood.
The opening
sequence for the show is a beautifully shot, modern, clever narrative of how
these two women gracefully make the transition from incredibly busy moms to
television talk show hosts. Their set is a spacious, contemporary living room
and the show is shot as if you’re a part of the conversation, curled up on
their long, white couch and getting settled in to meet someone whose story you
won’t soon forget.
We spoke with Melanie about the show, its
reception, and motherhood.
How did “2 Moms, 10 Kids” come together on
Eagle TV?
Our executive
producer, who is a close friend of mine, came to me with the idea of creating
the show last September. As we began to move forward, forming a team to
discuss ideas and address the needs of mothers in Mongolia, the show really
just came together.
How has your reception been as a foreign
co-host on a very locally themed program? Any noteworthy reactions to your
proficiency and immersion in Mongolian language and culture?
So far, the
feedback has been mostly positive. Whenever possible, I try to draw
parallels between Mongolian and American mothers, because I believe that moms
are basically the same the world over. The joys and struggles we face as
moms are universal and it helps to know you’re not alone. I myself
am in the thick of motherhood and I learn so much from each of our
guests. I never want to come across as someone who knows
everything. Just like our viewers, I am learning as I go! I think
the fact that I speak Mongolian helps to put our viewers at ease.
Speaking their language conveys a real concern for them and their
families. I make many mistakes but the Mongolian public has been most
forgiving.
Have you had a chance to address the issues
of cross-cultural families on the program?
We are
currently working on an episode that deals with this issue. It is an
important one because it is becoming more and more common in Mongolia.
And it is a topic I know a little bit about.
The show’s Facebook page has more than
11,000 likes and counting. What conclusions have you drawn from the fantastic
reception?
We feel
extremely pleased and humbled at the same time. Our goal was moms
encouraging moms and we feel like that is beginning to happen. We hope it
continues!
Any plans to provide subtitles in English
to branch out to foreign viewers?
You know, we
English speakers are very fortunate in that there is a never-ending supply of
resources for mothers in English. Mongolian women don’t have this.
Having said that, it would be nice!
Who have been your most memorable guests so
far?
It’s so hard to
say! But if I had to pick one, it would be Ariuntuya. She is a 35
year-old mom to three busy boys. She suffered an electrocution at the age
of 19 and lost both hands as a result. She definitely left an impression
on me.
If you could invite anyone from the past or
present to appear on your show, who would it be?
My
grandmothers.
As the co-host of a show that often focuses
on the challenges of parenting, what are your own biggest challenges as a
working mother of four?
My greatest
challenge is not having enough time. I love spending time with my husband
and kids.
What kind of guests can your audience look
forward to on upcoming episodes?
More amazing
moms! Also, we will be bringing in experts to talk about issues such as
teaching children about money, how and when to talk to kids about sex, how
technology (iPads and other touchscreens) affect children, and many more
relevant topics.
What does the future hold for the show?
It’s hard to
say for sure, but we’re just enjoying it and taking it day by day. We do hope
to see the network of mothers become stronger as more and more women identify
with and help one another.
“2 Moms, 2 Kids” airs Tuesday through Sunday
at 6:00 p.m. on Eagle Live. Episodes are also available on their YouTube
channel. You can also join their online community on Facebook,
https://www.facebook.com/2moms10kids.
Plans
move forward for Mongolia’s first hydroelectric power plant
June 12 (UB
Post) Mongolia, which is located in a watershed of Asia, is losing its rivers
due to global warming and mineral deposit mining. However, we are using fresh
water for our toilet bowls, washing our cars in clean river water, and watering
lawns with our drinking water. Even though water-saving initiatives, such as
collecting and using snow and rain water and reusing grey water have come out,
up until now, there has been no implementation of these practices.
The Governor’s
Office of Orkhon Province has planned to build a 100 megawatt hydro
accumulation power plant, cooperating with Marcus Industry of Slovakia. This
project is reported to be different from hydroelectric power plants which block
waterways.
The
hydroelectric power plant will be built on 148.1 hectares issued for building
an industry and technology park in Orkhon Province. This plant will generate
electricity using grey water from Orkhon Province’s sewage treatment plant, not
fresh water from a river. The first water basin will be built lower, at the
industry and technology park, and the second will be built on top of a nearby
mountain. The basins will be connected with underground pipes and four 25
megawatt turbines will be installed.
We asked for some clarification on the issue
of Mongolia’s first hydroelectric power plant from an advisor of the Orkhon
Province governor’s office.
Four Slovakian specialists conducted a
feasibility survey for establishing a hydroelectric power plant in Orkhon
Province. Did they present the results?
Engineers of
Erdenet Power Plant looked into building this kind of low-capacity plant years
ago. We got the idea from them and we sent a request to the Minister of
Economic Development and specialists and authorities in the Renewable Energy
and Policy Department reviewed and discussed it. Based on our estimates of
increased electricity consumption, we agreed on a plan to establish a hydroelectric
power plant in cooperation with the National Renewable Energy Center of
Mongolia, under the Ministry of Energy and based on hydro accumulation power
plants of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Currently, a team from the Czech
Republic and Slovakia is cooperating with the National Renewable Energy Center
of Mongolia and has arranged to make a draft and prepare for building the
plant.
How will investment be solved? Will Marcus
Industry establish a concession agreement?
A huge amount
of capital will definitely be needed in order to implement such a big project.
So we will solve the funding issues through foreign investment. The joint team
said they will transfer the plant to the Ministry of Energy as soon as they
build it. Investment will be financed by Ex-Im Bank of the Slovak Republic.
The lower basin is going to be placed not
so far from the Zun River. Will there be any changes to the river?
Our province’s
sewage treatment plant has the capacity to purify 20 thousand cubic meters of
wastewater a day. Next year, new sewage systems equipped with French technology
and facilitation will come to Mongolia. Thus, the capacity of sewage
systems will increase, and 40 thousand cubic meters of wastewater will be
purified and supply the hydroelectric power plant. We have a goal of supplying
our electricity consumption with it.
The
hydroelectric power plant won’t be established in the Zun River. The basin will
be built far from the river. There won’t be any changes to the waterline. There
won’t be any negative impact on the environment since the pipes will be
installed underground. We have become acquainted with the technology of
producing electricity using grey water in the Czech and Slovak republics. They
are producing electricity using eco-friendly, secondary raw material, “grey
water”, in a cheap way.
For instance,
the Czech Republic built a basin 1,520 meters above sea level and established a
hydro accumulation power plant which generates 650 megawatts of power. Also,
Slovakia built a plant with four times that capacity using the flow of the
Dunai River. From this experience, we are taking the first step towards
establishing a hydro accumulation power plant. The wall of the basin will
be made of ferro concrete and membrane, or bead board. It is so reliable to use
membrane and bead boards, since they are stainless.
It is impossible to use a water powered
plant in winter. What will you do?
This is a
really important question. There is a way to keep the basin from freezing. The
foreigners have already found it. Even if the water in the basin doesn’t freeze
if it is moving, the surface of the water will definitely freeze. So, the
surface of the water will be covered with 20 cm thick bead board, since the
board keeps a constant heat of ten degrees. This is one way to decelerate
freezing.
Who will use the electricity produced at
this plant?
Besides
supplying province consumption, it is planned to be distributed to Erdenet
Power Plant. The Erdenet plant buys 180 megawatts of electricity per day from
the hydroelectric power station of Gallut Lake in the Russian Federation. This
plant will play an important role in saving money spent on buying electricity.
Our plant used to produce 25 megawatts of electricity besides heat. The
Ministry of Energy is paying more attention to increasing the electricity
supply.
As a result,
our plant will be expanded and a project to produce 50-80 megawatts of
electricity per day will be implemented. If we can build a hydro accumulation
power plant, we don’t have to buy electricity from Russia.
We will also
have funds to improve our province if we can sell electricity to the Erdenet
plant and not buy electricity abroad. Other provinces have the chance to
produce electricity and earn money. The advantage of the hydro accumulation
power plant is after it covers its expenses, it will produce almost free
electricity.
N.Purevdash:
Competency and friendship are our secret for longevity
June 12 (UB
Post) This year is the 25th anniversary
of Mongolian rock band Kharanga. Each members of the band will perform a solo
concert to celebrate the occasion. Tonight, on June 13, Kharanga’s drummer
N.Purevdash will hold his concert at the UB Palace.
N.Purevdash is the President of Mongolian
Drummers Association and has been a percussionist for 43 years. The following
interview highlights his musical career and solo concert.
Your concert will take place soon. Are you
feeling nervous or are you more concerned about the quality of the concert?
There’s nothing
to be nervous about. I’m only concerned about satisfying my fans and throwing a
good show for my audience. We’re employees of a service organization. Since I’m
a professional drummer, I’m not worried about the things that are dependent on
me. Kharanga has been performing together for a long time. There’s nothing to
fear as we can understand each other just by our looks and small gestures.
However, I’m paying more attention on preparation work for performances with
other artists.
Is this the first large-scale drum show in
Mongolia? How will it be different from other concerts?
I’m doing this
concert together with percussion instrument instructor of the Music and Dance
College of Mongolia B.Zorigt and his students, drummer of Soyol Erdene band
Tsolmon, and many more drummers of different bands. I want to prove to everyone
that I really am a professional drummer and hold it dear in my heart. There are
performances infusing hip hop and trance music beats with rock music. Dancers
of Ezen Khan Theater will also make an appearance.
Most fans usually recognize vocalists and
guitarists of rock bands but drummers do not attract as much attention. Do you
feel it’s just something you have to accept?
No. As long as
our band music reaches the hearts of the people, it doesn’t matter. Vocalists
and guitarists are positioned near the front in the spotlight, whereas drummers
are situated further back under dim lights and when our pictures are taken,
it’s usually rather blurry and out of focus. There’s no band that has their
drummer at the front in the world history. If they do that, weird sounds will
come out from microphones and speakers.
What’s the secret of your band’s longevity?
Is it perhaps good friendship?
It is, but
Kharanga wouldn’t have existed if we only depended on our friendship and were
incompetent as musicians. In order to reach success, we have to be talented and
skilled. Unskilled bands will be rejected by the people in due course. We can’t
get dragged down by bad musicians all our lives. Good fellowship will be
created if talented people gather together, agree with one another and aim for
one specific goal.
How difficult was it to find one another or
was your meeting brought by fate?
It wasn’t
destiny or fate. We befriended many people and selected only the best. After
working for eight years in orchestral wind chimes sample together and
overcoming many hardships, Oogii, Chuka, Manlai and I found each other and
became an steadfast band. Later, Chuka introduced Lhagvasuren and we just had
to recruit him as he had amazing vocals just like Gantumur.
Do you sing?
What’s the use
in singing next to an amazing singer and composing songs next to great
composers? I’ll just be a good drummer. I’ll provide the conditions for my band
members to perform and sing, and I try to be like a tank to back them up.
In your opinion, what is friendship?
Everything
except from the fact that people will be born and die, is false. Infants from
ages one to three are pure but afterwards, they start to lie. No matter how
good a man may be, he can’t escape from this quality. They should be
intelligent when lying.
Mongolia has many live music bands and
events such as Play Time Festival attest to this. Why aren’t there more bands
like Kharanga, which infatuates others, being formed by younger musicians?
After A-Sound
band, many similar bands with jingling vocals started to multiply like
mushrooms that grow after a rain. Bluntly, young people aren’t working or
making any effort. They just want to make it as easy as possible. Maybe they
don’t want to entertain.
You produced Solongo band, right? Can you
talk about this?
We produced
Solongo band with three graduates of the Music and Dance College of Mongolia.
We went through many troubles to select members, to buy instruments for them
and have instructor Sukhee from Bayanmongol Ensemble train them. We aimed to
produce a world-renowned Mongolian band but it wasn’t successful. Kids nowadays
are so messy trying to find money for only tomorrow’s needs.
What is your dream?
I don’t have
any interest in teaching someone else’s children as my current work hasn’t had
fruitful results. I’ve already made my dreams come true with my band Kharanga.
My current objective is to create an easily comprehended theoretical and
practical training book or an album for amateur drummers.
How did social changes affect Kharanga as a
band?
Kharanga was
established under the supervision of the State Academic Drama Theater in 1989
and became independent in 1990. Despite the fact that the society was facing
crisis and food shortage at the time, we didn’t pay attention to our households
and instead sang every irreverent song with explicit language and contents.
People who have endless dedication and love for music never are concerned about
these sorts of small issues.
As a professional in this field, what makes
drums special from other instruments?
A drummer
adjusts sounds and rhythms of songs and provides conditions for vocalists to
sing and other musicians to play their instruments. Each song has its own
rhythm. Even when playing 20 songs, they all have different rhythms. If songs
are adjusted and sang at a wrong tempo, vocalists will struggle and tire
quickly. If the music sounds correct, artists will be able to become emotional
and show their full potential, without any distractions.
During wartimes, Mongolians used to beat
drums as loud as possible in order to give courage to soldiers, to signal
troops during battle and to frighten enemies. Some people say that this was how
it originated. How do you think drums were created?
Ever since the
birth of human kind, they started to make weapons and tools with wood and rocks
to find food. After all, we’re humans so we all sing, cry and dance. Drums were
probably created around the time when people wanted to make everyone sing and
have fun together by doing some sort of an activity by beating wood or
rocks. Like so, drums were introduced all around the world through all
sorts of means and took its current form.
How many drums do you have?
Since people
have endless greed, there were many instances when I bought new drums before
the previous one became old and rusty. I have eight complete drum sets. It’s
troublesome to take huge drums to every concert; therefore, I only use them in
big or special events like band anniversaries.
Do you remember what the first piece you
learned to play on the drum was?
In 1971, I
participated in a five year training course for military drummers in the music
branch of the People’s Military Class No. 013. I learned five famous waltz
pieces including the Autumn Dream. Even members of the famous German band,
Rammstein, were all military musicians. Military drumming is powerful and sharp
so it’s closer to rock music.
Who was your first instructor?
It was Mr.
Vasely who graduated from the percussion instrument’s class of the Military
Music Academy of Tchaikovsky. Thanks to his proper training for hand and foot
techniques, despite turning 60, I’m still healthy and well. If it’s learnt
incorrectly, there are risks of getting hydronephrosis (enlarged kidneys) and
tendon damages.
Is it true that there’s a connection
between you and the story that inspired the song Suulchiin Shunu (The last
night)?
A big
businessman named Chuka asked me to write a song for him. He said his beloved
got into in accident at dawn on her journey to meet him.
Invest
in your future by standing up for children’s rights
June 12 (UB
Post) We Mongolians pride ourselves on being a particularly child loving
culture, one that encourages familial bonds above all else. But child labor
under difficult and dangerous situations, human trafficking, and even sexual
abuse and slavery still exist and are a major concern in Mongolian society.
World Day
Against Child Labor was marked on June 12, which drew attention to the role of
social protection in keeping children out of child labor and removing them from
it.
Mongolian NGOs
and organizations for protecting children’s rights held a press conference and
called for a stop to all child labor, highlighting that child labor has
increased in the past four years, despite the claims made by officials in the
field.
“On this day,
when the football World Cup is launching, let us raise a red card, the highest
penalty in football, to all child labor… We all know what happens to a team or
a player that receives a red card. We want the same for all organizations and
individuals that utilize child labor. Therefore, we call upon all residents,
businesses, and media outlets to join us in putting a stop to child labor,”
said Kh.Baavgai, head of the Child and Family Department of the Ministry of Population
Development.
Although the
Head of the Capital City Family Development Authority, Ya.Baigalmaa, said that
child labor has decreased in Ulaanbaatar, NGOs claim that child labor has
increased 1.8 percent according to their studies.
“The National
Statistical Office conducts a child labor survey every four years. The last one
was conducted last year, in 2013. The survey revealed that, unfortunately,
child labor rates have indeed increased in Mongolia. It stated that more than
98,000 children aged between five and 15 have been involved in child labor and
employed in the nation’s economic activities in some form. This is an increase
of 1.8 percent since 2009,” said a spokesperson for the NGOs at the press
conference.
According to
the latest studies on child labor, roughly 10 percent of children under the age
of 14 are actively being employed, most of whom are working in the agricultural
and animal husbandry sector in rural areas.
The 2010
Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor Report, published by the US Department
of Labor, said that children in Mongolia are engaged in the worst forms of
child labor, most commonly in herding and animal husbandry. Herding exposes
children to extreme cold and frostbite, exhaustion, animal attacks, assault or
beatings, nonpayment of wages and accidents such as falling off horses or being
cut by sharp knives while slaughtering livestock.
The report also
highlighted that many children mine gold, coal and fluorspar, both on the
surface and underground, in artisanal mines. “In mining, children handle
mercury and explosives, transport heavy materials, stand in water for prolonged
periods, work in extreme climate conditions, risk falling into open pits and
enter tunnels up to 10 meters deep at risk of collapse.”
“The worst
forms of child labor, such as child prostitution and child trafficking, also
exist in Mongolia. Child prostitution, including child sex tourism, is a
continuing problem. Girls are trafficked internally and forced into
prostitution in saunas and massage parlors. Girls are also trafficked to China,
Macau, Malaysia and South Korea for sexual exploitation and forced labor,” the
report emphasized.
Numerous
domestic children’s rights organizations have voiced their concerns regarding
child jockeys in Mongolia, who work in extremely dangerous circumstances. It’s
not uncommon for child jockeys to acquire serious injuries or even die during a
race, especially during winter races, which can be dozens and sometimes
hundreds of kilometers long. Around 50 horse races take place in Mongolia every
year and more than 2,000 child jockeys are employed in total.
From personal
experience, it’s not uncommon for me to be approached by children who sell
chewing gum and other menial goods in cafes and restaurants around Ulaanbaatar,
and when driving, I recently noticed more and more children knocking on cars
lined up in traffic to sell drinks and car air fresheners.
As someone who
occasionally volunteers at an orphanage, I’ve found that children there more
often have parents, or a single parent, but they are unable to support them, or
they have been abandoned or abused to the point that they had to run away. It’s
always sad to see children, who are the future of this country, being neglected
and abused, but I would rather see them at the orphanage, where they are have
food, shelter and someone to attend to their basic needs, than on the streets
or with abusive guardians.
In recent
years, this issue has taken a back seat, with other immediate economic
challenges taking precedence. The government has announced several programs to
protect children’s rights, such as the National Program for the Elimination of
the Worst Forms of Child Labor 2011-16, National Program for Preventing and
Protecting Children and Women, and others that attempt to prevent child labor,
but none of these have been implemented or have shown any results, according to
the Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor Report.
Children often
hear the phrase, “You are the future of this country,” but reports show that
around one in ten are forced to work and are exploited, rather than educated
and taken care for. Mongolia, as a nation, needs to reflect on the message we
give to our “future.”
I find working
with children very chaotic and challenging, but also extremely rewarding. I do
not see it as charity or altruism. My time spent with the children of Amgalan
orphanage has taught me many valuable lessons that have spilled over in to my
personal life, as well as my career. Therefore, I will encourage everyone who
is able, to invest their time and energy for children, just a little, by
standing for their rights and leading them by example. And if/when you do this,
I want you to realize that the protection and support of children is more of a
long term investment in your future rather than charity.
NEW
BEGINNINGS, NEW PROBLEMS
June 12 (UB
Post) Shortly before U.S. President Barack Obama left for Europe this week,
Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes warned that the crisis in Ukraine
is not over: “There are people dying on a regular basis in eastern and southern
Ukraine, given the violence perpetrated and initiated by separatist factions
there. So by no means are we out of the woods.”
Still, since
Ukraine held a successful presidential election – voting in Petro “Chocolate King”
Poroshenko – and Russia has withdrawn most of its troops from the border they
share, it is not unreasonable to conclude that the crisis has exited its most
critical phase.
What does
Russia’s balance sheet look like? In addition to annexing Crimea, Russia has
formed a Eurasian Economic Union with Belarus and Kazakhstan (Ukraine was
supposed to be a member) and signed a $400-billion, 30-year gas deal with
China. But in light of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s oft-stated objective
– to establish a Eurasian Union that functions as an independent and central
actor in international affairs – these victories seem more tactical than
strategic.
For starters,
Russia’s approach to Ukraine has mobilized opposition throughout Europe. True,
elections for the European Parliament have strengthened several right-wing
populist parties that regard European integration as anathema. (The New York
Times observes that they “have been gripped by a contrarian fever of enthusiasm
for Russia and its president.”) Even this fringe support, however, seems more
opportunistic than organic, driven less by the desire for a Eurasian Union than
by the hope that supporting Russian foreign policy in the short term will
weaken the prevailing European order.
Looking beyond
Europe, far-reaching economic and diplomatic pushback from the West have
compelled Russia to accelerate its rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, where it
seeks, above all, to strengthen its relationship with China. But while
Sino-Russian relations are indeed growing stronger, they are also growing more
lopsided – in China’s favor.
China is a
rising power that needs vital commodities. Russia is a declining power that
needs to cultivate the perception of strategic alignment and ideological
solidarity with China to be deemed a major power. This asymmetry presents
Russia with a predicament: Beyond what threshold will its efforts to curry
favor with China effectively render it a supplicant?
Fearful of this
outcome, and mindful that Chinese influence is overtaking its own across
Central Asia (which was firmly within its orbit as recently as a decade ago),
Russia is also trying to curry favor with bitter antagonists of China,
including Japan and Vietnam. If and when China assesses that these hedging
efforts have gone too far, it can leverage its prodigious economic influence to
change Russia’s calculus.
More isolated
by the West and more dependent on China, Russia is in a less favorable
strategic position than it was at the beginning of the year. Less clear,
however, is how its incursion into Crimea will change Europe’s defense posture.
In June 2011,
in his last policy address as U.S. Defense Secretary, Robert Gates famously
lamented that NATO had become “a two-tiered alliance,” with the United States
accounting for more than three-quarters of the entire alliance’s defense
spending. He warned that it could succumb to “collective military irrelevance”
if that imbalance persisted, and that if it did, America’s future leaders might
not “consider the return on America’s investment in NATO worth the cost.”
While some of
America’s European allies have vowed to contribute more to their own security,
the developments of recent years are not encouraging. NATO Secretary-General
Anders Fogh Rasmussen noted last month that “Russian defence spending has grown
by more than 10 percent in real terms each year over the past five years. … By
contrast, several European NATO countries have cut their defence spending by
more than 20 percent over the same period. … And the cuts have been
particularly deep here in Central and Eastern Europe.”
President
Obama, meanwhile, has “proposed a new $1 billion fund” that, if approved by
Congress, “would pay for added military exercises in Europe, including further
Navy deployments to the Black and Baltic seas.”
While observers
on both sides of the Atlantic have welcomed this initiative, it could encourage
Europe to continue free-riding on U.S. security commitments. (The United States
faces a comparable, though arguably less acute, dilemma in the Asia-Pacific:
While China’s neighbors express concern about the sustainability of America’s
rebalance to the region, they are making insufficient investments in their own
capabilities.)
As Russia’s
annexation of Crimea recedes from the headlines, a central challenge – and
opportunity – for the transatlantic project will be to distribute security
burdens more evenly.
Ali Wyne is a
contributing analyst at Wikistrat and a co-author of Lee Kuan Yew: The Grand
Master’s Insights on China, the United States, and the World (2013).
Mongolia
wins 10 medals at Asian Draughts Championship
June 12 (UB
Post) The 7th Asian Draughts Championship is taking place from June 10 to 15 in
Bangkok, Thailand.
Draughts
players from 10 countries, namely China, Mongolia, Thailand, Kazakhstan,
Uzbekistan, Japan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan and Singapore are
participating in the Asian Draughts Championship in six age categories.
From Mongolia,
International Sports Master D.Erdenebileg, International Sports Master
M.Ganjargal are competing in the men’s category and Sports Vice Master
M.Odgerel, Sports Master G.Amgalan and Sports Master B.Nandintsetseg are
competing in the women’s category.
On the first
day of the championship, Chinese draught players took three gold and one bronze
medals.
As for Mongolia, the national team won two gold, three silver and five bronze medals.
As for Mongolia, the national team won two gold, three silver and five bronze medals.
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