First responders, volunteers train with Mongolian partners during Gobi Wolf 19

SAINSHAID , MONGOLIA

09.23.2019

Story by Master Sgt. John Hughel 

Oregon National Guard Public Affairs Office  

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SAINSHAND, Mongolia – There are several important pieces of equipment firefighters wear that make up their Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) or "turnout gear.” Of all the specialized pieces, the most distinct for Cheyenne Sanchez is a photo of his sister inside his fireman's helmet.

“When I suit-up to go into a building that is on fire, the helmet is the last piece of equipment to go onto my head, and her picture is the last thing I see as I go into a life-threatening situation,” Sanchez said, describing how essential a 'safety first' approach is heading into harm's way.

“It's that final reminder that I need to return home safely to the people that I love and who care about me.”

Sanchez, a firefighter with Capital City Fire and Rescue in Juneau, Alaska, is one of many key first responders and volunteers, from both the U.S. military and civilian sectors supporting the Gobi Wolf 2019 exercise taking place in Sainshand, Mongolia from Sept. 9 -21, 2019. He was specially recruited by the Alaska State hazardous materials (HAZMAT) team coordinator, Megan Kroller to instruct firefighter and HAZMAT response training.

“At the international level, I've never done anything like this before coming here,” he said, describing how the range of experience with his Mongolian counterparts differed from person to person. “We had folks with just six-months all the way up to 20 years of experience, and it added to the challenges, but in many ways, it helped us move quickly through drills where 'everyone got it,' so we could focus on more specific group needs.”

The two-week exercise was designed to bolster the Mongolian civil authorities and national defense response to potential disaster situations while employing vital strategic communication and integrating foreign humanitarian assistance into emergency-management positions.

“I really wanted to hammer home this idea of safety and HAZMAT response,” Sanchez said, contrasting his rural Alaska background where fewer numbers of first responders play a vital role to ensure mission success.

“As the week went on, I got the impression that if there was a major catastrophic event, they would send as many bodies as they can to fix the problem,” he said. “We [in Alaska] don't have an unlimited amount of resources and personnel – so if one firefighter or rescuer gets injured, that is a failure of the event for us; emphasizing personal safety it something I wanted each of them to get, so that they could go home to their families too.”

The Mongolian Armed Forces and the Mongolian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) as part of the United States Army Pacific’s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief “Pacific Resilience” series hosted the Gobi Wolf exercise. Mongolia has an ongoing State Partnership with Alaska and during this year's exercise, the Oregon National Guard played a key role in supporting all groups during the training.

Whether it was rope rescue, search and extraction, or collapsed structures, the Oregon CERFP members quickly discovered that their Mongolian partners were curious in the teaching techniques and hands-on experience offered throughout the exercise.

“They [NEMA members] had limited experience with shoring and structural collapse but they quickly adapted to the techniques and equipment we use to build structural collapse systems,” said Oregon National Guard Sgt. Joseph Duchscherer, assigned to the 1186th Military Police Company and CERFP Search and Extraction team leader.

With a team of five other Guardsmen, they worked through a full week of training in an abandoned facility that proved to be an ideal exercise site for multiple scenarios. Often the location had two and three training projects taking place at the same time; from rope teams rappelling from the rooftops to jackhammers noisily cutting through concrete, and search and rescue dogs curiously roving through the old factory floors.

“In many ways, this exercise was a little more 'real-world' in nature because lumber is scarce in this part of the country – to do this work you have to make the best of what resources are available,” Duchscherer said.

“It was also great to compare and contrast other best practices techniques because the NEMA rescue unit members are seasoned professionals too.”

The planning for the exercise started months in advance and included subject-matter experts to meet the specific request made by local NEMA officials.

“In February of this year we started planning this exercise and had a large window of time to build it, but it wasn't until the end that we had all of the specialized experts in place to meet the program,” said Lt. Col. Eric Slayter, U.S. Army Pacific Director, Northeast Asia Civil-Military Operations and exercise director.

The Gobi Wolf 2019 exercise had 21 different training classes up from just eight during the previous year's exercise. Slayter said that this greatly expanded the need for both the quality and quantity of instructors to fill the large agenda.

“Many of these aspects for Gobi Wolf 19 pin-pointed technical exchange and in-depth course work, which is why we brought in groups like the Forestry Service to talk about incident command systems, and other specialized areas in disaster management systems, public affairs, and medical treatment.”

This year's Gobi Wolf exercise also hosted a conference on Women's Peace and Security, highlighting the need to focus on vulnerable populations where women are primarily responsible for children and elderly members of the family.

The engagement is a critical part of the Government of Mongolia’s ability to prepare for an unforeseen crisis. However, these crises are not only unique to Mongolia but are prevalent throughout the Indo-Pacific.

“We do this to build lasting relationships with partner nations, not just military and government agencies – but to foster broader cooperation to effectively respond to disasters,” Slayter said, all the while emphasizing other non-governmental organizations integral role in the exercise.

“The Alaska civilians and other first responder filled critical areas and were incredible subject-matter experts.”

One of those experts was Don Werhonig, assistant fire chief of Fairbanks North Star Bureau HAZMAT Team. After serving in the U.S. Army for 10 years, he transitioned to working hazards materials for the past 18 years. The training was not far from his heart, working alongside American military members and their Mongolian counterparts.

“I loved everything about being a squad leader (in the Army) and working with my troops and supporting their specific needs,” he said, recalling his prior service experience working with uniformed personnel. “So it was easy for me to share and relate to their (NEMA) unit structure and needs.”

The training allowed NEMA rescue unit members to go in-depth on many hazards chemicals that could impact large portions of the population in the Dornogovi Province in the event of earthquakes, train derailments and the various destructive effects from random sand storms in the Gobi Desert.

“This has been one of the best real-world experiences I've ever done, and I enjoyed the interaction with our NEMA host members and their engagement in the classroom,” he said.

These agency-to-agency interactions strike at the core of the exercise; comparing similar disaster response capabilities, yet providing a platform for NEMA to further develop and manage environmental and hazardous material disaster responses in specific areas around the country.

On the final day of the Gobi Wolf exercise, an after-action review allowed participants to provide feedback on the complexity of the training and develop improvements for future training.

Addressing the participants, Col. Nuganbayar Batmunch, deputy chief of NEMA highlighted the training between the two nations.

“This has been 14 days of amazing training where we could organize and gain great knowledge with our American colleagues,” he said, speaking through an interpreter. “During Gobi Wolf, we were able to share and build on a common desire; where we strive to meet the needs of others when disaster and recovery operations are critically needed.”

Source:https://www.dvidshub.net

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Explained: How India is helping Mongolia’s space flight dreams

In April 2017, Mongolia launched its first satellite, the Mongol Sat-1, in partnership with telecom and broadcast provider Asia Broadcast Satellite, in order to "diversify its resource-dependent economy".

Last week, India and the landlocked nation of Mongolia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation and usage of outer space for civilian purposes. An MoU on disaster management was also signed during Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga’s State Visit to India.

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A joint statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs said that the agreement on space exploration would “…provide a framework for expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation particularly in the fields of remote sensing, satellite communication, and applications of space technology in areas including resource management, weather forecasting and disaster management and etc.”.

In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Mongolia, which strengthened bilateral relations between the two countries, which are governed by the Treaty of Friendly Relations and Cooperation, signed in February 1994.

Mongolia and space

An MoU similar to the one signed Thursday was signed in 2004 between the Department of Space, Government of India and the Ministry of Infrastructure, Government of Mongolia. That agreement provided a framework for the two countries in the areas of space science and technology.

It included activities in the areas of satellites, sounding rockets, balloons and ground facilities for space research. “The agreement also covers studies related to satellite communications, satellite-based remote sensing and satellite meteorology, satellite ground stations and satellite mission management, training facilities and exchange of scientists,” according to information on the website of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

In April 2017, Mongolia launched its first satellite, the Mongol Sat-1, in partnership with telecom and broadcast provider Asia Broadcast Satellite, in order to “diversify its resource-dependent economy”. Later that same year, it launched a ‘CubeSat’ miniature satellite called Mazaalai, named after the highly endangered Gobi bear of Mongolia.

Mazaalai was launched as part of the SpaceX CRS-11 mission, carried on a Falcon 9 rocket that lifted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, United States. CubeSats are meant for space research, and Maazalai was launched along with CubeSats from Japan, Nigeria, Ghana, and Bangladesh.

The central aim of Mazaalai was to be able to conduct independent space research, develop accurate maps, and to be able to prevent natural disasters.

Source:https://indianexpress.com

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With the help of India in Mongolia, oil refinery will be ready by the end of 2022: Pradhan

(G.N.S) Dt. 21 New Delhi Oil refinery being set up in Mongolia with the help of one billion dollars by India will be ready by December 2022. Giving this information, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that this oil refinery will start meeting three-fourths of Mongolia’s fuel requirement. The Prime Minister was addressing a meeting with a business delegation from Mongolia President Khaltamagin Battugla who visited India.

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India-funded refinery for Mongolia

New Delhi to shell out $236 m in addition to $1-bn credit line for project

India has agreed to shell out an additional $236 million to add to the $1 billion line of credit to Mongolia for setting up an oil refinery.

Discussions on the refinery as well as diversifying the relationship into areas such as space and defence formed the crux of the joint statement after official-level talks with Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga, who is here on a five-day state visit.

However, there was a note of caution with the Mongolian side agreeing that it was of critical importance to finalise the transportation means and its timely completion for project to be successful. India is understandably anxious to avoid the project becoming a white elephant and turning into political football because of the delicate domestic politics in Mongolia where China still holds considerable sway.

India stressed the importance of making raw material available for the refinery and building either the pipeline or alternate means in time by the time the refinery is completed. As of now, the line of credit is only for refinery and not for the pipeline or any alternate option to bring crude to the refinery.

India is pacing out the development of ties with Mongolia after its attempt at acceleration had suffered a setback. PM Narendra Modi had visited Mongolia and made a slew of announcements. But China enforced a trade blockade after the Dalai Lama visited Mongolia. It relented only after receiving an apology from the then Foreign Minister.

The Mongolian President had met PM Modi a fortnight back at Vladivostok where they had discussed several projects. Importantly, Indian engineers will be working on a project that is at a short distance from a crucial Chinese arm of its One Belt One Road project. 

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The civilizational dimension of foreign policy

With Mongolia's president in India, some trade agreements may be signed but soft power linkages must proceed autonomously

That Delhi Cantonment has a long road called Ulaanbaatar Marg seems quite intriguing. I don’t know whether, like the Murree Gate, the Kashmiri Gate and the Lahori Gate in the old city, this is an old name that has persisted in the new city, or like the streets named after Josip Tito, Archbishop Makarios and Gamal Abdel Nasser, is a feature of post-Independence non-aligned/Third World diplomacy. Whatever the historical reality — and I am tempted to believe that this is an old name that has somehow survived — Ulaanbaatar is a very long way from Delhi.

It took me nearly 17 hours — which included a seven-hour wait at the airport in Seoul — to get from Delhi to the capital of the country that used to be called Outer Mongolia, distinguished from Inner Mongolia which is a part of China. The journey would have been a few hours shorter had I chosen to fly via Hong Kong. However, with the troubles in that city occasionally spilling over into the airport, the travel agent advised against an incremental surge in the quantum of adventure.

Ulaanbaatar is a very long way from the dusty plains of Hindustan. Before motor and air transport entered the picture, it must have taken the horse and camel caravans nearly two years, including a forbidding journey across the great Gobi Desert, to get from Delhi to Ulaanbaatar. Even the mighty Genghis Khan, the redoubtable 13th-century warrior whose empire extended from Ukraine and Georgia in the west to China, including much of Central Asia, stopped at the gates of India. At one time, after his conquests of Bukhara, Samarkand, Tabriz and Bamiyan, not to mention much of China, his Mongol chiefs had contemplated a military expedition to India. However, if a modern historian is to be believed, the mighty Genghis vetoed the swoop on India because he couldn’t bear the soaring summer temperatures. Timur or Tamerlane, who married into the Genghis Khan family, realized that Mongol dream in the 14th century in a spectacularly brutal way. However, it was Timur’s descendant Babur who brought the tradition of the steppes into India by founding the Mughal empire which endured till 1857.

The tradition of pan-Mongolism, which appealed to many Asian nationalists in the late-19th and early 20th centuries, sought to link the outposts and the subsequent history of Genghis Khan’s huge empire by a common thread. While this is an interesting narrative that once served as a counterpoint to European domination, the commonalities are very tenuous today.

I was in Mongolia for a two-day Hindu-Buddhist dialogue on conflict avoidance and the environment. It was held at the imposing Gandan monastery (picture) in the heart of Ulaanbaatar and graciously hosted by the Khamba Lama, who occupies a pivotal place in the unofficial hierarchy of Buddhist monks in Mongolia. The Gandan monastery — which now boasts a new central temple built by the government of India — has a chequered history. Following the anti-Buddhist purges of the 1930s by the communists, most monasteries were either closed or destroyed and the priceless manuscripts and artefacts either destroyed or stolen. Buddhism was outlawed and nearly 30,000 monks were killed. Gandan survived because the communists needed a token monastery to show visitors that religious practices remained undisturbed under socialism.

Six decades of regimented communist rule had a catastrophic effect on the character of the Mongolian people. Apart from the loss of invaluable treasures, it snapped a tradition of classical learning that had been shaped by the Buddhist inheritance of Tibet and even India. But more than

the scholasticism of the monks, the attempt to secularize Mongolian culture left a huge cultural void, particularly among the generations who felt uprooted.

Today’s Mongolia is a study in contrasts. Outwardly, there is a country with imperfect infrastructure, international brands, an excess of SUVs and absolutely infuriating traffic jams in Ulaanbaatar. This is not to mention the pollution in the city. However, existing on a parallel track is the world that is sought to be preserved and lovingly nurtured by the Buddhist monks in monasteries such as the Gandan or even the Pethub Stangey Choskhorling monastery established by the great Ladakhi spiritual leader Kushak Bakula Rinpoche in 1999. Kushak Bakula served as India’s ambassador to Mongolia from 1990 to 2000 and played a seminal role in recovering Buddhism for post-communist Mongolia.

Buddhism in Mongolia is more than just a spiritual and religious tradition. It is the link between its past and present and exists as an upholder of the Mongolian way of life. Genghis Khan was not a Buddhist. Like other herdsmen of the steppes, he worshipped the open blue sky and had a special veneration for Mount Burkhan Khaldun near the Siberian border — an area that till recently was considered out of bounds because it was the sacred space of Genghis Khan. Yet today, this national hero of Mongolia whose imposing statue looks over the main square of Ulaanbaatar has been incorporated as a key spiritual figure in the Mahayana Buddhism of Mongolia.

The seamless merger of spiritualism, history and the Mongolian way of life is quite striking. Coinciding with the conference, the Gandan monastery also hosted a Naadam — the traditional games that centred on archery, wrestling and horse riding. The sporting events were preceded by an elaborate ritual of traditional dance and music aimed at invoking the gods and driving out the evil spirits. The musicians and dancers were professional artistes. As the Khamba Lama explained to me, they were monks who had spent the preceding six days in prayer and meditation — the necessary preparation for the event.

The event was conducted in a stadium with a striking backdrop. There was a gigantic hand-embroidered tapestry of Vajrasena and below that was a depiction of a serene Genghis Khan who is also venerated as a spiritual guide. The stylized dance was performed by monks dressed in traditional Mongolian finery and masks. It is interesting to note that the elaborate use of silk dates back to the 13th century and Genghis Khan’s subjugation of kingdoms in China. Prior to that, Mongolian tribesmen had been bereft of luxuries and were dependent only on animal skin and fur.

In the outer circle of the pageant were those dressed up as gods who were the protector of the elements — a throwback to some features of Mongolia’s pre-Buddhist faiths. These included at least three figures that have a place in Hindu mythology: the elephant-headed Ganesh, Saraswati and Yama represented by two walking skeletons. The ceremonial burning of the evil spirits in a huge bonfire was an elaborate affair in which all the important monks, including the Khamba Lama, participated.

I did not stay for the entire Naadam which stretched into the late evening. However, what was amply clear is that organized Buddhism in Mongolia had evolved well beyond concerns of the personal salvation of the monks. In the post-communist world, where the country now boasts a reasonably vibrant democracy, religion has extended to upholding the traditional Mongolian way of life and, equally important, Mongolian nationalism.India enjoys a tremendous goodwill in Mongolia. From today, the Mongolian president, accompanied by the Khamba Lama, is visiting India. Of course, there will be the usual agreements on trade and services — we can be a major market for Mongolia’s evolved cashmere knitwear industry, and they can benefit from India’s information technology services and scholarships to students. However, the soft power linkages between the two civilizations must proceed autonomously. Foreign policy must incorporate a civilizational dimension.

By Swapan Dasgupta

https://www.telegraphindia.com

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Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga on five-day visit to India from Thursday, to hold discussions on several issues

Battulga will also review the ongoing cooperation in fields of infrastructure, energy, disaster management, defence, security, culture and capacity building. His visit follows a gap of ten years when in 2009 the then Mongolian president Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj had visited India.

New Delhi: Mongolia's President Khaltmaagiin Battulga will be on a five-day state visit to India from Thursday to hold discussions on a range of issues including bilateral, regional and global. He will also review the ongoing cooperation in fields of infrastructure, energy, disaster management, defence, security, culture and capacity building. His visit follows a gap of ten years when in 2009 the then Mongolian president Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj had visited India.

The Ministry of External Affairs in a release said, "During the visit, the two sides will hold in-depth discussions on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues and will also review ongoing cooperation in fields of infrastructure, energy, disaster management, defence, security, culture and capacity building." He explained, "India-Mongolia Strategic Partnership is based on the ideals of freedom and democracy and on a strong foundation of our shared Buddhist heritage."

The main day of engagement will on Friday when he meets President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and address the business community. He will also visit Agra and Bodh Gaya.

Mongolia, which is landlocked between Russia and China, considers India as its "third neighbour" with which it has a spiritual connection. PM Modi and Mongolian President Battulga had met earlier in September on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia.

India is helping the landlocked country build an oil refinery through a line of credit announced during PM Modi's visit to the country. In 2015, PM Modi became the first Indian PM to visit the country.

The last few years have seen a number of high-level visits from India to Mongolia, including the visit of former external affairs minister late Sushma Swaraj in April 2018, former home minister Rajnath Singh on June 2018 and former minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju in July 2018.

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Mongolian Prez to visit India to intensify bilateral ties

New Delhi [India], Sept 18 (ANI): Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga will arrive here tomorrow on a visit aimed at intensifying bilateral ties between the two countries.

The Mongolian leader will receive a ceremonial welcome by President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday morning after which he will lay a wreath at the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat, the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

Later, Battulga will meet Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan at Rashtrapati Bhawan followed by a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence.

A banquet will be hosted by Kovind in the honour of the visiting leader. Battulga will also participate in an India-Mongolia Business Forum in New Delhi, the ministry said.

The Mongolian President will also meet Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.

During his stay, Battulga will visit Agra where he is scheduled to attend an event.

He will also be paying a visit to Bodh Gaya before leaving for Karnataka where he will be hold talks with Governor Vajubhai Vala and attend a programme on September 23.

Battulga's visit to India will be the first State visit by a Mongolian President in last 10 years, the ministry said, noting the two sides will hold in-depth discussions on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues.

It also said the two countries would review ongoing cooperation in fields of infrastructure, energy, disaster management, defence, security, culture, and capacity building.

The two countries had reached a strategic partnership in 2015 during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Mongolia. A number of high-level exchanges have taken place since then and the partnership has seen considerable progress during the last few years. (ANI)

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Mongolia keeps the dialogue going on North Korea

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Mongolia has been quietly playing a mediating role in North Korea talks, hosting representatives from Pyongyang when they seek informal discussions with counterparts from Japan and South Korea.

The Mongolian foray into hosting North Korea-related bilateral talks has made progress since the launch of informal Track 2 dialogues in 2015, Ambassador Jargalsaikhan Enkhsaikhan said Thursday at a closed-door roundtable hosted by the Global Peace Foundation in Washington.

Enkhsaikhan, now retired, is the chairman of Mongolian NGO Blue Banner. The group, together with the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict, a regional network, has been organizing the talks known as the Ulaanbaatar Process to help grease the wheels of dialogue even during times of tension on the Korean Peninsula.

Mongolia may be in a unique position to host North Korea-related meetings at a time when the long abandoned six-party talks on denuclearization, last held in China in 2009, have become a distant memory. Under Kim Jong Un, Pyongyang has instead favored one-on-one, high-stakes summits with world leaders.

Dramatic summitry is no substitute for substantive working-level talks, however.

Enkhsaikhan, who said his views are his own, didn't rule out a future U.S.-North Korea summit in Ulaanbaatar. He also told UPI that Washington and Pyongyang will need to lay the groundwork ahead of the summit. Talks collapsed in Hanoi, Vietnam in February because not much was discussed at the expert or ministerial level; all the nuances came from the top.

"Now they're talking about working-group meetings," Enkhsaikhan said. "That's very good. Hopefully they will meet soon."

Mongolian cooperation on sensitive issues has helped countries like Japan to build low-level dialogue on the issue of abducted Japanese citizens. At the meeting on Wednesday, a Japanese academic from a university in Kyoto said Mongolia's mediating role for countries that "lack trust" has enabled Japan to provide financial support to Mongolia so that it could use the funds to invite North Koreans.

The issue of North Korea's nuclear weapons has dogged past U.S. presidents. Mongolia is a traditional partner for North Korea, and their relationship dates back to the Cold War, when the two countries were part of the Soviet bloc.

"We have not changed our attitude toward North Korea," the former diplomat said. "We don't forget friends."

Friendship does not mean Mongolia is not concerned about North Korea's weapons of mass destruction --- a program that has been on Ulaanbaatar's radar since the '90s.

"First it was a 'nuclear program,' now they say it is a 'nuclear weapons program'," Enkhsaikhan said.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Mongolia and North Korea took divergent paths. Pyongyang maintained isolation and may have secretly started a uranium program in the '90s, while Mongolia pursued democratization and declared itself a nuclear weapon-free zone.

Mongolia's decision to reject weapons was rooted in a historical lesson, according to Enkhsaikhan.

The landlocked Asian republic may have faced an existential threat when rivals China and the Soviet Union were on the brink of a potential nuclear war in 1969. Moscow at the time stored dual-use weapons, including midrange missiles and planes in Mongolia, which could have made Soviet bases in Mongolia a target of Chinese fire.

"A duck is calm when the lake is calm," he said, referring to a Mongolian saying that summarizes how national interests are best served by a stable regional security environment. "That is why Mongolia tries to stay as active as possible."

Enkhsaikhan said he supports a U.S. security assurance for North Korea that comes with a "double assurance" from Russia and China, a guarantee that could help build trust with Pyongyang.

"And no matter how detailed the agreements, they should be ratified by government, meaning parliament," he said.

Mongolia's willingness to host North Korean officials has also served as a barometer for the mood in Pyongyang.

During the closed-door meeting on Wednesday, a former U.S. State Department officer and Mongolian specialist said after talks collapsed in February between President Donald Trump and Kim, North Korea stopped showing up at the dialogues in Ulaanbaatar.

Enkhsaikhan said Mongolia, with its steady ties to both Koreas, supports Korean unification, and that his country is ready to share its experience of democratization with Pyongyang.

"If they are interested, we will tell them" about democratic systems, he said.

The Global Peace Foundation is affiliated with the ultimate holding company that owns United Press International.

Source:UPI

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Mongolia intensifies battle against drugs

ULAN BATOR, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia has been intensifying its fight against drugs, a senior official of the country's National Police Agency (NPA) said Wednesday.

"Unfortunately, the number of drug-related crimes has been significantly increasing in our country," Jamiyansengee Erdenebold, head of the narcotics department at the NPA, told a press conference.

"We recently started carrying out operations at nightclubs and other suspicious places in the capital city of Ulan Bator to 'hunt' down drug users," said Erdenebold.

The police have arrested 330 people so far this year, the colonel said, adding that 85.4 percent of the offenders are young people aged between 18 and 35.

A total of 193 drug-related criminal cases were registered across Mongolia in 2018, up more than 30 percent from the previous year.

A lack of knowledge about drugs, curiosity, an attempt to make easy money and weak law enforcement are said to be the main factors in the growth of drug-related crimes.

According to Mongolian law, drug-related criminals face prison terms of at least two years. A life sentence or the death penalty do not exist under the country's drug laws. Enditem.

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Chinese embassy donates 100,000 yuan to help Mongolia fight tuberculosis

ULAN BATOR, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Mongolia on Wednesday donated 100,000 yuan (over 14,100 U.S. dollars) to help Mongolia fight tuberculosis (TB).

Chinese Ambassador to Mongolia Xing Haiming handed over the fund to a Mongolian foundation called "Enkhrii Erdene" which works to halt the spread of TB.

"This year marks the 70th anniversary of both the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Mongolia and the founding of the People's Republic of China. Throughout the 70 years, bilateral cooperation between our two countries have expanded in a wide range of areas," Xing told Xinhua, adding that the Chinese side has attached importance to strengthening cooperation in the humanitarian and health sectors.

"The 'Enkhrii Erdene' foundation has been organizing many activities to combat TB. The Chinese side has been paying special attention to support the operations of the foundation," said Xing.

The ambassador expressed hope that the foundation will continue to contribute to the further development of bilateral relations.

"Our foundation has been implementing a project "Together against Tuberculosis -- Mongolia-China Friendship" since March. Today, we are very happy to receive another 100,000 yuan of finance from the Chinese side," Erdenebaatar Enkhriimaa, head of the foundation, told Xinhua.

Enkhriimaa said that the foundation will continue to work as a bridge of friendship between the two countries.

The foundation will use the funds in collaboration with the National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD).

TB is an infectious disease usually caused by Mycobacterium TB bacteria.

The disease, if not treated properly, can lead to death or a compromised immune and especially respiratory system.

In Mongolia, a country with a population of 3.2 million, roughly 4,000 new TB cases are registered annually, the NCCD said.

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Ethnic Mongolian Author Sentenced, Placed Under 'Community Correction' Order

Chinese authorities in the northern region of Inner Mongolia have sentenced an ethnic Mongolian writer in secret on "separatism" charges, a rights group said at the weekend.

Lhamjab A. Borjigin, 75, was handed a one-year suspended prison sentence by the Shiliinhot Municipal People’s Court, which found him guilty of "separatism" and "sabotaging naitonal unity", the New York-based Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center (SMHRIC) reported on Sunday.

Ethnic Mongolian historian and author Lhamjab Borjigin is shown in an undated photo.

Lhamjab stood trial on April 4, and has since been "released" under tightly guarded house arrest at his home, he told SMHRIC.

“During a careful investigation, the court found that this illegally published book, China’s Cultural Revolution, has contents of national separatism, and the author’s act already constitutes a crime of illegal business," the court judgment, a copy of which was shared with the group, said.

"Defendant Lhamjab is sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year reprieve. The prison term shall take effect on the date the actual criminal imprisonment starts. The number of days of prior detention, if any, shall be deducted from the prison term," the judgment said.

The prosecution case was based on the accusation that Lhamjab had "published 2,000 copies of China’s Cultural Revolution without an approved book number and made some profit," SMHRIC reported.

"In addition to a certain number of copies that he voluntarily turned in, 836 copies have been confiscated. The whereabouts of the remaining copies are still unclear."

Lhamjab is now subject to a Notice of Community Correction, which imposes a number of restrictions on his communications and his personal liberty.

The Aug. 26 notice bans him from "organizing or attending any gathering, protest, demonstration or assembly." He is also banned from publishing or distributing any printed materials or multimedia products, from giving interviews and from public speaking at home or overseas.

A prominent voice

"I am under house arrest, and all my contacts were taken away," Lhamjab said in an audio statement released by a friend.

"I am not allowed to go anywhere, and I’m required to come to the Public Security Bureau in person daily to report my status. A weekly written statement is required to detail my status," he said.

“Like the Monkey King of the classic Chinese story who was given a headband for his uncontrollability, I am given a Communist ring for my head. My right to move and right to think are taken away by the Chinese authorities,” Lhamjab said.

A native of Heshigten Banner, a county-like division in Inner Mongolia, and a member of the state-backed Shiliingol League Literary Association, Lhamjab has been a prominent voice in ethnic Mongolian culture in China, as well as documenting the region's oral history.

He specializes in survivor testimonies of the political violence and social chaos of the Cultural Revolution, publishing his book China's Cultural Revolution in 2006 after 20 years collecting such testimonies.

The book accuses the ruling Chinese Communist Party of state-sponsored genocide in the region, detailing torture techniques and detentions in a brutal campaign that claimed the lives of at least 27,900 people and imprisoned and tortured 346,000.

Lhamjab published the book unofficially, at his own expense, after state-run Chinese publishing houses refused to publish it.

He was initially placed under house arrest on July 11, 2018 after an abridged audio version of the book went viral among ethnic Mongolians on Chinese social media platforms, especially WeChat last year.

The writers' group PEN America has called on Beijing to drop the charges and release Lhamjab.

Human rights violations

Ethnic Mongolians in exile have repeatedly also called on Chinese authorities to end human rights violations and systematic and institutionalized discrimination against ethnic Mongolians within China's borders, as well as longstanding policies aimed at ending their traditional, nomadic way of life.

SMHRIC is calling for the immediate withdrawal of all "extractive industries, tourist companies and power plants that not only occupy and appropriate large tracts of Mongolian grazing lands, but also devastate the ecosystem, deplete the underground water and pollute the air and water."

It is also campaigning against the Chinese authorities’ "massive propaganda campaign to justify their destruction of nomadic civilization and ... the natural environment."

Chinese government policies, the group said, are "based on deep-seated discrimination that characterizes Mongolian pastoralism as a 'backward, archaic, unscientific and uncivilized' way of life and advertises the Chinese way of life as 'advanced, civilized and scientific'."

Reported by He Ping for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.

Source:Radio Free Asia

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IFC Looks to Opportunities in Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Nena Stoiljkovic, Vice President for Asia and Pacific, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has arrived in Mongolia for her first official visit to the country.
During her two-day visit, Stoiljkovic will meet senior government officials, representatives from financial institutions, and business leaders and visit projects supported by IFC, the largest global development organization working with the private sector in emerging markets.  

“Mongolia is a unique country, with unique opportunities and challenges,” Stoiljkovic said. “IFC has been working in Mongolia since 1997 to help support the country meet its development challenges. I am keen to hear first-hand how IFC can do more to help Mongolia further diversify its economy and spur jobs for people, particularly Mongolia’s youth.”

IFC has been operating in Mongolia since 1997 and providing finance across many sectors, including banking, healthcare, hospitality, mining and services. Our most recent investment was a $65 million loan package to XacBank to support access to finance for more than 44,000 micro, small and medium sized enterprises in Mongolia. Support of MSMEs will continue to be one of our main focus areas.

“We know too many enterprises have been struggling to gain access to the finance they need to expand their businesses and create jobs,” Stoiljkovic said. “This financing will clearly help and IFC is also keen to explore other opportunities for investments to help the country build a more competitive, sustainable and diversified economy.”

IFC and its sister organization, the World Bank, both members of the World Bank Group, have been providing policy advice and technical support to Mongolia to enhance investment policy, restore investor confidence, diversify exports, and build institutional capacities.

Over the past 22 years, IFC has invested $2.6 billion — $849 million from its own account and $1.77 billion in syndication — in 35 private-sector projects across Mongolia’s key industries.

About IFC
IFC—a sister organization of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group—is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work with more than 2,000 businesses worldwide, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities where they are needed most. In fiscal year 2019, we delivered more than $19 billion in long-term financing for developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

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