REAL REASONS FOR MONGOL RACISM

Mongolia is moving in two or three contradictory directions. The first one is the classical position of maintaining a good relationship with Russia, the powerful northern neighbour. At the same time, the current government is trying to push Mongolia into the Western World, implanting English alongside with local Mongolian, struggling to attract foreign investment, but always without awakening suspicions in Russia, as in a revue play. 

However, the third route is the one that raises concern not only among foreign media, but also among many Mongolians. That is the route of hatred, the route of exclusion, the route of racism.

Some people wrongly believe that racism is something attached to only the European nations. That is also narrow-minded. Unfortunately, racism has existed since the beginning of humanity, in every corner of our planet. It did not start with Adolf Hitler in Germany. In fact, almost no nation or tribe seems free from that sin; apparently no-one is totally innocent.

Interestingly, the concept of Mongolia being a racist country could be classified as anti-Mongol. The first leader of Mongolia, Genghis Khan, included in his country all the nations that submitted to him, no matter what their language, religion or ethnic background. The Mongol Khans created China, where Mongols, Hans and other races lived together. The Khans also created different khanates and kingdoms in Asia and Europe, where Mongols, Tatars (Turks) and Indo-European peoples lived and worked together.

However, nowadays, some Mongolians believe that blood purity is a must for a country which has never been pure. Blood purity is closely related to endogamy, the custom of marrying within an ethnic or social group, which is always a source of problems, namely genetic diseases and extinction.

In Mongolia modern racism has taken a curious shape, that of Nazism. It is not unusual to see cars with the Nazi swastika (not the Buddhist sign, but the black cross on a red and white flag), or even people supporting badges of the SS, the paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. This position, besides being foolish, is also ridiculous.

Firstly, an Asian country that wants to preserve its purity; which considers foreign influences a negative factor for the preservation of its nationality, has chosen a foreigner, a white Austrian called Adolf Hitler, as its moral leader. Isn't this contradictory?

Secondly, what did Adolf Hitler really think about Mongolia?

Although there is no mention of Mongolia in Hitler's ideology, he most probably considered this country as just another Chinese region. Until 1941, Germany and China were partners and 'friends'. For Hitler; Mongolia did not exist.

During those years, the Empire of Japan tried to invade part of Mongolia. Who helped the Mongolians? The Russians. Although Germany did not fight that battle, it is easy to imagine what Hitler, if he had knowledge of the event in such a remote place, would have preferred.

On the other hand, what would Hitler have thought of the Mongols as a race? Historically, Hitler and all those who followed his wild philosophy, divided people into only two categories: humans and 'untermenschen' or sub-humans. Humans were basically members of the so-called Aryan race, namely a “perfect” Nordic race characterized by tall individuals with blonde hair and blue eyes. Obviously, nothing to do with Mongols.

The other group, the 'untermenschen' were according to Nazi propaganda, a “complete similar creation of nature with hands, feet and a kind of brain, with eyes and a mouth, is nevertheless a completely different, dreadful creature. He is only a rough copy of a human being, with human-like facial traits but nonetheless morally and mentally lower than any animal. Within this creature there is a fearful chaos of wild, uninhibited passions, nameless destructiveness, the most primitive desires, the nakedest vulgarity. Sub-human, otherwise nothing. For all that bear a human face are not equal. Woe to him who forgets it.” 

All the members of that group, Mongols included, had only one purpose: to serve the 'real humans' (the Aryan race) as slaves and should they lose their usefulness, to be sacrificed as animals. In fact, during the WWII in Germany, all the prisoners with Mongolian features were immediately killed. To Hitler they were not humans at all.

In conclusion, racists or purists, the defenders of the integrity of Mongolia, the paladins of a free-from foreign influence of Mongolia are worshipping a mad mix-blooded foreigner who chose to commit suicide instead of facing the facts; instead of defending his nation until the end. They have put on high a man who considered Mongols a kind of sub-humans; animals with a human shape.

Sadly, some say that these kinds of groups are marginal and have no real backing amongst the current populous. That is what people said about Hitler and his supporters eighty years ago. But that was just the beginning of a nightmare that ruined the whole world. Racism is growing in Mongolia against the Chinese, Westerners, and even against Mongolians of darker skin. When the national situation is not good, the easiest way is to blame it on “the other”.

Nowadays there are not many “others” (immigrants) in Mongolia. The supposed danger of hordes of foreigners walking about the streets of Ulaanbaatar is just a myth. There are more Mongolians in Korea (4500 of them just in Seoul) than foreigners in Mongolia. However, Koreans do not consider Mongolians a peril for their nation.

Nevertheless, Mongolia is already a Chinese-Russian colony. There has been no need of armies, no need of bringing millions of colonizers, no need to kill. The Chinese investment represents 60% of total foreign investment, in total USD 2.3 billion in 2009, which means almost USD 1 million per person. The rest of the investment is mainly Russian and Western. Mongolia has been sold with the help of all its citizens.
In a globalised world like ours, to dream of an economical independence is no more than a daydream. In Mongolia the problem is exacerbated because of the lack of national production of almost everything. Clothes, cars, telephones, paper, toys, food, etc. must be imported from China, Russia, Europe, and America.

Moreover, the few Mongolian products are despised by most Mongolian customers (racists included) who prefer to buy old-fashioned and “Made in China” Zara clothes in the State Department Store because it gives 'status'. Racists prefer to think of Hitler and the “wicked” Chinese instead of helping Mongolia to develop. People (racists included) prefer to drop empty plastic bottles on the street and blame it on the “wicked” Russian who manufactured the juice instead of using dustbins and keeping Mongolia clean. This is the danger for Mongolia; that is the sickness to fight against.