MONGOLIA: Mass arrests; denial of freedom of expression and association
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The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that, at 3 a.m. on 13 November 2002, more than 50 participants in a demonstration for private land reform were arrested and sent to the so-called “Center of Identification” located in Denjiin Myanga in the northern part of Ulan Bator. The police also blocked 11 activists in the building of the Democratic Party.
Majority of those arrested were activists and members of the Democratic Party who supported the “Demonstration with 100 Tractors”. They were watching outside when police began to seize 30 tractors standing at the Sukhbaatar Square (or “Freedom Square”, which since 1990 has become a space for Mongolians to freely express their political views) while tractor drivers were resting at night. Meanwhile, about 50 police officers locked 11 activists inside the Democratic Party office, while police outside arrested those who exited the building.
On 10 November, many tractor drivers, though facing many obstacles along the way, congregated at Ulan Bator to protest and demand for the fair privatization of land. However, 30 tractors standing on the Sukhbaatar Square were removed by the police during the operation.
One of organizers of the demonstration condemned, “I do not understand Mongolian rulers-ex communists, they are borrowing bad methods to fight against our rights to assemble and protest. I never saw so many police wandering around the buildings. I never imagined that police could arrest many people during midnight. Maybe such things happened only during 1937s- acme year of political repression. I am locked from inside and can’t go out because I will be arrested right away”
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Mongolia, traditionally a nomadic country with a population of 2.4 million and territory of 1.52 million square kilometers, is in the process of privatizing its land for the first time in its history. Several months ago, the State Great Hural of Mongolia adopted the Law on Private Land, which is to be implemented onward from May 2003.
However, the Fair Land Privatization Movement opposes several key points within the present Land Law. They demand these be reconsidered so the land privatization would be implemented in a fair and constitutional manner:
– A Mongolian citizen shall own the land, but not a family as it is stated in the law.
– Land privatization shall be implemented by the separate commission, but not by the local administration.
– No land redistribution including the forceful movement of city residents shall be made after land law was adopted and before it is implemented.
– Farmland shall be divided randomly on by means of a lottery, but not by the local monopoly as it is stated in the law.
– All citizens shall be allowed to own land equally, but not in an unequal way as it is stated in the law by allowing a similar size of land to each family, irrespective of family size.
– All citizens shall be allowed a choice to have land once at any location of the country, but not as the present law allows free choice only urban citizens excluding rural ones to choose the land freely.
These and several other arguments have been the cause of widespread discussion.
Therefore, in order to express their views and gain the attention of both the government and public, the Fair Land Privatization Movement and the Mongolian Democratic Union jointly organized their first mass demonstration called “Demonstration with 100 Tractors” at the Freedom Square on November 4, 2002.
REQUESTED ACTION
Please send your appeal to the Mongolian authorities, to urge them to immediately release all detainees, guarantee the basic democratic standards of freedom of expression and association, and respect the group’s views about fair land reform.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear
Re: Mass arrests of demonstrators who demand the Law on Private Land be reconsidered before implementation
I have been informed that at 3 a.m. on 13 Nov. 2002 more than 50 people who were participating in a demonstration for private land reform were arrested and sent to the so-called “Center of Identification” located in Denjiin Myanga in the northern part of Ulan Bator. The police also blocked 11 activists in the building of the Democratic Party. I have learned that they gathered in Sukhbaatar Square to demand that the implementation of the Law on Private Land be reconsidered before it will be effect from May 2003.
The mass arrests violate not only fundamental human rights, the freedom of expression and association, but also damages the international image of your country, which since 1990 had been recognized for the increase in Mongolian civil and political rights.
Therefore, I urge that you immediately release all detainees and the views of the Fair Land Privatization Movement for a fair land reform be respected. Needless to say, I also urge you to guarantee the fundamental human rights, such as the freedom of expression and association, of all Mongolians in the future.
I look forward to learning of your positive response to this matter.
Thank you.
Sincerely yours,
PLEASE SEND YOUR APPEALS TO;
1. Mr. Natsagiin Bagabandi
President
Government House, Ulaanbaatar-12,
MONGOLIA
Fax: +976 11 311121
2. Mr.Nambar Enkhbayar
Prime Minister
Government House, Ulaanbaatar-12,
MONGOLIA
Fax: +976 11 328329
3. Mr. Nyamdorj Ts.
Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs
Hudaldaanii Gudamj-61A, Ulaanbaatar- 46,
MONGOLIA
Fax: + 976 11 325225
