In the shadow of Genghis Khan a triumph for democracy »
Posted By gamahuche 7 months, 1 week ago in NewsULAN BATOR, Mongolia : The opposition Democratic party claimed victory Monday in Mongolia's presidential election and the incumbent quickly conceded to prevent a repeat of the violent unrest which followed last year' s disputed election results.
Supporters of Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj cheered upon hearing that President Nambaryn Enkhbayar of the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party had acknowledged defeat.
Waving flags and whistling for joy, Mongolians in suits and traditional silk tunics gathered at party headquarters, celebrating Mr. Elbegdorj’s election as a triumph for democracy.
“This is a victory for fairness and honesty,” said Galsan Ishdondov, 54, a party flag draped over his shoulders. “Finally we will have the change we need and the justice we deserveI
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gamahuche
"I would rather be a square peg than fit in a pigeon hole" -
an essay which won me the "Lamb Essay Prize" at the Religious ...
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gamahuche7 months, 1 week ago
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Mongolia is a fantastic country which still lives in the shadow of its greatest hero, Genghis Khan, who died in 1227! The victory celebration in the pic with this story is taken close by the statue which commemorates him in Ulan Bator.The nation has been suffering in recent times and I hope upon hope that this will be a change that is good for them!
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gamahuche7 months, 1 week ago
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I've been fascinated by Mongolia since I was a child - Tibet too. Finally, about 10 years ago, I had the opportunity to go there - with a purpose.
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The project was for a Conference, which had the tentative title: "Buddhism, Feminism, Activism" but, to my long-lasting regret, it never came to pass because the female member of my team, the one with the feminist connections, and I parted company.
Why so fascinating? Partly because the mixture of Buddhism and Shamanism/Animism is extremely potent. Travelling with Buddhists in jeeps involves frequent stops to sprinkle vodka for the spirits of the place. This also involves regular human libations, naturally. The women were the emotionally strong people that I met while the men were strong in their horsemanship and their drumming. Traditionally the Mongols had only one name but just before we were there there had been a decree that everyone should choose a second name, in order to reduce confusion. Unfortunately almost everyone chose a variant on the name of Genghis for their second name.. -
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gamahuche7 months, 1 week ago
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We've never had any Mongolian visitors here. There are quite a lot of Mongolian "work-guests" here, even working in a computer factory on the top of the hill opposite my house, but they are virtually never visible on the streets. Now with the "economic downturn" they are being offered free passage and even a cash grant to go home, which may seem harsh but it would not be much fun for them being unemployed here either. In Ulan Bator itself there has been an underworld of street kids with the attendant nasty drugs. How they survive in winter is hard to imagine. If this government can solve these social problems with the profits from their raw materials then the nation could really leap forward. And maybe it will come time to choose a third name!
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Natureboy7 months, 1 week ago
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If this government can solve these social problems with the profits from their raw materials then the nation could really leap forward.
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Not much chance of that. According to the article, the Mongolian parliament is looking to have multinationals do the mining. It will likely pan out as it does in other third-world countries, with the natives gaining little benefit from the extraction of wealth from beneath their feet.
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