Mongolia Brief November 28, 2014
P.Tsagaan
Participates in Int’l Conference and Business Forum
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar,
November 28 (MONTSAME) Head of the Presidential Office P.Tsagaan took part in
international conference themed “Eurasia week–improving the competitiveness of
Eurasian region”, organized by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) November 24-27 in Paris of France.
With the key
mission of promoting policies that improve the economic and social well-being
of people around the world, the OECD provides a forum in which governments can
work together to share experiences and seek solutions to common problems. This
time the conference brought together high level officials from 34 member
states, 13 Central Asian countries and East Europe, and delegates of the
world’s biggest entities.
The OECD
programme on improving a competitiveness of Eurasia, which launched in 2008,
has involved Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldavia and
Ukraine.
Mr Tsagaan also
attended a business forum titled “Business opportunities in Eurasia” to deliver
a report themed “The economic competitiveness of Mongolia, policy on
specializing the economy, difficulties and lessons”. Then he introduced Mongolia’s
initiatives and experiences in procurement actions of NGOs and the state
policy.
During the
business forum, Mr Tsagaan ran meetings with Mr Marcos Bonturi, Director of the
OECD Global Relations Secretariat, and Mr Antonio Somma, Head of the OECD
Eurasia Competitiveness Programme. Mr Tsagaan underlined an importance of the
OECD’s cooperation, experiences of developmental organizations and assistance
for successfully implementing the state and economic reforms since 1990. He
said Mongolia wants to realize four projects on strengthening a sustainable
competitiveness of Mongolia’s mining sector, fortifying the ties and
partnership between the state and the private sector, specializing the economy,
and on designing a developmental policy on the small- and middle-sized
productions.
Mongolia
Elected to Chair International IDEA in 2016
November 28
(infomongolia.com) Mongolian delegates led by Deputy Director of the Policy
Planning and Research Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Economic Cooperation, G.Amartuvshin attended the 23rd session of the
International IDEA Council of Member States held in Gaborone, Botswana on
November 25-26, 2014.
At the session,
the International IDEA Council member states discussed the annual report and
mid-term strategic partnership program. Furthermore, participants elected new
Council Board members.
Moreover,
Member States unanimously agreed to elect Mongolia to Chair the International
IDEA Council in 2016, but according to regulations, Mongolia will administer as
Deputy Chair of the Organization in 2015 until it assumes the chairmanship for
2016.
Mongolia joined
the International IDEA in 2011. In 2013, Mongolia was elected a member of its
Council at the previous 22nd session.
Today, the
International IDEA has full member states of 29 countries and one Observer -
Japan.
Australia
(joined 1995),
Barbados
(1995),
Belgium (1995),
Botswana
(1997),
Canada (1997),
Cape Verde
(2003),
Chile (1995),
Costa Rica
(1995),
Denmark (1995),
Dominican
Republic (2011),
Finland (1995),
Germany (2002),
Ghana (2008),
India (1995),
Indonesia
(2013),
Mauritius
(1999),
Mexico (2003),
Mongolia (2011),
Namibia (1997),
The Netherlands
(1995),
Norway (1995),
Peru (2004),
Philippines
(2013),
Portugal
(1995),
South Africa
(1995),
Spain (1995),
Sweden (1995),
Switzerland
(2006),
Uruguay (joined
in 2003);
Related:
Mongolia
Becomes Chair of IDEA for 2016 – Montsame,
November 28
Supreme
Prize of Academy of Sciences Awarded
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar,
November 28 (MONTSAME) On occasion of the 375th anniversary of Ulaanbaatar city
and the Day of Scientific Figures of Mongolia, the Academy of Sciences of
Mongolia (AS) has bestowed its supreme prize--the Gold Medal of Khubilai
Khaan--upon Yo.Gerelchuluun, a member of the AS’s Minor Conference for
sociology.
The award was
given by the AS president B.Enkhtuvshin on Friday. The Khubilai Khaan’s Gold
medal goes to Mongolian and foreign scholars or state figures who significantly
contribute to a development of the AC.
Mongolia
and Buryatia agree to expand ties
November 28
(news.mn) Chairman of the People's Khural of the Republic of Buryatia Matvey
Gershevich is making an official visit to Ulaanbaatar.
Chairman of the
Ulaanbaatar Citizens' Representatives Khural D.Battulga welcomed Chairman
Gershevich and other officials of Buryatia, holding talks on bilateral
relations and developments between the two countries.
At the
beginning of the meeting Chairman D.Battulga thanked the delegates from
Buryatia for visiting Ulaanbaatar.
D.Battulga
introduced the structure, organization of the Ulaanbaatar Citizens'
Representatives Khural and about issues solved by the board. He suggested that
Chairman Gershevich hold a forum for the top tour companies of both countries
in Ulaanbaatar.
Gershevich
emphasized, "A win-win situation comes from future expansion of bilateral
trade, business, and bilateral cooperation since the meeting of the presidents
of Russia and Mongolia, which faded in past years. We are ready for
cooperation with your country.”
Chairman of the
People's Khural of the Republic of Buryatia Matvey Gershevich wants to revive
flights between Ulaanbaatar and Ulaan Ude, expand bilateral cooperation on
railroads, jointly develop vehicle logistics, cooperate on a natural gas
gasification project, and export meat from Mongolian to a meat processing plant
in Ulaan Ude.
Monos
pharmacist gets a two-year sentence
November 28
(news.mn) Monos Pharmacy staff who distributed high dosages of Luminal
(phenobarbital) for infants, which resulted in the poisoning and
hospitalization of sixteen infants between the ages of four days and three
months, were sentenced on Thursday at Criminal District Primary Court II.
A pharmacist
from the Ekh Nyalkhas branch of Monos Pharmacy, B.Erdenechimeg was charged with
distributing excessive dosages of Luminal to infants and failing to meet her
professional responsibility. The court delayed her two-year sentence for two
years as she is now pregnant.
A medical staff
member of Monos-Ulaanbaatar was charged with giving inaccurate instructions
over the phone on how to take the pill, resulting in the poisoning of two
infants poisoned. D.Javkhlantugs received a one-year suspended sentence.
The hearing was
attended by the parents of infants who were hospitalized.
Parents of the
poisoned infants told reporters, “Since the incident, our kids get sick and
need to see doctor more than usual. We are afraid of what the side-effects of
the poisoning will be in the future.”
Mongolian
National Knucklebone Shooting Registered on UNESCO Representative List of
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
November 28
(infomongolia.com) The Ninth Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the
Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (with Committee members from
24 countries) is taking place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on November
24-28, 2014.
On November 27,
2014, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible
Cultural Heritage inscribed sixteen new elements on the Representative List of
the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, in which Mongolian Knucklebone
Shooting is included.
Mongolian
Federation of Knucklebone Shooting nominated the Knucklebone Shooting Game for
Inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of
Humanity in 2012.
Knucklebone
Shooting is very popular nationwide in Mongolia. In terms of divisional units
it is composed of ''Shagai Toirom'' or ''Knucklebone Circles'' which is a
permanent bond of teams consisted of highly experienced masters and proficient
pupils of the local community. There are more than 10 active traditional
''Knucklebone Circles'' in Dundgovi, Dornogovi, Umnugovi, Uvurkhangai, Selenge,
Bulgan Aimags and regions of the country.
A single
unifying force of all Knucklebone Shooters of Mongolia is the Mongolian
Federation of Knucklebone Shooting headquartered in the capital city of
Ulaanbaatar.
Since the
ancient times Mongolians held a reverence to some parts of bones of their
domestic livestock animals and are still accustomed to use them in their
religious rites, traditional games and plays. One of those exalted bones is the
''knucklebone or anklebones'' of sheep. Such worship led to the origin of the
''culture of knucklebone art'' and consequently to more than another 120 kinds
of various games with knucklebones.
A large number
of traditional Mongolian games are played using the anklebones of sheep
(knucklebones), known in Mongolian as ''Shagai''. Depending on the game the
anklebones may be tossed like dice, flicked like marbles, shot at with arrows,
caught in the hands, or simply collected according to the roll of a die.
The most
sophisticated kind was the ''Knucklebone Shooting'' which grew even deeper in
terms of technique and methods and by the test of time it evolved to become a
heritage of national status. It represents the very core of Mongolian psychic
embossed with its folk cult mentality.
Specially
polished to shine knucklebones are shot in the straight downwards direction in
the angle of about 30-45 degrees into the target zone named as ''Zurkhai'' by
flicking 30 domino-like shooting tablets of marble named ''Khasaa'' laid on a
lined smooth wooden surface from a distance of 9 elbows (4.72 meters) towards a
target of sheep and goat ankle bones that are arranged to the given orders of
the current game rule. Its technique demands high accuracy and precision and
might seem somewhat similar to bowling, with the object being to knock down
more of the ankle bones than your opponent.
During the
shooting tournaments shooters communicate with each other not with words, but
in a specific manner of singing of traditional ''Knucklebone Shooting''
melodies and songs with cheering lyrics such as ''Hail you, friend'', ''Hit the
target'', ''Hail the board'' which sound more or like ''Long Songs''. Costume
designs for all knucklebone shooters have their own distinguished
characteristics depending on their ranks and merits.
Thus, the
''Knucklebone Shooting'' is undoubtedly one of those splendid cultural
heritages of Mongolia along with ''Urtyn Duu'' - ''Long Songs'',
"Khuumii" - ''Throat Singing'', ''Morin Khuur'' - ''Horse Cello'' and
''Mongol Naadam'' - ''Mongolian Festivity'' that are already in the UNESCO
Representative List of Intangible Heritage.
Each tournament
last for 2-3 hours depending on the scale and type of the competition. It
demands high tolerance and endurance from competitors as they sit and rise up
to 50-60 times as they compete, as well as maximum precision of sight and
accuracy of fingertips performance. It is also a magnificent tradition that, in
respect of their seniority, some elder players of 60-90 years of age are
allowed to use their ''chavkh'' or ''shooting bow''.
Main definitions of Mongolian Knucklebone
Shooting:
- It is one of
traditional national games of Mongolian nation with a history and heritage
inherited from generations to generation for many hundreds of years.
- It contains
own specific rules, customs and disciples that are highly valuable and unique
to enhance, educate and enrich human spirit and morality, and is playable in
any conditions and circumstances.
- It is a team
based game that strengthens mutual bonds between the players and the masters
and builds firm and long lasting friendship of people.
- It is an
effective and productive method of spending free time that enlightens human
mind, widens one's mentality and develops various techniques of sheer command,
self-control and high precision. In that sense it is one best way of training
and educating young people.
- ''Shagai
Toirom'' or ''Knucklebone Circle'' is a round shaped place where shooter gather
not only to compete, but also to swear their bond and mutual respect. Shooters
set up their tents in circles according to the rules of ''Shagai Toirom''.
- ''Zurkhai''
is a smooth wooden board where ''khasaa'' or ''targets'' are placed in a single
row.
- ''Khasaa'' is
a target. It's either a knucklebone or is made of deer horn, elephant fang or
endurable plastic.
- ''Khashlaga''
is a very solid wooden board that is hand crafted by true masters and on which
a shooting knucklebone is placed.
- Shooting
dices are hand crafted of naturally fallen deer horn and have a square shape.
- ''Tokhoi'' or
''Elbow'' is a wooden stand of 52.5 cm tall and 5-7cm wide on which hit targets
or ''khasaa'' are placed during the competition.
- ''Chavkh'' is
a shooting bow that is used in case shooters are tired or to enhance the
shooting procedure.
The Knucklebone
Shooting competitions are organized in two manners: ''Temtseen'' or tournaments
and ''Toirom'' or Premierships'. Tournaments are organized according to the
rules set by the Federation and are considered to be as the main event.
Premierships are held in the regional parts on the initiatives of local masters
and specialists as they sometimes gather in the countryside, valleys and
mountains to compete and to celebrate according to the ancient rituals and
customs in order to affirm that traditional spell of Knucklebone Shooting.
Usually tournaments involve 50-80 teams with 500-1,000 shooters at once which
is an impressive figure and a sign of high popularity of the heritage in
Mongolia. Team members are tied by unbreakable internal bonds and follow clear
ethical rules of mutual respect and dignity. No conflicts and contentions can
be tolerated within or between the teams as certain moral codes of lawful
honour are strictly obeyed. Up-to-date the Federation has had organized over 30
major nationwide tournaments and the titles of ''Mighty par Excellence'',
''Genius par Excellence'', ''Par Excellence'', ''Winner par Excellence'' had
been granted to more than 3,000 most powerful and astute shooters in accordance
with their ranks and merits. Since 1998 a tradition of participating in annual
National Naadam Festivities has been established and the President of Mongolia
personally awards the winners on the ceremony of victory held at the Central
Stadium in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar.
In 1998,
President of Mongolia declared the ''Knucklebone Shooting'' as an official
customary imperative of the state and approved the standards of its ranks,
titles and awards. Nowadays, this national game of ''Knucklebone Shooting'' has
been recognized as game of national status.
Related:
UNESCO inscribes Mongolian
ankle bone shooting – news.mn,
November 28
UNESCO
registers Mongolian shagai-shooting as ICH – Montsame, November 28
Cabinet
Meeting of Government of Mongolia to Be Held on Every Monday from December 01,
2014
November 28
(infomongolia.com) The 28th Prime Minister of Mongolia Ch.Saikhanbileg issued
an ordinance to host the Cabinet meeting of the Government on every Mondays
effective from December 01, 2014.
According to
new regulation, the Cabinet meeting will start on Mondays at 04:00 pm and the
meeting resolutions will be released on Tuesdays.
The Cabinet
meeting chaired by the 27th Premier N.Altankhuyag used to meet on every
Saturdays in August 09, 2012 - November 05, 2014 and the previous Cabinet
chaired by the 26th Premier S.Batbold had met on every Wednesdays in October
29, 2009 - August 09, 2012.
Mongolia
to Deploy 120 Servicemen in Second Stage of
“Resolute
Support” Mission in Afghanistan
November 28
(infomongolia.com) The First Shift of Mongolian Armed Forces with its 120
military servicemen to participate in the second stage of “Resolute Support”
mission in Afghanistan has paid tribute to the Flag of the Defense Ministry of
Mongolia on November 27, 2014.
At the farewell
ceremony, Chairman of Strategy Policy Planning Department at the Ministry,
Colonel G.Saikhanbayar, Brigadier General at General Staff of Mongolian Armed
Forces (GSMAF) J.Badambazar as well as other officials from the Ministry of
Defense and GSMAF have respectfully attended in this event.
The NATO’s
first stage of the “Resolute Support” mission by International Security
Assistance Force’s (ISAF) takes over on January 01, 2015, and in the period of
2003-2014, Mongolia has deployed 10 shifts with over 3,000 servicemen.
The First Shift
of 120 Mongolian militants will participate in the second stage of “Resolute
Support” mission in Afghanistan, where a total of 12,000 military servicemen
from NATO-member and partner nations will be participating, which will be a
true test of the international community’s commitment to the long-term
stability of Afghanistan.
The second
stage of “Resolute Support” is a non-combat mission that aims to provide
further support for the continued development and sustainment of the Afghan
security forces and institutions post-2014.
Buryatia
Requests to Restore Direct Flights between Ulaanbaatar and Ulan-Ude
November 28
(infomongolia.com) On November 27, 2014, the Chairman of Ulaanbaatar City
Citizens’ Representatives Khural (City Council) D.Battulga received the
visiting delegation from the Republic of Buryatia headed by the People's Khural
Chairman Matvei Gershevich to discuss bilateral partnership and concerning
issues between the two countries.
At the
beginning of meeting, City Council Chairman D.Battulga introduced the Council
structural and organizational frames as well as its implementing works and
further plans. Moreover, he proposed to organize a Mongolia-Buryatia Forum
between the tourist companies in Ulaanbaatar.
In respond, the
Chairman M.Gershevich noted, “Following the latter meeting between the heads of
state of Mongolia and Russia, the bilateral cooperation reached in a new stage
that caused to boosting frozen trade turnover and economical partnerships. In
this regard, we are ready to collaborate with Mongolia at all potential
spheres”.
Furthermore,
Buryatian side expressed its wiliness to restore direct flights between
Ulaanbaatar and Ulan-Ude and broaden cooperation in railway sector as well as
jointly develop projects on auto road logistics, gasification of natural gas
and to supply meat from Mongolia.
NATO
Delegates Visit Mongolia to Get Acquainted with Science for Peace and Security
Programme
November 28
(infomongolia.com) The Government of Mongolia had established an Individual
Partnership and Cooperation Program with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) in 2012 and under the collaboration, Mongolian Academy of Sciences is
co-implementing the Science for Peace and Security Programme.
In the
frameworks of the Programme, three projects are being carried out, namely,
"Security in Information Communications Technology",
"Establishing a Geo-Database for the Restoration of Former Military
Sites" and "Perception of NATO in Asia and the Pacific".
Under the
Programme, representatives of the NATO are paying a working visit to Mongolia
to get acquainted with the projects implementations on November 25-29, 2014.
On November 27,
Mongolian Academy of Sciences (MAS) staff hosted an open day for public to
introduce the Science for Peace and Security Programme, which took place at the
Corporate Hotel in UB with participation of visiting guests, NATO member
countries Ambassadors to Mongolia, as well as representatives from Mongolian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Defense,
Ministry of Environment and Green Development, Institutes affiliated the MAS
and other personnel including the press.
In the spirit
of mutual benefit and reciprocity, NATO’s partnership with Mongolia aims to
promote common understanding through consultation and cooperation. It is based
on a shared commitment to peace, democracy, human rights, rule of law and
international security.
Related:
NATO
officials visiting here – Montsame,
November 28
D.Battulga
Meets Chairman of People’s Khural of Russian Buryatia
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar,
November 28 (MONTSAME) Head of the Citizens’ Representative Khural of
Ulaanbaatar city D.Battulga Friday received a visiting delegation headed by Mr
M.M.Gershevich, the Chairman of the People’s Khural of the Russian Buryatia
Republic.
Mr Battulga
thanked the delegation for visiting Mongolia and spoke about structure and
functions of the City’s Council. He proposed organizing a forum in Ulaanbaatar
for tourism companies of Mongolia and Russian Buryatia.
In turn, Mr
Gershevich emphasized that a meeting of the Presidents of Mongolia and Russia
boosted the commercial ties and cooperation and said Buryatia wants to re-open
direct flights between Ulaanbaatar and Ulan-Ude and to develop the railway
collaboration. Moreover, he said Buryatia is ready to cooperate with us in
developing the auto road logistics, processing natural gas and in supplying
meat to a processing factory of Ulan-Ude.
MPP
postpones its conference
November 28
(news.mn) The Mongolian People's Party's conference was scheduled to be held
today but was postponed. The PM delivered requests to parties in parliament to
form a coalition government but the MPP has not responded to his request yet.
The opposition would have discussed this issue during today's conference.
Secretary
General of the MPP J.Munkhbat stated that the reason for postponing the
conference was the fact that negotiations between the MPP caucus and DP caucus
had failed.
J.Munkhbat also
commented, “The negotiations were not about the number of posts in the new
cabinet. The two parties caucuses negotiated on how to end the economic
downturn, and how to seek better solutions on the massive Oyu Tolgoi and Tavan
Tolgoi projects and agreements with investors. The MPP wants to solve these
issues.”
The PM must
submit the names of the ministers of his new government to Parliament within 14
days of taking his post. Now, the PM is waiting for the MPP's answer to
whether or not they will collaborate with the government.
The MPP
announced earlier that it would not work with the PM in the new government. But
the party has recently stopped commenting on the issue.
The PM is
expected to submit the structure of his cabinet before December 5th.
“Discover
Mongolia” Business Meeting Takes Place in Jakarta
November 28
(infomongolia.com) The Embassy of Mongolia in Jakarta, the Republic of
Indonesia in association with the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has
organized the “Discover Mongolia” Business Meeting with purposes to scale
tourism and stimulate local economic opportunity themed "Mongolia -
Nomadic by Nature" on November 27, 2014.
The Business
Meeting brought leading Indonesian companies majored in tourism and hotel
sectors, where Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia to
Indonesia Mrs. Shagdar BATTSETSEG and PATA President for Indonesia Chapter Mr.
Setyono Djuandi Darmono have opened the event delivering remarks on current
Mongolia’s tourism sector, investment environment and other opportunities.
At the
“Discover Mongolia” event about 100 representatives from Indonesian entities,
companies and representatives of other sectors were present and following the
meeting they were interested in cooperation with Mongolia’s tourism sector, in
particular, launching winter tourism and requested to organize a series of such
events.
Related:
Mongolia
propagandized in Indonesia – Montsame,
November 28
Foreign
Ministries hold first consultative meeting
By B. Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar,
November 28 (MONTSAME) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Economic Cooperation
of Mongolia and the Ministry of External Affairs of India ran a consultative
meeting on November 27 in New Delhi, India.
The first
meeting of the Ministries was chaired by the Head of the Department for Asia
and the Pacific of the Mongolian Ministry Ch.Bayarmonkh and by a director of
the Department for East Asia of the Indian Ministry Pradeep Kumar Rawat.
The sides
exchanged information about the political and economic states of their
countries and foreign policy priorities. They also touched upon ways of
intensifying a comprehensive partnership between Mongolia and India,
particularly the relations in defense, trade, economy, education, culture,
agriculture and renewable energy.
The sides
emphasized an importance of increasing a number of high level interactions, and
agreed to organize high level visits in frames of the 25th anniversary of
democratic transitions of Mongolia and the 60th anniversary of the establishment
of diplomatic ties between. The democratic India has always been rooting for
Mongolia’s democracy, and will continue to act so, noted the Indian side.
Stock
Exchange news for November 28
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar,
November 28 (MONTSAME) At the Stock Exchange trades on Friday, a total of 36
thousand and 629 units of 21 JSCs were traded costing MNT 35 million 220
thousand and 829.00.
"Khokh
gan” /16 thousand and 840 units/, “Genco tour bureau” /10 thousand and 044
units/, “APU” /5,168 units/, “Hai Bi Oil” /2,250 units/ and "State
Department Store” /596 units/ were the most actively traded in terms of trading
volume, in terms of trading value were "APU” (MNT 18 million 966 million
and 450), "Gobi” (MNT three million 428 thousand and 700), “Atar-orgoo”
(MNT one million and 904 thousand), “Khokh gan” (MNT one million 852 thousand
and 400) and "Bayangol hotel” (MNT one million and 682 thousand).
The total
market capitalization was set at MNT one trillion 466 billion 111 million 909
thousand and 231. The Index of Top-20 JSCs was 14,919.19, decreasing 7.34 units
or 0.05% against the previous day.
Stock
exchange weekly
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar,
November 28 (MONTSAME) Five stock trades were held at Mongolia's Stock Exchange
November 24-28 of 2014. In overall, two million 132 thousand and 095 shares
were sold of 42 joint-stock companies totalling MNT four billion 592 million
712 thousand and 209.80.
"State
Department Store” /one million and 840 thousand units/, "Mon-it buligaar”
/178 thousand units/, "Khokh gan” /34 thousand and 440 units/, "Hai
Bi Oil” /15 thousand and 250 units/ and "Genco tour bureau” /12 thousand
and 452 units/ were the most actively traded in terms of trading volume, in
terms of trading value--"Mon-it buligaar” (MNT one billion 273 million and
400 thousand), "State Department Store” (MNT 934 million and 720
thousand), "Material impex” /MNT 26 million and 898 thousand/, "APU”
/MNT 20 million 459 thousand and 300/ and "Hai Bi Oil” (MNT seven million
987 thousand and 500).
Mongolian
judokas bring home four medals from Grand Prix Jeju 2014
November 30 (UB
Post) Mongolia stood at sixth in the medal tally on the last day of the
International Judo Federation (IJF) Grand Prix Jeju 2014 on Saturday, out of 42
participating countries. Mongolia won one silver, and three bronze medals.
Mongolian judo
teams comprised of 13 male and five female judokas.
Mongolian
judoka, Asian Games 2014 gold medalist and Olympic Champion N.Tuvshinbayar
finished the tournament with a silver medal in the men’s 100 kg on Saturday.
N.Tuvshinbayar
lost to South Korea’s Cho Guham in the final. His opponent in the semifinal was
Peters Dimitri from Germany, while he fought against Reyes Kyle from Canada and
Romanyuk Oleksandr from Ukraine in the preliminary rounds.
Mongolian
bronze medalists from the Grand Prix include D.Amartuvshin, G.Kherlen and
N.Dagvasuren.
D.Amartuvshin
fought against Azerbaijani judoka Safarov Orkhan in the match for bronze in the
men’s 60 kg. His opponents in the preliminaries were Kulikov Dmitriy from
Russia, Kawano Ryoya from Japan and Ko Ja-Ram from South Korea.
G.Kherlen also
seized a bronze medal after beating Mckenzie Ashley from Great Britain, while
he was defeated by Kawano Ryora from Japan in the semifinal. In preliminary
rounds, he won against Kulikov Dmitriy from Russia and Sigauqie Neuso from
Mozambique in the men’s 60 kg division.
N.Dagvasuren
fought in the men’s 81 kg and secured the third bronze medal for Mongolia at
the event.
N.Dagvasuren’s
last opponent, in the match for bronze, was Hungarian judoka Ungvari Attila. He
beat Lucenti Emmanuel from Argentina and Rasullu Abdulhagg from Azerbaijan in
the preliminaries and lost one preliminary match to Kim Jae-Bum from South
Korea.
G.Odbayar
fought in the men’s 73 kg and placed fifth, after losing the match for bronze
to Orujov Rustam from Azerbaijan.
B.Temuulen lost
the match for bronze to Simionescu Vladut from Romania and settled for fifth
place in the men’s above 100 kg.
A.Tsolmon
fought in the women’s 52 kg and competed for a bronze medal against Gomez Laura
from Spain, which ended with a defeat for A.Tsolmon, putting her in fifth
place.
B.Mungunchimeg
placed seventh in the women’s 63 kg and B.Batgerel also listed seventh in the
men’s 66 kg.
South Korea
topped the medal tally with six gold, three silver, five bronze medals,
followed by France and Japan.
France won six
gold, one silver and one bronze medals. Japan ranked third with one gold and two
silver medals.
The next major
tournament for judo, The Grand Slam, will be held in Tokyo from December 5 to
7.
Related:
Judokas
grab medals at Jeju Grand Prix – Montsame,
November 28
Chess
Master Enkhtuul competes with men in Surinam
By B.
Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar,
November 28 (MONTSAME) A Mongolian woman Grand Master of chess A.Enkhtuul
competed in men category at the Second Srefidensi Chess Celebration held
November 20-25 in Surinam. She was ranked at fifth place in the overall
tournament.
The tournament
was participated by players from Surinam, Venezuela, Netherlands, Trinidad and
Tobago, Jamaica, Cuba, and Israel. Mongolia competed in four classifications.
Our Grand
master A.Enkhtuul was the only woman player among the 16 competed in the
“Master Class” (aka men’s classification). After having nine matches in
accordance with Swiss sets, Dutch Grand Master Sipke Ernst topped the class
with 7.0 points, followed by Alon Greenfeld from Israel with same points and
Jorden Van Foreest—with 6.5. A.Enkhtuul satisfied fifth place, having scored
5.5 points.
She had four
wins, three draws and two defeats, having had a draw with the Dutch champion
Ernst and a win against the third-place winner Van Foreest. Grand Master
A.Enkhtuul declared a quite success over her first tournament after being
awarded a title “Grand Master”, having forwarded her international rating by 16
places.
Draughts
players partake in “US Open 2014”
By B.
Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar,
November 28 (MONTSAME) International Grand Master of Chess G.Ganjargal and FMJD
Master N.Monkhtuya are competing in an international open tournament of 10x10
draughts -- “US Open 2014”.
The tournament
attracted 22 players from seven countries. After the seven matches played, the
2012 Asian Champion and six-times Mongolian champion G.Ganjargal is ranking at
third place with nine points (two wins, five draws), the silver medalist of
World Youth Championship 2000 and seven-times Mongolian Champion N.Monkhtuya is
10th with seven point (three wins, one draw and three defeats). The two
Mongolians have been matched to play their next matches with Surinamese players
Rudy and Eddy Azimulla.
The open
tournament will complete on November 30.
Mongolian
surgeons meet
November 28
(news.mn) The 10th Forum of Mongolian Surgeons began in Ulaanbaatar today on
the occasion of the 20th anniversary of founding the microsurgery in Mongolia.
This year's
forum was international, as foreign researchers and medical specialists arrived
to give presentations and attend the forum debates.
The 10th Forum
of Mongolian Surgeons began with a ceremony, where Ministry of Health N.Udval,
academic and President of the Mongolian Surgeon's Association N.Baasanjav, and
other medical specialists and surgeons were present.
Mongolian
Military Museum improves disabled access to its collection
November 28
(news.mn) In honor of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, marked on
December 3rd, the Mongolian Military Museum has made its exhibit placards
available in Mongolian, English and Russian Braille script. The museum has also
made exhibit information available in audio recordings.
The Mongolian
Military Museum successfully launched art, museum training, and history
projects for children at Schools No. 29 and 116, schools for children with
vision and hearing impairments.
Mongolia is marking
the International Day of Persons with Disabilities under the theme “Protecting
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”.
Website
launches to prevent child-related cybercrime
November 28
(news.mn) The Communications Regulatory Commission of Mongolia launched the
website cybersafety.mn to provide parents, children, teenagers and educators
with information about cyber security, online gaming, and proper use of the
internet.
As a member
organization of the Telecommunications Development Sector, the Communications
Regulatory Commission of Mongolia supports the global directive on
protecting children online, as adopted by other member countries.
Practical
information, data, and statistics offered at cybersafety.mn is expected to be
helpful to parents, children and educators to learn about child-related
cybercrime and its prevention.
The website
will also be open to feedback and comments from parents and educators, and hear
complaints about the protection of children from cybercrimes.
Ch.Saikhanbileg
appoints new chairmen in law enforcement
By Ch.
Khaliunaa
November 29 (UB
Post) On Wednesday, the Cabinet held its regular meeting, during which Prime
Minister Ch.Saikhanbileg replaced and appointed new heads of some law
enforcement organizations.
Chairman of the
General Authority for Implementing Court Decisions S.Buyandalai has been
dismissed, and B.Bilegt was appointed the new chairman.
Chairman of the
Central Intelligence Agency B.Ariusan was dismissed and replaced by B.Khurts,
and Chairman of the Central Police Department S.Baatarjav was dismissed, with
R.Chingis becoming the new chairman.
T.Batmagnai was
dismissed from the position of chairman of the General Department of Taxation,
and B.Ariusan was appointed as his replacement.
The
appointments of the new Prime Minister raised some controversy.
Appointing
B.Khurts as chairman of the CIA, when he wasn’t dismissed by the Parliament
from his position with the Independent Authority Against Corruption raised
problems for the new Prime Minister.
Critics say
that appointing the former Vice Chairman of the Authority Against Corruption
(ACC) as the new chairman of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) violates the
Constitution of Mongolia. According to law, the appointment or dismissal of a
chairman or vice chairman of the ACC should be submitted to Parliament for
discussion and approval.
There are media
reports that the issue will be reviewed by the Constitutional Court.
Speaker
Z.Enkhbold decided to hold a meeting of the Standing Committee on Justice to
discuss the dismissal of B.Khurts from the position of vice chairman of the
AAC, and submit the results of the committee’s discussion to Parliament.
On Thursday,
Advisor to the Prime Minister Ts.Munkhtur made a statement to journalists,
saying that appointing B.Khurts as chairman of the CIA did not violate the
constitution.
“According to
the law, the issue of appointing and dismissing a chairman or vice-chairman of
the AAC should be submitted and discussed by Parliament, but we spoke with the
vice chairman of the AAC on his appointment as chairman of the CIA. If the
person requests a dismissal, it doesn’t violate the law. The Prime Minister has
the right to make appointments without waiting for the structure of the new
government. State work has to continue,” said Ts.Munkhtur.
DP
and MPP working groups hold a consultation
By Ch. Khaliun
November 29 (UB
Post) The working groups of the Democratic Party (DP) and the Mongolian
People’s Party (MPP) held their first consultation regarding Prime Minister
Ch.Saikhanbileg’s request to form a coalition government, on Wednesday at the
State Palace.
The sides
believe that the major political forces in Parliament should cooperate to
overcome the economic and political crisis. They agreed that the sides should
place a high priority on state interests rather than on political interests.
However, some
members of the MPP said that if Ch.Saikhanbileg had sent a request to only the
MPP to form a coalition government they could have considered it and held a
lower chamber meeting. But the new Prime Minister sent the request for
cooperation to all parties and coalitions with seats the Parliament and the MPP
believe that there is a risk of discrimination if they join the new government.
Earthquake
Early Warning System Project launches
By M. Zoljargal
November 29 (UB
Post) Earthquake Early Warning System project launched at the National
Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Tuesday as part of the second stage to
complete the set up of the system in Mongolia.
The NEMA has
recently established the Emergency Communications Center with 20 officials,
which will be financed by the government.
The first stage
of the project launched in 2011 when the government issued Decree No.195 to
introduce the system to improve preparedness of the city in case of natural
disasters, following mass casualties and destruction of properties caused by an
earthquake in Japan.
A total of 48
three-meter and 12 eight-meter siren towers have been set up throughout nine
districts of Ulaanbaatar so far.
Three
television stations including Mongolian National Broadcaster (MNB), UBS and
Mongol HD, as well as nine radio stations such as FM 102.5, Auto Radio 96.3,
Family Radio 104.5, Lavain Egshig 97.5, Mongolian National Radio 106, Shine
Dolgion Radio 107.5, Best Radio 98.5, Khamag Mongol Radio 95.1 and Tengerleg
Radio 103.6 have installed an emergency broadcast system.
The broadcast
system is linked to 6,986 meter long LAN-network of the Research Center for
Astronomy and Geophysics of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, National Agency
for Meteorology, Hydrology and Environmental Monitoring, and Orbitnet LLC’s
Data Center.
Alarm
transmitters were set up at MNB’s main building, Chinggeltei Mountain, Melz
Mountain in Baganuur District, and Tamgiin Undur Mountain in Nalaikh District.
A mobile
emergency communications center was installed at a five-ton capacity truck in
order to keep the emergency alarms activated in case of faults at the center in
the NEMA building.
Earthquake
sensors have been set up at 12 earthquake-prone locations in Bulgan, Dundgovi,
Tuv and Selenge Provinces.
Mongolia
to import poultry products from China
By B. Mendbayar
November 29 (UB
Post) A Chinese food firm based in Shandong Province, China, has acquired
official permission from the Mongolian government to export poultry products to
the country, according to Xinhua News Agency of China.
Upon obtaining
permission, Fengxiang Co., Ltd has become the first Chinese food company to
export poultry products to Mongolia, remarked the Shandong Entry-Exit
Inspection and Quarantine Bureau.
The bureau
underlined that Mongolian authorities inspected export-oriented poultry firms
in Shandong Province in October and were satisfied with the quality and safety
controls for the poultry products.
Fengxiang is
one of China’s leading chicken processing companies and delivers its products
to KFC and McDonald’s. The company has an annual capacity to process 200
million chickens and 60,000 tons of cooked poultry products.
N.Tsogtsaikhan:
I am the first Asian stuntman in Hungary
November 29 (UB
Post) We have reached N.Tsogtsaikhan, who
lives in Hungary, through Facebook to talk about his career as a stuntman in
Hungary.
N.Tsogtsaikhan was filmed in blockbuster
movies such as “Hell Boy”, “Monte Carlo”, “Dracula”, “47 Ronin”, “Iris” and
“Eragon”, alongside Hollywood big names such as Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney and
Cole Hauser.
Can you please tell us about yourself?
My name is
Narantsogt Tsogtsaikhan. I have been living in Budapest for ten years and I
have been working as a stuntman since 2007. I am a senior student at an academy
that trains stuntman in Hungary. Graduating from the academy is not enough for
me because even people who have been in the movie business for 40 years can
make mistakes. An academy provides the fundamental knowledge. An undergraduate
stuntman plays in many different scenarios such as fight scenes or riding
motorcycles. Therefore we have to qualify in specific fields of acting after
graduating.
What was the first movie you played in?
In 2007, I
played in a comedy as a bodyguard of a Chinese mafia. I wasn’t a title role. I
was kind of an extra. It means that I had a fight scene behind the main
character. Asian actors are very rare in Hungary and they are mostly invited
from Asia.
Tell us about the movies you have taken
part in?
I had a role in
“Hell Boy”, “Monte Carlo”, “Eragon”, “Dracula” of England, “Iris” of South
Korea and a movie with four parts. I also took part in movies that will be
released in 2015 and 2016, “Spy”, “Fallen” and “American Girl”. I played a
samurai in “47 Ronin”, and played a North Korean soldier in an English
television series called “Strike Back”.
Do Asian actors mostly play opposing roles
in European movies?
Yes, we do. I
mostly play a Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Kazak’s roles. There haven’t been
any Mongolian movies made yet here. At the moment I don’t have any enemies here
so I have a great chance.
Have you had a role with a dialogue?
I played a
member of a Russian mafia in “A Good Day to Die Hard”. I could have said to my
boss character something like, “Someone might be helping them”, but I missed
that chance. In a television series about Hungarian policemen I played an Asian
drug dealer. There is a part in the movie where I am arguing with the
policeman.
I am going to
play a Chinese cosmonaut in a new movie directed by Ridil Scott that will be
released soon. I hope that there is a dialogue for me in the movie.
Could you please tell us about your
experience working with celebrities?
Many of the
Hollywood stars are very ordinary people. I was with the legendary Bruce Willis
in “A Good Day to Die Hard”. It took a lot of days to shoot the scene where I
was shot by Bruce Willis. During the shooting, I asked Bruce Willis for his
autograph, but he didn’t respond to me. A few days later, his bodyguard asked
my phone number and told me that Bruce Willis wanted to meet me. I was very happy.
I have been learning a lot from celebrity actors.
What is your future goal?
I used to dream
about becoming an actor since I was a kid. As I am interested in sports, I
became interested in becoming a stuntman. Jackie Chan was a stuntman when he
started his career. I think that the finish line is more important that the
start in life. As I am not a professional I don’t have many roles. For example,
it is really hard to make someone smile. I love to play in action movies.
When we were
shooting “A Good Day to Die Hard”, I was very nervous. Director John Mur told
me, “Hey Choogoo don’t act but feel your role. Just think of it as your daily
activity and turn into a bad guy. Now go to the restroom and find the bad guy
in you.” Actually, what he said was really helpful. Sometimes in Hollywood,
actors set into their role too deeply that they can’t go back to their real
selves. So self control is very important.
You said that a good stuntman has to be
qualified in a specific field of acting. What will you choose?
At the moment I
am playing in action movies. In the future, I would like to qualify for
motorbike and car stunts.
Could you please tell us about your
instructors?
My mentors are
amazing. The head of my school, Guyash Kish Zultan, has been working as a stuntman
for over 40 years. He was featured in the Guinness Book of World Records
because he did dangerous stunts.
What do you study in class?
I am learning
wrestling, fighting, fencing, jumping, riding motorbikes, drifting cars and
many other activities. But the lessons are conducted not as a professional
sports technique but how to make it look good for the camera. So if I use the
technique that I learned in class, I would be beaten in real life.
Sometimes what
we do is risky, for example jumping scenes from rooftops. We have to flip in
the air while we are jumping and we repeat that a lot of times at the shooting.
What is the best thing about being a
stuntman and what is the most challenging thing?
I think that
all jobs aren’t easy. To be a stuntman instills patience in a person. Recently
I was a double for a Japanese actor in a scene where I was shot and fell into
water. It wasn’t easy to repeat all those actions many times. But at the end,
when the movies are ready, it feels good to watch and analyze myself.
When you are planning to come back to
Mongolia?
I visit
Mongolia every summer to spend my vacation. Since I have been living in Hungary
for many years, I am much more adapt here. But after graduation, when the time
comes, I will go be back to Mongolia. Someday I wish to direct reality shows
and movies in Mongolia.
Source: Unuudur
N.Natsagnyam:
Intellectual virus is hindering development
November 29 (UB
Post) Many countries were able to develop
by advancing their science sector. Where exactly is Mongolia at in this global
advancement?
Globally, Mongolia is ranked considerably
high with its total number of doctors, professors and academics but are we able
to completely utilize the intellectual capacity of its researchers and
scientists? Why are neither scientific organizations nor the nation
flourishing? Are scientists and researchers of the Mongolian Academy of Science
(MAS) supported? Like so, there are many questionable matters in Mongolia’s
science sector.
Below is an interview with State prize
winning engineer N.Natsagnyam about this intriguing topic.
First of all, what do you think about the
MAS?
An academy is
an institute that the socialist society has, not in capitalist society. Russia
closed down its academy and turned it into an NGO. I would say that Mongolia’s
MAS is distortion of socialism and a waste of both time and money.
You seem to be rather skeptical towards the
MAS?
I accept the
MAS in two different ways. Firstly, sectors such as philosophy, sociology and
its institutes are social needs, and they have to be national institutes as
it’s impossible to finance itself. This is an advantage of socialism. On the
other hand, if engineering and technology sector and its institutes become
private, it will develop in a more original form.
The food
industry expanded well during socialism. Now it should be privatized. If it’s
granted to the chief engineer free of charge with Minister Damdin’s agreement,
the industry could be successfully privatized similar to how England and
Germany did it. Minister Damdin’s agreement has the exact same principles.
Germany was able to achieve prosperity two times better than England in 1990 by
successfully privatizing material and technical bases of socialism. Through the
Exchange Rate Mechanism, Germany completely absorbed England’s foreign exchange
reserves. Eastern Europe and Mongolia were deceived by America’s false theory
of free competition of doctors and professors and became insolvent.
Technological
developments in the world aren’t created by professors but by people without
diplomas like Steve Jobs. The UK’s General Electric Company (GEC), where I used
to work, established most of the world’s nuclear power plants. The inventor of
GEC’s analog stimulation automata is a graduate of the mathematics class at
Coventry College who previously quit school at the age of 16. He didn’t attend
any other school because he didn’t want to learn from liars. We can learn that
doctors and professors don’t create affluences from world examples.
Theory and
practice are actually one thing. Western professors and doctors are mostly
people who misinterpret theories because they only talk about theories without
practice. That’s why they haven’t created affluences.
Is it true the MAS isn’t keen on hiring
scientists that graduated abroad? How do countries around the world support
young scientists?
In capitalist
society, knowledge is a property of private companies so it’s confidential from
universities. Mongolia could import intellectual capital by employing graduates
from western universities as engineers. However, engineers who’ve returned
after studying abroad usually refuse to be employed by the MAS because they
would lose all of their intellectual property if they are fired after two
years. State-owned companies can’t accumulate knowledge like this.
It’s possible
for private companies to protect and develop intellectual property.
Unfortunately, Mongolia doesn’t have a single private institute. Companies that
have introduced their intellectual capital into practice are internationally
acknowledged as an institute. Yet, places that smuggle and import technologies
claim themselves as institutes. This is improper.
Mongolians often strike towards the system
when something is said to be wrong. You seem to imply the same. How should the
system be changed?
The Mongolian
Ministry of Education has been functioning through communist system for the
last 25 years. The ministry gives away its entire budget to doctors and
professors in the hope that they would give something in return. The state
financed over a thousand projects and got around 300 patents. Yet the outcome
is zero. This is distortion of Mongolia’s system and our mentality.
Mongolia is
becoming insolvent because the state is doing work which should be done by
private institutes of a healthy society, with communist system. If socialism
hadn’t hit Mongolia but went around it, we would be thinking with healthier
minds now. At the moment, we’re thinking with distorted views of Karl Marx, the
most zealous intellectual advocate of communism. Especially, in the last 18
years.
Mongolia’s
current government finances technological projects and revokes patents. This is
communist aggression, the same as forcefully taking away a baby from a mother
who carried it in her womb for nine months. This is why advanced technology
projects aren’t being carried out.
When will
Mongolia break away from communist aggression? This will be directly influenced
by our factions. This issue will be concluded if factions of the new government
provide opportunities to work freely. Former Prime Minister N.Altankhuyag once
said he could never trust academics again and cooperated with them and he
started working with productive engineers. It was a good resolution but it
wasn’t completed because he was caught up with pressure from factions.
In fact,
Mongolia will flourish without any hindrance if we eliminate factions from the
state system. Not only Mongolia but every country with democratic governance is
under oppression of factions. This is blasting us into collapse and insolvency.
For instance, the UK’s Prime Minister attempted to vie for the title of Lord,
and Taiwan and Turkey administrated into one-man governance. Quite a few other
countries are also being forced into this path.
Taiwanese
students fly from the U.S.A. to participate in elections. They vote for
establishing a new government instead of populism. Mongolia’s system that
supports populism by voting for two big parties is too outdated. An
international development requirement for Mongolia is to add opportunities for
voting for a new Constitutional Law in the Election Law Mongolia.
We have to
understand that only private companies are able to create wealth in today’s
society. The government doesn’t need to engage in this. The government should
only give proposals. Operations of institutes will become illegal trades and
smuggles if the government intervene.
How will private companies that create
wealth be chosen?
National
industries will gradually develop if companies that have successfully put their
advanced technology product into practice for twenty months are selected and
financed. The company where I worked, GES, invented and supplied all of UK’s
tanks, airplanes, trains and energy sector as the sole producer.
China is
financing private institutes as if they’re state-owned company. This is a deja
vu of England 60 years ago. Mongolia slipped because it tried to imitate
current practices of England. When the foundation isn’t laid, how are we going
to build a house? When results of initial work haven’t come out, we shouldn’t
rush into the next work.
According to
international standard, government provides some funds to private IT companies
and receives several billions of USD in return. The government never robs off
patents from companies. According to international standard, advanced digital
devices are produced within one to three years. However, in Mongolia, digital
devices are demanded to be completed in three months to make sure it stays
within the year’s budget. Despite the good will, the method is wrong.
As you’ve said, the government is too
involved. How can we stop government intervention?
Mongolia needs
to go back to how it was a hundred years ago. We had a wrong way of thinking
for 70 years and in the last 24 years, Mongolia developed this format even
further, turning it into a money laundering device. If Mongolia hadn’t gone
through socialism, we would be thinking the same as developed countries. On top
of that, we wouldn’t have been affected by intellectual viruses – the lie about
free competition. We would actually be deceiving other small and poor countries
with ideas about free competition and be snatching markets by turning those
countries into our consumers.
Yet, Mongolia
is spending a billion MNT for importing something that can be produced with a
million MNT. This work only requires intellectual property valuation. I
produced Nanyam device, which can replace imports worth 800 million MNT, with
material cost of a million MNT. Material cost can almost be considered as zero
for digital devices [as it gives more benefits later].
After seeing
that the three dominant companies of the UK are still the sole producers after
nine years, I found out how stupid I was for believing in free competition.
Because of two types of intellectual viruses, Mongolia’s legal environment is
blocking Mongolia’s technological advancement. Highly developed companies in
the world started off with very simple work procedures. For example, firstly,
choose a private company that’s successfully trialed their product for twenty
months and finance their operations for three months. Later, they protect
their intellectual property by providing 30 years of monopoly subscriptions.
Engineers
who’ve worked at a company and learned their technology secret will be
forbidden from doing the same business for 30 years. After 30 years, companies
protect their market with brand names. Intellectual property is protected in
this fashion throughout the whole world. Mongolia should now get rid of its old
communist device that’s been carried out for 24 years.
Source: Zuunii
Medee
Mongolian
artists partake in exhibition in New York
By B. Tungalag
November 29 (UB
Post) State Honored Artist Do.Bold, Cultural Merit Worker Ya.Oyunchimeg and
B.Sarnai participated in Asian Art: Contemporary Viewsexhibition at QCC Art
Gallery in New York, U.S.A. The exhibition started on October 16 and will
continue until February 22, 2015.
State Honored
Artist Do.Bold is featuring his work “Composition”, Ya.Oyunchimeg is displaying
her illustrations of nature, and B.Sarnai has showcased her artwork about
Mongolian shamans.
Asian Art:
Contemporary Views presents a multimedia exhibition that features 21 contemporary
artists from India, Pakistan, Mongolia, Tibet, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and
China. This timely exhibition showcases the expansion of Asian art on a global
world stage, and the world’s increasing fascination and interest in Asian art
and culture.
Mongolians
in South Korea organize chess competition
By B. Baatar
November 29 (UB
Post) On the occasion of the 852nd birthday of Chinggis Khaan and National
Pride Day, the Embassy of Mongolia to South Korea and Sky+ Chess Crew
(established by Mongolians in Japan) organized a chess competition in South
Korea, on November 23.
Chess players
from ages 10 to 50 competed in the competition.
Player D.Barsaa
won first place, followed by L.Bataa and J.Purevdorj. A certificate from the
Embassy of Mongolia and cash prizes were awarded to the winners.
Ambassador
B.Ganbold opened the competition and said, “Young Mongolian chess players prove
that Mongolians have limitless intellectual resources by winning international
competitions. The Embassy of Mongolia and Sky+ Chess Crew are aiming to develop
the skills of Mongolian chess players and promote the game of chess.”
‘The
Blue Mountains of Khuvsgul’
By B. Narantuya
November 29 (UB
Post) Artist B.Natsagdorj is presenting artwork from his new book of paintings,
“The Blue Mountains of Khuvsgul” through November 30 at Blue Moon Art Gallery.
The exhibition shares all of the paintings selected for his new book.
The book is
about the great taiga of Khuvsgul and the lifestyle of the reindeer people,
including beautiful paintings and photographs. There has never been a book on
the subject written in Mongolian before. Minister of Culture, Sports and
Toursim Ts.Oyungerel encouraged and helped with the book’s publication, making
it available for a wide audience to learn about Khuvsgul.
Most visitors
from abroad imagine Mongolia’s Gobi region and its camels, but Mongolia has a
wide range of beautiful landscapes. In the northern part of Khuvsgul is a
beautiful mountainous region.
A visitor from
Switzerland once said, “My country compared to this land is nothing,” after
traveling around Khuvsgul Province.
The author of
the book lived in the northern part of Khuvsgul for five years. While living
there, he met many reindeer herders and native people. He studied their
lifestyle and traditions and discovered beautiful places there. Collecting all
his notes, research, and transcripts of his talks with natives, and including
what he learned, saw and discovered, he wrote the book.
The book
includes 345 paintings and photographs. Some images are in black and white and
some of them are in color, which provides varied perspectives on the beauty of
the region.
Mongolians are
lucky people with a beautiful country.
Trouble
with distance in times of turmoil
By Michelle
Borok
November 29 (UB
Post) While many families in Mongolia made plans for putting Thanksgiving
dinners on tables more than 6,000 miles away from Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts
(where Thanksgiving’s first pilgrims touched down), they also received news of
the tumultuous outcome of this fall’s deeply divisive lethal shooting of Michael
Brown by Missouri police officer Darren Wilson.
America’s
response to the August 9th shooting made international headlines, and Tuesday’s
news of protests following the grand jury verdict not to indict Officer Wilson
for the death of Brown did the same.
This summer, as
news of the shooting and the public outrage on all sides – for the killing of
the unarmed teenager, and for the vilification of the uniformed police officer
on duty – spread around the globe, some of the biggest detractors of the U.S.
pointed fingers at what was happening in the small Midwestern town of Ferguson.
China, Iran,
Cuba, Egypt and North Korea were some of the most vocal critics of how American
law enforcement responded to protests that took place after the shooting. In an
August press conference, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said, “We
here in the United States will put our record for confronting our problems
transparently and honestly and openly up against any other countries in the
world… When we have problems and issues in this country, we deal with them
openly and honestly. We think that’s important, and I would encourage the
countries you named particularly to do the same thing.”
The criticism
flared again this week, as international headlines read “Protests spread across
the U.S.” Protesters in London even gathered around the U.S. Embassy.
Those of us who
read the headlines from abroad could do little but absorb the information.
For me, knowing
that as some of us were basting our hard-to-find turkeys with care, business
owners and peaceful protesters were standing vigilant watch over their
communities, protecting them from opportunistic looters and sweeping up the
broken glass and garbage accumulated over two days of civil unrest, put the
holiday in perspective.
On Tuesday
morning, I first watched live coverage of the sidewalk outside the grand jury
proceedings on Australia’s ABC, available from my cable provider in Darkhan. I
switched back and forth between all the other foreign channels with English
news broadcasts and soaked in the tension of the grand jury verdict the world
was waiting to hear. Having easy access to international perspectives is one of
the perks of being an American citizen living abroad, but we are left with only
being able to consume information from a distance.
My day was
spent reading stories, scanning memes, engaging in fruitless online debate, and
trying to sit comfortably with a feeling of helplessness. As far as I was from
Ferguson, Missouri, the same feelings were echoed by people just a few states
away. On all sides of the conflict- to different degrees and with different
agendas- people wanted to know where they could go to “do something” about what
was happening across the country.
Many of us
share our social media universe with friends and family who stand on opposite
sides of a debate, and we navigate those differences in our own ways. With so
much physical distance between many of my friends and family, I navigate with
caution, trying never to take the fragile hold on those connections for
granted.
Now, living
abroad, I’ve also learned not to take my freedoms and privileges as a U.S.
citizen for granted. But in times like this, I wonder how useful those freedoms
can be.
As a guest in
Mongolia, I don’t have the right to vote, and my participation in protest is
strongly discouraged by the governments of Mongolia and the U.S. Most of the
foreign embassies in Mongolia have systems in place to warn citizens of their
countries about civil unrest or potentially dangerous places to avoid to help
protect the people in their care. Multinational corporations have policies in
place to extract their people when situations become threatening (provided the
local government hasn’t issued travel bans keeping foreign nationals from
leaving). The situation in Ferguson didn’t pose a danger to Americans abroad,
but when we hear of turmoil in our home countries, we are on our own with ways
to cope.
On this
Thanksgiving holiday, although it wasn’t celebrated with a turkey and pumpkin
pie, I still found myself observing the tradition of giving thanks for what I
have.
I am thankful
that I live in Mongolia, where gun violence (on the part of the public and the
police) is not prevalent. I’m thankful that technology keeps me connected to
what’s happening in the world. I’m thankful that I have a community of expat
friends who understand what it’s like to be far from “home” in moments like
these. I’m thankful for my passionate and dedicated activist friends who let me
live vicariously through their on-the-ground involvement in community responses
to the Ferguson decision this week. But most of all, this Thanksgiving I’m
thankful for the safety, health and security of the people I love – here and
abroad.
Mongolia’s
shortage of leaders
By B. Dulguun
November 29 (UB
Post) Mongolia has been functioning as a democracy, which is said to be the
most correct form of governance, for the last 25 years. Candidates for
leadership positions are elected by the public, in consideration of their
skills, social influence, status, and reputation. Yet, Mongolia’s development
and politics are failing because of a lack of leaders capable of making good
decisions.
The nominations
of R.Amarjargal, Ch.Saikhanbileg and D.Ganbat for the next Prime Minister
raised a commotion, but this controversy was raised long before these
candidates were selected. In the last presidential election, when wrestling
champion B.Bat-Erdene was nominated by the MPP, other parties were reluctant, as
if asking, “Isn’t there anyone else?” When he lost, even his party members were
content with some 40 percent of the votes, as if they knew they would lose.
From one perspective, this is an acknowledgement that Mongolia is facing a
shortage of leaders, and it was a futile choice aimed at playing with the minds
of voters by nominating a non-traditional candidate for political office.
The newly appointed Prime Minister, Ch.Saikhanbileg, noted that Mongolia isn’t short on leaders but short on decision-making capacity, and announced that he would form a government consisting of capable members.
The newly appointed Prime Minister, Ch.Saikhanbileg, noted that Mongolia isn’t short on leaders but short on decision-making capacity, and announced that he would form a government consisting of capable members.
Even before
this government has been created, Mongolia has accepted his announcement as a
solution. It isn’t definite that long-delayed issues will be solved as soon as
the new Prime Minister begins governing. The reason for this is because the
devices he says he will employ to resolve political dead ends, including
putting strategic mineral deposits into circulation, resolving investment
issues and the economic crisis, and changing laws linked to delays, aren’t new
ideas. So far, no one has expressed reasonable, strong, or unique positions on
these topics of concern and national debate. No one has gained supporters by
standing strong and being committed to their ideals. MP G.Uyanga is the only
one who has been consistent with her initial position, particularly about
necessary changes to the Constitution.
Ch.Saikhanbileg
repeated generic ideas for overcoming Mongolia’s economic crisis with mutual
understanding, resolution, and effort. Mongolia’s economy made up of only ten
billion USD would easily be revived if projects based on the Oyu Tolgoi and
Tavan Tolgoi deposits were mobilized. Political parties have said that they
aren’t able to achieve results on these projects because the people making
decisions lack mutual understanding. It may be better for Mongolians to not
expect much from Ch.Saikhanbileg’s new government.
Demand for the
position of MPP party leader was still high even after former Prime Minister
and Chairman of the MPP S.Bayar resigned from his post for health reasons, and
U.Khurelsukh rejected the appointment for valid reasons. The party faced
difficulty in selecting their party chairman from potential candidates. It
wasn’t the agony of having to choose from many good candidates, but from many
bad candidates.
A leader’s
individual characteristics do influence change and the development of a society
for the better or the worse. Former President of the U.S.A. Ronald Reagan was
an actor who helped redefine the purpose of government, pressured the Soviet
Union to end the Cold War, and solidified the conservative agenda for decades
after his presidency. A leader’s individual characteristics are important in
impacting the public, being acknowledged, receiving support for policy and
decisions, and reaching solutions. One theory about individual leadership
traits states that all the best leaders possess common characteristics.
According to the theory, the qualities that political leaders must have are:
having a sharp mind, being consistent in their opinions, proper behavior and
management, working hard to achieve their objectives, being likeable, being
responsible, and possessing strong presentation skills. Even the tone of their
voice is said to be important.
The professional
research institute New Era Center organized a survey of the top ten
politicians, for social, economic and political research, in the first quarter
of this year. The best politician only received a 12.3 percent approval rating,
while the politician with the least votes got 2.3 percent. This indicates that
Mongolia has too many weak leaders. Only two politicians were able to receive
more than ten percent approval, which is quite unfortunate for leaders who
impact the public. Our leaders should receive at least close to fifty percent
support in polls like this. Leaders with such weak support are making unclear
decisions and turning solutions into dead-ends.
Some Mongolians
who hang on to authority and privileges, while giving and taking bribes after
somehow acquiring an official position, believe that they’re leaders. Others
mistake themselves for leaders after participating in a political event, or
being labeled celebrities. Leadership is based on principles of dominance and
subordination as well as values, beliefs, ethics, character, knowledge and
skill.
When and how
will Mongolia find its true leaders? A crisis doesn’t necessarily bring out
someone’s true leadership qualities. During the process of learning about
democracy, many failures and challenges have arisen, including the current
economic crisis, mineral exploitation, corruption, and an inadequate
constitution and election procedures. Isn’t it now time to resolve these issues
with the help from competent leaders?
Source:
http://mongolnews.mn/1dzz
Mongolia
to form coalition government to ‘overcome’ economic crisis
By B.
Khash-Erdene
November 30 (UB
Post) The Democratic Party’s (DP) recently appointed Prime Minister
Ch.Saikhanbileg will join hands with the Mongolian People’s Party (MPP), the
opposition party in Parliament, to form a coalition government that promises to
end the economic crisis without taking on more national debt.
At Saturday’s
MPP meeting, over 200 members of the party voted to form a coalition government
at the request of the Prime Minister, a decision backed by the Mongolian
Employers’ United Association and Trade Union.
The party
presented results of their poll taken among 2,500 residents in nine districts
of Ulaanbaatar and 10 provinces at a press conference. According to the poll
results, 52 percent of residents were in favor the coalition government. Those
that were not in support of the coalition government were largely groups that
“lived in rural areas and were less educated”, according to the MPP.
Some political
observers are not convinced by the poll and the reasoning behind the MPP’s
decision to join the coalition government.
After
Ch.Saikhabileg’s appointment, independent MP S.Ganbaatar said that if a joint government
was formed, there would not be any opposition party in Parliament and Mongolia
would fall back to single party rule, which would undermine the country’s
democracy.
At the MPP
meeting, MP Ts.Nyamdorj presented an opposing view and said, “The Democratic
Party leans on us when they grow tired and put us in jail when they expand and
are energized.”
Shortly after
Ch.Saikhanbileg was elected by his party to become Prime Minister, Z.Enkhbold,
Speaker of Parliament and Head of DP said that there will not be any political
party heads in the new cabinet as they would, “obstruct cabinet decisions due
to party interests.”
But it looks
like that will not be the case in the new coalition government led by
Ch.Saikhanbileg.
PM
meets entrepreneurs to introduce new cabinet’s priorities
By Ch. Khaliun
November 30 (UB
Post) Prime Minister Ch.Saikhanbileg met with entrepreneurs to hear their
opinions, in accordance with the new cabinet’s main goal to stabilize the
national economy to overcome economic difficulties and support the private
sector.
The PM
emphasized that the new cabinet will implement pragmatic policy to support
businesses. He assured that the cabinet’s work will be evaluated by the number
of successfully realized projects, not by the number of regulations or rules it
creates.
Ch.Saikhanbileg
said that during the cabinet meeting, decisions on backing businesspeople were
made and he made the ministries and National Council responsible for working
together to implement programs to strengthen the economy.
The National
Council aims to reflect the private sector’s proposals and opinions in state
policy, which will be focused on stabilizing the macro economy, attracting
external and domestic investments, improving the business environment, and
activating large construction projects and foreign trade. The council will be
open for businesspeople to select representatives for the council.
The Prime
Minister highlighted that the government has submitted more than ten bills to
Parliament on abolishing bureaucracy at the state level that restricts private
sector growth, and added that the cabinet will make efforts to approve these
documents. Effective reforms will be put in place for taxes and customs, he
added.
The
entrepreneurs said they appreciated that the PM invited all political parties
to the new cabinet, and underlined that establishing an economic council of all
parties and a faction-free cabinet was a correct measure.
Over 70
authorities from major companies attended the meeting organized by the
Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI), the Unified
Association of Employers and the CEO Club.
Private
and public sector delegates confer to combat air pollution
By M. Zoljargal
November 30 (UB
Post) The “Ways and Possibilities to Reduce Air Pollution in Ulaanbaatar”
research conference took place on Thursday, featuring delegates from over 80
organizations and businesses.
The National
Committee on Reducing Air Pollution, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, and
Ministry of Environment and Green Development co-organized the event.
The conference
enrolled a wide range of experts and officials to bring out the best possible
ways to combat air pollution based on scientific research and trials.
Participants
delivered speeches and discussed three major topics: “Improving the
Effectiveness of Power Production Technology Which Doesn’t Add to Air
Pollution”, “New Technologies – Advanced Approaches” and “Current Conditions
and Projections of Air Pollution in Ulaanbaatar”.
Each speech
given at the conference proposed different research-based approaches to
reducing pollution to present to Minister of Environment and Green Development S.Oyun
and Ulaanbaatar City Mayor E.Bat-Uul.
“Electric
heaters are the most practical way to cut coal use and reduce air pollution, I
believe. To do this, we have to increase the capacity of power distribution,
which is fully possible if financing is sufficient. We should be working to use
domestically produced power in Mongolia instead of planning to earn money by
exporting it,” said L.Ganzorig, general engineer of the state-owned Ulaanbaatar
Power Distribution Network.
Hasu Erchim
LLC’s director and professor B.Bat-Erdene backed the engineer’s idea, stating,
“Over 80 percent of Mongolia’s power distribution source is solid fuel, which
is mostly coal. We can’t cut air pollution until we end the use of coal.”
He added, “I
heard many effective and possible ways to address the problem, today at the
conference. But they will be of no use if the state doesn’t back them. All
those loans the government takes from different sources are not being dedicated
to fruitful projects.”
“We find
sulfur, nitrogen and carbon emissions in smoke from stoves. Stoves that burn
coal on top of wood are suitable for use. Coal is laid on the bottom, covered
by firewood, which is the opposite of the traditional way. Improved stoves that
burn coal in this way completely burn the toxic gases from coal,” explained
B.Ayushjav, chief of the Stove Experiment Laboratory at the Heating Technology
and Ecology Institute of Mongolian National University of Science and
Technology.
“Residents tend
to burn coal in improved stoves inappropriately, so that emissions are not
reduced while the coal is burning. Residents can easily identify whether
they’re using the improved stoves correctly by looking at the smoke’s color. A
properly heated stove’s smoke is light in color and density, while incorrect
heating produces dark smoke and leaves soot on the ceilings and floors of
homes,” he added.
Head of Shine
Zuun-Erchim Khuch NGO, G.Sukhbaatar, has introduced an electrical heating
device which can heat a 60 square meter space with two times less power
consumption than the average heater.
“The heater
uses 40 percent less power than ordinary heaters. Residents would spend
1,200,000 MNT just one time and save the money spent on purchasing coal
throughout cold seasons,” he highlighted.
The majority of the participants agreed that coal must be eliminated from heating production use if Mongolia hopes to eradicate air pollution, by introducing alternative heating sources such as gas. But they also talked about short-term approaches to reducing pollution with improved stoves, briquettes and other projects, as transferring to other sources of heat will require more time and significant investments.
The majority of the participants agreed that coal must be eliminated from heating production use if Mongolia hopes to eradicate air pollution, by introducing alternative heating sources such as gas. But they also talked about short-term approaches to reducing pollution with improved stoves, briquettes and other projects, as transferring to other sources of heat will require more time and significant investments.
Source: Unuudur
daily
Private
sector calls for the public to purchase domestic goods
By B. Mendbayar
November 30 (UB
Post) Representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) held a press
conference on November 27 to inform the public about the impact of the current
economic downturn on SMEs, and to encourage citizens to support domestic
manufacturers through the purchase of their products.
The press
conference was attended mainly by representatives from food and footwear
manufacturers. The representatives underlined that the main difficulty faced by
manufacturers is the sharp decrease in sales resulting from the ongoing
economic downturn, and appealed to all consumers – from the highest officials
of government to regular citizens – to buy products made by domestic
manufacturers rather than imported goods. They highlighted that the increased
purchase of domestic goods by Mongolian consumers would result in higher
quality products.
The attendees
also emphasized that even though the government has pledged to support domestic
manufacturers, government officials are not taking decisive measures, resulting
in a lack of policy support.
The
manufacturers touched upon one prevailing sentiment among consumers, that the
prices of domestically manufactured goods substantially exceed those of import
goods, asserting that domestic manufacturers do not set excessively high
prices. An owner of a local footwear company commented, “I don’t think the
prices of domestic goods exceed those of import goods. For instance, imported
women’s knee-high boots are sold for between 800 to 900 USD under the guise of
a brand name. However, citizens can buy knee-high boots as fashionable as those
‘brand’ ones for much lower prices.”
They asserted
that a study of retail purchases conducted by manufacturers showed that though
entities manufacture import substitution goods, the manufacturing of such goods
are driving some companies to the verge of bankruptcy. According to the study,
daily sales of SMEs have decreased by around 65 percent, and 60 to 70 percent
of SMEs are experiencing declining sales.
Ts.Nyamdorj:
I will not join a fat group of 73 MPs
November 30 (UB
Post) The following is an interview with
MP Ts.Nyamdorj, a member of the Mongolian People’s Party (MPP), about timely
issues.
Rumors about MPP entering the government
have become a hot topic. What’s your position on this?
I’m strongly
against it. I’ve expressed my disapproval at the party and board meetings, as
well as at the Privy Council.
Firstly, the
government wouldn’t have any opposition force. Secondly, a fat group of 73
members, apart from the three independent candidates, would be formed, meaning
Parliament will no longer have ethics. Uniting everyone and shutting them up
under the name of a coalition shows hidden motives to make several perilous
decisions.
For example,
firstly to raise the debt ceiling. For two years, the government has been
saying that taking loans is wrong and we should utilize domestic opportunities.
Now, we’re still increasing the debt ceiling.
Secondly, Tavan
Tolgoi Company was protected under management agreement and is about to get
approved for privatization. Resolution No.268 was issued, something about
addressing tenders about preparation work. Three companies were mentioned: MAK,
Energy Resources LLC, and Tavan Tolgoi Joint Stock Company of D.Bat-Erdene. It
seems that one of these three companies will be given Tavan Tolgoi Company.
Works shouldn’t be so vulgar.
Thirdly,
eliminating the opposition force will make the public’s choices pointless.
I’m opposed to
MPP entering the government because many issues that involve conspiracy and
should never be mixed with the principle of statehood are being discussed.
Fourth, MPP and
the Democratic Party (DP) have co-ruled the government for many years. DP
always backs off before elections and Mongolia switches back to the previous
government. N.Altankhuyag stayed in the former government for two and a half
years. Yet, six months after becoming Prime Minister he said he was cleaning
the mess of the previous government. There’s no proof this government will not
do the same.
Privy Council met about this issue last
Wednesday. What’s the council members’ opinion on this?
Members had
different opinions. The majority thought that forming a coalition is
inappropriate. Ordinary party members were strongly against a coalition. Last
Friday, I received messages saying that members were ready to quit the party if
a coalition is formed.
I’ve never
encountered something so strange in my 20 years working in politics. A party
chairman phoned me saying that he met with his 146 members and would quit the
party if the government forms a coalition.
I reminded the
party administration to listen to party members. Even the public is against it.
A political decision can’t be made without considering the public opinion.
When ordinary
party members are disapproving, higher 300 members shouldn’t decide political
issues through a conspiracy for some five or six minister’s seats in a
government limited for one and a half years.
If party
members truly support the idea, they should go and work with the public in
local regions, win the majority of seats, and establish its government by
promoting members into ministers.
Baga Khural (party meeting) mainly
consisted of city factions. Is there a consistent number of local
representatives? Is this also part of the conspiracy you mentioned?
It could be. I
still believe that members of the Baga Khural would listen to opinions of
ordinary members and make correct decisions after evaluating political
conditions.
Things can
completely turn around. We could support correct policies of the DP’s
government. For example, work on the Elections Law.
The government
could work this way. It isn’t our ultimate goal to get into the government,
appoint some people as ministers, and serve their wills. If DP and MPP
cooperate, they should accept our good ideas and turn it into work.
If a fat group
of 73 members is going to be formed with hidden motives, I will not join that
group.
At the 2005
presidential election, everybody voted for N.Enkhbayar and ignored DP’s
candidate because of a fat 62-member group, established at the time. This is
the disgusting conspiracy of politics. That’s why DP couldn’t make a move.
I’m strongly
opposed to DP entering the government because the same act is being conspired.
I will see the end of this even if I become a loner or despised.
The government
shouldn’t form a 73-member conspiracy group and stain the history of Mongolian
Parliament by executing works to fulfill an oligarchy’s desires.
Isn’t DP being cautious that MPP would
cause problems again if it isn’t included in the government and continue
functioning in the old way?
Whenever a
violation against the law is submitted, it should be opposed. S.Bayartsogt
passed the debt ceiling at 40 percent during MANAN (a coalition of MPP and DP).
Instead of
cutting costs domestically, the DP is only talking about getting loans and
plunging into debt. MPP determined that it’s wrong that they’ve been putting
more debt for two whole years.
Now, they want
us to increase the debt ceiling because they offered some ministers’ seats.
Aren’t they ashamed? Instead of being two-faced, they should just scram from
politics.
The public has
observed us for two years. It’s true that Mongolia’s under debt pressure, the
loans were wasted, and almost nothing is left. Are we supposed to say that
there’s no other choice than plunge into debt because they offered some
ministers’ seats? They shouldn’t be so thick-skinned.
If a coalition with DP is formed, will you
leave your party?
If something so
vulgar is formed, I will have no place to stay in this party. This does mean
going against party members and supporters. I can never get along with an
administration that makes that decision.
How are you determining that certain number
of ministers’ seats will be given to MPP if the coalition is formed?
I don’t see
this issue from a legal perspective. All parties were proposed to have multiple
wives. For instance, will an agreement between DP and MPP be established or among
DP, MPP, Civil Will Green Party and Justice Coalition? Nobody could reply when
I inquire about the form of the agreement. When they rushed into announcing a
Baga Khural, I told them at least a draft agreement with mutual understanding
should be developed and presented at the Baga Khural before deciding. However,
a conference has already been announced. Things shouldn’t be taken so lightly.
Why aren’t the MPP leaders expressing their
position on this issue?
At the end,
there will not be anyone to take responsibility. They’ll just sit back saying a
Baga Khural is already scheduled. This is a method for escaping responsibility
by saying it was decided by the majority of votes.
Chairman of MPP
faction in Parliament S.Byambatsogt stated that this workload should be carried
by DP itself and demanded them to take responsibility in 2016 before the
public.
Secretary
General of MPP J.Munkhbat conveyed that we exited the starting point without DP
so we should arrive at the finish line without DP.
We have to be a
man to our words and take responsibility for what we say.
How does the MPP Chairman feel about this?
The chairman
only said it was inappropriate. Party chairmen are supposed to have a clear
standing on these sorts of issues. They should properly express their thoughts,
ask members to support his idea, and initiate on taking responsibility.
He shouldn’t be
so ambiguous. He should be shouldering responsibility, especially during this
politically risky time with high possibility of mistakes. Now, we’ll see if he
can shoulder the workload. If he can’t, we’ll have to raise issues about it.
Taking an oath of allegiance with the state means risking your life in times of
need.
Leading a party
means risking your life for the party and taking responsibility. A party can’t
survive by being indecisive, making wrong decisions by following the majority
or by plots. Previously, we also had an ambiguous leader. Now, it’s enough.
Why are party chairman selections off the
mark?
That’s because
meetings are little plays that have been organized beforehand.
Source:
http://parliament.news.mn/content/196847.shtml
Miss
T.Battsetseg advances to Top 20 of Miss World
By B. Tungalag
November 30 (UB
Post) Mongolian beauty pageant T.Battsetseg, who is representing Mongolia at
Miss World 2014, has advanced to the Top 20. The top 20 pageants will compete
for the Miss World title.
The girls put
on cocktail dresses for the Top Model segment and were judged on their walk,
their poise, their attitude, and their presence. After seeing over 120 women,
the panel selected the top 20.
The top 20
contestants are from Hungary, India, Mongolia, Haiti, Zimbabwe, Australia, the
Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dominican Republic, South Sudan,
France, Namibia, Scotland, Turkey, Russia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Croatia, South
Africa and China.
T.Battsetseg
was born and raised in Darkhan-Uul Province of Mongolia. She currently works as
a fashion model, as well as a trainer of models for Shilmel Zagvar LLC.
T.Battsetseg
says that sport is the true fabric of who she is, playing a variety of sports
throughout her life. Her basketball team placed second twice at the National
Junior Championships. She is also a keen dancer with belly dance being latest
interest. Other dance styles she is skilled at include Latin, classical and
jazz. When it comes to food, T.Battsetseg prefers to eat healthily, and she
loves traditional Mongolian dairy products.
“Mongolia is
known throughout the world for our greatest king Chinggis Khan, our hospitality
and as the last true nomads. We have quite a unique tradition and heritage
passed down from our ancestors. My hometown is Mongolia’s second largest city,”
she says.
Miss World 2014
started on November 20 and will conclude December 14.
Mongolians
benefit from their forests
November 30 (UB
Post) A six-month long forestry
research project and census has recently concluded, but the final results of
the census will be ready next December. The Head of the Forest Resource
Research Office of the Forest Research and Development Center State Owned
Enterprise Kh.Michid spoke to Unuudur about the forest census and its results.
Mongolia first counted its forests in
1965. What was unique about this census?
When and how
Mongolia has counted its forests is a very interesting question. We studied our
forests in 1956 and from 1974 to 1975. This is the third time we’ve counted
them, while Finland has counted its forests 11 times.
During the
census taken 58 years ago in Mongolia, it was estimated that forests occupied
over 10 percent, or 15 million hectares of land. Essential documents, including
the general scheme for claiming and making use of forest resources through industrialized
methods and measures to fight forests pests and insects, were processed at that
time.
Consequently,
the first official statistical data and forest map were published.
How are the forests counted?
The main point
of this forest census is to define a forest’s median resources and biomass per
hectare, throughout the nation and three forest regions. In order to
define whether a sample area is located within the nation’s borders, Landsat
eight satellite imaging is used. Research involving biological species
counting, forest structure and endangered plants in the Red Book are carried
out in six meters radius circles.
When will the final results of the census
be presented?
Over 12,633
sample areas were set in 4,211 locations where coniferous and foliage forests
are located. Currently, we are receiving original materials from the counting
and rest of the work is being transferred to a digital format for analysis. The
amount of absorbed greenhouse gases in Mongolia will be determined according to
international standards.
Even if it
snows in mountainous areas, our forests are doing their job very well.
What difficulties did you face in
conducting the census?
Working in a
forest is nice, but it is hard labor. The safety of individuals or teams
is the most important thing, and our workers are injected with vaccinations
from tick-borne diseases. Our supervisor prevented us from operating GPS and
surveying equipment when electrical storms happened. One worker was injured
while he was working during an electrical storm.
The German Society for Technical
Cooperation invested 5.7 billion MNT and the state budget funded one billion
MNT for the forest census. Did you really need this much money?
This census
involved the study of biomass, biological species, and what is in forest aside
from trees, using new methodology. The new methodology was prepared for
one year, starting from December 2012. Moreover, we needed a laboratory to
process and summarize reports after the census was conducted successfully.
Mongolia invested
one billion MNT and 886 million was spent on salaries for 22 teams who
conducted the survey, and 114 million will be spent on salaries for laboratory
workers and operational expenses.
By carrying out
this forest census, investments of more than one billion MNT were required.
How come?
There are
carbon credits traded between countries, in which one country receives money
from another country that produces greenhouse gases. After this census,
the amount of greenhouse gases being absorbed by the coniferous forests in
Mongolia will be estimated. Maybe developed countries can choose Mongolia as
their preferred country for planting trees and reducing the amount of
greenhouse gases worldwide.
What is vital for decreasing greenhouse
gases besides planting trees?
Plants, oceans
and soil absorb greenhouse gases. Destroying plants and forests increases
greenhouse gases. There are two ways to reduce them: using updated technology
and increasing green mass. One international organization estimated that
forests and plants absorb 450 to 650 billion tons of greenhouse gas per year
and forests absorb 80 percent of emissions.
Forest resources are becoming scarce due to
illegal logging and forest fires. What protection policies are being pursued by
the Ministry of Nature, Environment and Green Development?
As more of our
country develops, these negative effects are decreasing year by year.
Citizens have started understanding the value of protecting and planting
forests. It is true that forest resources are in decline, but if we can study
forests scientifically and define their resources, or use them correctly, our
forest resources are capable of supplying Mongolians with wood and lumber for
national consumption.
Starting next
year, we are going to conduct studies and experiments with fertile soil in
barrels. We will start manufacturing fertile soil in Mongolia.
Source: Unuudur
Primary
diagnosis from the Prime Minister
By D.
Jargalsaikhan
November 30 (UB
Post) Having been appointed as Prime Minister, Ch.Saikhanbileg said, “The new
government shall have three areas of focus: economy, economy, and economy,” and
stressed the need to, “diagnose our economy as a whole system.” There is an
apparent need to diagnose our economic system, find out why there is a decline,
and what treatment can be applied.
An economic
system concerns the location of factors of production, the allocation of value
that has been created, and the use of goods and services that have been
produced. The history of mankind shows that an economic system is most optimal
when it is based on free choice and a free market. A free market is truly
achieved only in countries that protect private property. Only in a free market
can people take part in labor relations that allow them to freely choose and
own what work they do.
There is no
such thing as free exchange, selling and buying land, or a capital market in a
socialist society because the factors of production, land, and capital belong
to the government. There is also no stock exchange. For these reasons, for half
a century we have abandoned the socialist path we once followed.
A free market
can only be achieved in a country that has a political system based on the
choices of the majority of citizens and an election system that provides an
opportunity for evaluation and improvement in a certain amount of time. A
society that has such a political and economic system is described as
democratic and capitalist. Twenty years ago, Mongolians chose to build such a
society and started giving the ruling power to a single political party by
holding a democratic, free election.
However, the
privatization process that started strong in the beginning of the transition
period gradually stopped. Moreover, many new state-owned companies have been
established since 2010. We have deviated from our chosen path, and sometimes
even tend to step back. Increasing government involvement rather than
supporting private property relations has become favorable for the ruling political
parties.
The increased
number of state-owned companies have led to the private sector slowly losing
its competitiveness, which was only starting to be built. It allows the ruling
political parties to fulfill their self-interests by using the power they have.
Public scrutiny, which is the soul of a democratic system, has been missing in
Mongolia. As a consequence, there has been no scrutiny and supervision of state
property. It created a system where profit can be made from public tenders,
where political parties have already set their boundaries. People have been
kept silent through social welfare.
Politicians are
keeping the secret that the political parties that have obtained the ruling
power, one after another, get the enormous sums of money they use for political
party and campaign financing. Public service has been turned into currency by
those who collect the biggest donations, promise seats and positions, win
elections, and make payments afterwards. Consequently, the walls of Mongolian
government are now covered by the moss of corruption.
The economic
difficulties that have been built up for years, which were mentioned by Prime
Minister Saikhanbileg, trace back to the secret financing of political parties.
We politicized the Oyu Tolgoi project, promised free cash during election, and
shocked investors by passing the strategic sector investment law and the
“long-named” law just before the 2012 parliamentary elections. Also, the
investment that came from mining exploration stopped. A total of 106 licenses
were withdrawn, which led to many consequences, while the unhealthy
politicization of Oyu Tolgoi kept going. The development at the Tavan Tolgoi
deposit was also suspended. Politicians continued holding press conferences
that sounded like pure populism and there was a lot of mistreatment and abuse
of foreign and domestic investors.
The main cause
of Mongolia’s economic decline is corruption in governance. It can be argued
that the source of corruption is the financing of political parties. This is
the result of an accurate diagnosis.
It is true that
Mongolians are reaching into their pockets to pay for the consequences of this
disease. Hence, our economy is gradually declining. As a result, the Mongolian
tugrug declined by 30 percent within one year and the inflation rate reached 13
percent. The next economic crisis is imminent.
In order to
cure this disease, the parliament has to pass certain laws around political
party financing. Until then, a significant step that the Prime Minister can
take is to refuse appointing a member of parliament as a minister in his
cabinet.
It looks like
the Prime Minister will not waste any time to reduce state ownership and
provide a mechanism for scrutiny. It is a wise decision to make it clear who
owns what state properties and turn state-owned companies into shareholding
companies with public ownership. It is also good that he plans to start
economic diversification, supporting revenue from tourism, information
technology, and agriculture. However, the important thing is promoting
competition in the private sector and creating an environment that supports
equality within these industries.
Prime Minister
Saikhanbileg might acquire a huge, long-term, soft loan from China to cover the
upcoming loan payments. The loans could last 30 to 40 years and will finance
infrastructure projects including railroads. It means that Mongolia will be
trading with our two neighbors using their money.
The government is about to start providing support when a commercial bank attempts to raise capital from abroad. There have also been promises to support the private sector, improve the business environment, pass laws for special permits and licenses, and ease tax and customs difficulties. They will be significant initiatives to overcome economic decline, even if the government only manages to start them. However, will the political party negotiations – not knowing how and when they will end – provide an opportunity to work in such an unrestrained manner? If living standards improve and people are living nicer lives, the economic system is functioning correctly.
The government is about to start providing support when a commercial bank attempts to raise capital from abroad. There have also been promises to support the private sector, improve the business environment, pass laws for special permits and licenses, and ease tax and customs difficulties. They will be significant initiatives to overcome economic decline, even if the government only manages to start them. However, will the political party negotiations – not knowing how and when they will end – provide an opportunity to work in such an unrestrained manner? If living standards improve and people are living nicer lives, the economic system is functioning correctly.
Trans. by
B.AMAR
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