Mongolia Brief August 20, 2014 Part II

Selenge Province harvest sales begin

By D. Sergelen

August 20 (UB Post) Vegetable grocers of Selenge Province started selling harvested vegetables in front of Sky Department on Friday.

Grocers dedicated their hard work and heart to the harvest and city residents will be able to purchase the new harvest for two months, until October 15.

Grocers said they worried about the new harvest as this summer was especially rainy. They managed to overcome the issue by taking precautions, the grocers added.

Around 100 grocers of Zuunburen, Baruunburen, Shaamar, Sant, and Khushaat soums were planning to attend the fair but only 40 grocers were presented and brought newly harvested vegetables such as potatoes, cabbages, carrots, turnips, as well as canned vegetables, honey and fruits at the event.

We spoke with a grocer of Mandal soum of Selenge Province ahead of the fair.

How many years have you been attending the fair?

I have been attending the event for four years. Selling vegetables at my soum is not profitable because many people plant vegetables. But selling in the city is quite profitable.  It will be worthy if this fair lasts more than two months.

After this fair, we have no option but to sell it for cheaper prices to traders.  Unfortunately, our several months’ hard work doesn’t bring much profit.

This year’s fair seems to be selling vegetables at higher prices. Can you comment on this?

It is a reasonable price. In particular, potatoes are sold for 1,000 MNT a kg at minimum in shops, but we sell a kg of potato for 800 MNT.

It is not rare to find grocers selling Chinese vegetables with labels saying that they are Mongolian.  How do you guarantee that grocers at the fair sell only Mongolian vegetables?

Salesmen sell vegetables grown in Mongolia from Chinese seeds, but they aren’t sold at the fair.  Grocers are not keen on selling Chinese vegetables as they are not tasty.

Vegetables (kg)	Price, MNT
Potato	800
Carrot, Turnip	1,000
Onion	1,500
Cabbage	600
Tomato	5,000-7,000
Pepper	5,000
Bilberry, black currant	13,000
Currant, wild cherry	7,000
Honey (liter)	20,000

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Minister of Culture’s brother Ts.Bat condemned for expressing his opinion on Twitter

By D. Sergelen

August 20 (UB Post) Ts.Bat , brother of Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ts.Oyungerel, was sentenced to three months and ten days in prison at a Primary Court hearing for “defaming” the Minister of Road and Transportation A.Gansukh on  Twitter and other online social media.

Ts.Bat worked as a chief of the policy planning department at the Mongolian Civil Air Transportation LLC and he tweets through his account “Bat Engineer”.

The Primary Court believed that Ts.Bat spread false allegations to public in order to defame Minister A.Gansukh intentionally from September 30 to October 17, 2013.

The decision of the Primary Court was met with public outrage and criticism. The fact that Twitter and Facebook was deemed as a legitimate medium for information distribution was a focus of public attention.

Ts.Bat was accused of spreading false information to public in accordance with the 111.2 Clause of the Criminal Code.

Commenting on the its decision, the Primary Court explained, “The public is defined as a part of society and as such, to be condemned for this particular crime, it does not have to be committed before one or more individuals, and a defamation of an individual even to a single individual will be considered a crime.”  The court defined media as, “The press media is television, radio, telecommunication network, computer network, special program, printed media and other means.”

Twitter users have taken up to demonstrating at Chiggis Square to show their opposition for the court’s decision. The protestors said that the Primary Court condemned Ts.Bat for expressing his opinion on online social media. “Everyone has a right to express their voice in a democratic country but Minister Gansukh attempted to restrict Mongolians’ right to express their opinion,” they said.

Minister Ts.Oyungerel said that the case was the first time that a person was convicted for expressing themselves on social media in Mongolia and that she will work with all levels of the judiciary sector to eradicate the current standing, during an interview with Mongol Television on August 18.

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Mongolia’s foreign debt reaches 19.88 billion USD

By B. Mendbayar

August 20 (UB Post) Debtless Mongolia non-government organization (NGO) warned that the total foreign debt of Mongolia has reached 19.88 billion USD, or 37.7 trillion MNT, and accordingly, each citizen carries debt of 12.89 million MNT, according to the USD exchange rate on August 18.

The national debt amounts to 215 percent of 2013′s GDP and 184 percent of 2014′s expected GDP. A total of 4.5 billion USD of the foreign debt belongs to the government and 1.41 to the Central Bank. The government’s debt increased by 3.1 billion USD. Director of the NGO Ch.Enkhbat emphasized that 401.3 million USD of the government debt was soft loans from partner countries and international banks and financial organizations, whereas the rest was commercial loans. He criticized the government for trading bonds and getting commercial loans instead of using the opportunity to get soft loans of an additional one billion USD. Members of the NGO commented, “We ought to pay 580 million USD debt to Development Bank and 500 million of the Chinggis Bond in 2018, and the remaining one billion USD of the Chinggis Bond in 2022. We can pay these debts in time only if GDP grows by 15-18 percent annually. But we have no fundamentals to produce such growth, thus proving that Mongolia has undergone debt burden.” The NGO said it will send a statement to the government and parliament members who are responsible for supervising the government and impose responsibility.

Source: Unuudur

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UB road projects delayed by land disputes

By L. Nandintsetseg

August 20 (UB Post) “New roads will help to bring down traffic congestion but people aren’t giving up their land, which slows down road construction” reports the City Road Authority.

Governor and Mayor of Ulaanbaatar E.Bat-Uul, City Governor Authority Director E.Gerelchuluun, General Manager of Ulaanbaatar B.Badral, and Head of the City Road Authority D.Nanzaddorj checked on the progress of Ulaanbaatar road construction on August 8.

Governor E.Bat-Uul visited road construction sites from Dunjingarav Center to Uliastai and the 17.6 km road from Bayanzurkh Tovchoo to Yarmag Bridge The construction companies reported that the roads will be completed on time.

Beijing Street road complete in November

Beijing Street road construction from the northern intersection of the University of Science and Technology to the 11th khoroolol intersection was visited by Mayor E.Bat-Uul.  Sixty-five percent  of the construction is now done. The total expenditure of the construction, 59.8 million CNY, was granted by the Chinese Government.

The Mayor’s next stop was the new road construction from Yarmag Bridge to Thermal Power Plant №3. The road work will be complete by September 15, but there are some difficulties for successful construction: weather conditions and citizens who are not giving up their land.

“One resident who owns an apartment near Gurvaljin Bridge, where the road construction starts, isn’t giving up his land, which interferes with road construction,” noted the construction company carrying out the project.

New road to connect Uliastai gap.

Two road projects are planned in Ulaanbaatar this year. A 2.3 km road will be built from Shar Khad to Botanic. Thanks to this project, families in Uliastai gap will have bus service.

The tender for the executing company has been announced. Experts say that new roads will bring down traffic congestion.

Yarmag-Nisekh road finished this month

A 13.7 km road project from Yarmag Bridge to Nisekh will be complete by August 25, carried out by Chinese company HKB International. The road construction started in June 2012, and cost 26 billion MNT from the state budget. Director of HKB International Jon Won met Mayor of Ulaanbaatar E.Bat-Uul and introduced his work. Jon Won noted that the construction stagnated at times because of financial problems.

Now only final paving of the road is left to be done. Because of rain, construction work stopped during E.Bat-Uul’s visit. “Road treatment is an important thing. Big cities treat their roads by planting trees on both sides.  This project is being tested in Ulaanbaatar by Tod Gazar. Twenty  year old pine trees were planted along Yarmag and Nisekh road,” noted the mayor.

“Pine is a beautiful tree, with high production of oxygen. It doesn’t need that much care for 300 years,” noted experts from Tod Gazar. Tree planting will also take place on the road to 22 Tovchoo next year. Planting trees on both sides of the road has two advantages: the trees protect the road from water and wind erosion. Trees absorb water and keep the ground dry, which protects roads from rain water damage.

“Only lighting is left for the Yarmag Nisekh road,” reported the Governor of Khan-Uul district.

Land dispute delays

A 5.5 km road with four traffic lanes and sidewalks from Monos intersection to Nisekh is being built by Badrakh Oil and Arts Suvarga . “At this time, construction expenditure equals 16 billion MNT, and will increase further. The construction work must be done by September 20, but it’s ambiguous,” reported Badrakh Oil.

The mayor’s last visit was to the road construction site in Bayankhoshuu. A 4.6 km road is being constructed by Express Road from Zuragt’s new ending to the Bayankhoshuu Toiruu intersection. People aren’t giving up their land, which has caused delays for road construction. Claiming 50 million MNT, 22 families aren’t relinquishing their land. Related organizations couldn’t make a deal with them, due to a lack of funding. Three billion MNT from the state budget has been allocated for land purchases.

Source: vip76.mn/content/26271

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G.Bat-Erdene: Being born a woman is beauty in itself

By B. Dulguun

August 20 (UB Post) Cosmetic surgeons aren’t trained in Mongolia. This is an interview with the first and only Mongolian that majored in cosmetic surgery abroad, G.Bat-Erdene, who’s well-known as the cosmetic surgeon of Songdo Hospital. He studied medicine at Cuba’s Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) of University of Havana for seven years and cosmetic surgery for another five years. G.Bat-Erdene is only thirty years old but his patients and colleagues define him as a young experienced surgeon with exceptional skills and sense. 

Mongolian’s have controversial views about cosmetic surgery. Some revere its outcomes while some experience its negative effects or emphasize natural beauty. Is there any requirements for getting cosmetic surgery?

People often debate on whether cosmetic surgery should be done or not. All surgeries have specific requirements. Specifically, reasons for conducting surgery on a particular person are very important. For eye cosmetic surgeries, the person has to be willing to have the surgery above all. They’ll want it if their eyelids are unsatisfactory. Through an examination, eyelids are checked on their droopiness and excess fat tissues. The two sides discuss to decide if the surgery should be carried out.

Lately, breast cosmetic surgery is becoming popular in Mongolia. This surgery has specific sizes and requirements. A woman’s breasts must have 150 to 200 ml volume at minimum. Some women’s breasts are naturally small or become small and lose their shape after giving birth and breast-feeding. After examinations of women’s height and chest circumference ratio, doctors decide on the size of implants.

Liposuction for removing fat also has requirements. Fat tissues under the skin must be two to 2.5 cm thick. If it exceeds this limit, it becomes fat. The layer is graded as first, second and third level. Depending on this, operations are conducted. It’s wrong to tell a healthy person that they must or must not undergo cosmetic surgery. Basically, the person must be willing and have an absolute reason for getting cosmetic surgery.

People who are evidently beautiful sometimes are dissatisfied with their outer appearances. Even with normal features, they want to “fix” them. What do you advise in cases such as these? Can you refuse their requests?

As mentioned before, cosmetic surgeries have basic requirements. Firstly, the person must be mentally healthy. On the first meeting, through a questioning and examination, we check their mental health. We aren’t able to fulfill all requests if people make too many demands. In this case, we advise and make them understand what operations are more preferable and what features don’t need to be changed.

Lately, people interpret cosmetic surgery as a tool for acquiring money. If they can make money, they fulfill all requests by customers. This is wrong. People who demand many things see huge results. Unfortunately, not everyone is content with their results.

When you see relatives and friends, do you think about how their features would look better? Do you see them from a professional perspective?

Professions influence our daily lives. I don’t look at people that way. I try not to. People do ask me to look at them from a professional’s point of view and give recommendations. If they truly find me to see them as a professional, I counsel on what could be changed. But whether it’s through cosmetic surgery or other methodology is another issue.

To you, what is the definition of a beautiful woman?

Being born a woman is itself beautiful. Comparing a person’s appearance with another person’s is bias. Similar to how every child is lovely and adorable, every woman has their own beauty. People who say they are unattractive have their own uniqueness or may have something much better than other people. Every woman is beautiful.

Do cosmetic surgeons have standards for conduct?

Not only cosmetic surgeons but every surgeon has to be neat. Every action and operations have orders and sequences.  Most importantly, cosmetic surgeons have to have high sensitivity. They should instinctively sense what small adjustment would give better results when they see a customer.

In recent years, not just women but also men are focused on their beauty. Do men come to you for cosmetic surgery?

Globally, plastic surgery is known to have originated since the late 1800s. It developed the most in the USA and European countries after WWII. Now, it’s become the core of Asian cosmetic surgery. Mongolians think that only women can get cosmetic surgery. Men and women have equal rights for service in this sector.

According to latest statistics, the ratio of men and women undergoing cosmetic surgery varies from 25 men for every 75 women to 20 men for every 80 women, and the ratio gap will continue to increase. Men are getting eyelid and nose jobs as well as liposuction. The most recent male customer, weighing 137 kg, had liposuction and became 88 kg. If you compare his before and after appearance, he looks ten years younger.

As for women, they mainly get operations for breast augmentation or enlargement, breast lift, and liposuction for abdomen, thigh, and belly fat.

There’s one big problem among Mongolian ladies. While Koreans and Japanese people have smooth and clean skin, Mongolians are prone to getting acne, spots, pigments, and freckles due to climate reasons. Can you get smooth, clean and livelier skin through plastic surgery?

It is a part of cosmetic surgery. It’s a bit different as it’s done through nonsurgical procedures, which is currently done by various Mongolian beauticians. To make skin clean without freckles, a certain regime is followed at hospital level, particularly, through laser or chemical methods. The chemical method is done with trichloroacetic acid. When the acidic substance is applied, it molts and burns the surface layer of the skin while the laser method involves burning with ultraviolet ray to peel off the surface layer of the skin, leaving you to look much younger. The procedure removes light wrinkles. It also eliminates all types of skin pores, acne, and scars.

People complain that their freckles and scars weren’t removed with the laser method. It isn’t a surprise that it didn’t work. Firstly, it was done by an unprofessional, meaning that they will not get adequate results as it wasn’t done according to standards and under hospital supervision. Secondly, you must never get laser treatment in summer. Laser treatment isn’t suitable especially for countries like Mongolia with extreme climate. It’s ineffective in environments with sun ray, dirt, and dust. Salon staffs don’t explain this to customers and only think about getting revenue.

Cosmetic surgery television shows are getting popular in the USA, South Korea and Turkey. Through the sector, these countries increase medical tourists and people are very interested in the shows. Is it possible to develop this sort of television programs in Mongolia?

From one side, it’s a show but from another, it shows how skilled and experienced the country’s doctors are and how great the after-surgery results are. Bone surgery changes people the most. When a chin, jaw, nose, and cheeks are slightly altered, a person changes incredibly, more than plastic surgery. Bone surgery hasn’t developed in Mongolia at the moment, indicating that conditions to run cosmetic surgery shows are incomplete. Cosmetic surgery can be advertised through other means. Foreign countries publicize plastic surgery and its results through magazines. Mongolia hasn’t got such magazines yet.

There are several cases where a person got cancer from getting nose reconstruction surgeries and a person becoming blind after an eyelid operation. What’s the primary focus of cosmetic surgery?

Many people inquire about the most risky surgery and its negative effects. It’s risky to even pull out a tooth. If the person to get a double eyelid surgery catches a cold, this becomes a hindrance for operations and any sort of old diseases may become a difficulty after a surgery. High and low risks follow every type of cosmetic surgery as it involves doing operations on a person’s body. Professional surgeons work to decrease risks.

The first priority is to approach professional surgeons and hospitals. The customer needs to be healthy and after an operation, they must follow certain restrictions and diet. This reduces risks. Surgeons must ensure their tools, equipment and product are secure and safe.

Lately, unprofessional individuals are doing cosmetic operations. In skin cosmetic surgery clinics, they bring Korean surgeons and get them to carry out breast surgeries. These surgeons don’t give after surgery treatment and make customers suffer and face losses. Just recently, a woman, who had a breast enlargement surgery at that clinic, lost blood and came to me. Their skin doctor couldn’t diagnose where she was losing blood from and its reasons.

How do you see Mongolia’s current cosmetic surgery practices and envision future practices?

It’ll develop. Cosmetic surgery sector is correspondent to the nation’s economy. People take care of their beauty when they have adequate money supply. Mongolian economy did fall in the last two years but the number of people undergoing cosmetic surgery is increasing each year. Oral advocacy is really effective among Mongolians. People know me better as the cosmetic surgeon of Songdo Hospital, instead of Bat-Erdene.

Source: Unuudur http://mongolnews.mn/w/54002

Link to interview