Much Ado About Mining

golians abroad meanwhile began GoFundMe accounts in favor of the protesters.

Yet in the midst of the thousands of protesters who joined the rally in good faith, there were those holding cash and offering bribes to the demonstrators. During the “Discussion with Journalists” TV program on 10 December, a female protester said, “We sat in the front, on the cold cement. We had children coming from the back area and [they] informed us about people carrying cash to bribe the protestors.” Hearing this, Justice Minister Nyambaatar Khishgee stated, “The department will look into this.”

In response to the public outcry, the Mongolian cabinet passed an emergency resolution to declassify nine projects implemented by Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi (ETT), the mining company at the center of the original allegations of coal industry corruption. Among the declassified information were those on the Tavan Tolgoi-Gashuunsukhait and Tavan Tolgoi-Zuunbayan railroad project, its financial transactions, and certain contractual agreements and amendments made in 2019.

Several former ETT executives were arrested. The declassified information involving the railroad quickly turned into a political issue, as it involves former President Battulga Khaltmaa, who served as minister of roads, transportation, construction, and urban development during the time in question. But the government needs to abstain from politicizing the issue and tackle the details of who committed theft and how. Following the public’s demand to release the names of alleged coal thieves, Nyambaatar said in a meeting with journalists: “I do not have the legal rights to release the medium and high-level ‘thieves’ by their names. My job and principle are to strengthen the legal, and justice system of Mongolia, however, you disrespect and come at me.”

On a number of social media platforms, people shared unverified stories of corruption in the coal and mining industries, many involving mining con- glomerate families. Some posts even referred back to the 2016 Panama Papers, which involved former Prime Minister Batbold Sukhbaatar’s offshore accounts. Batbold still serves as a member of parliament.

The overall frustration and anger of the Mongolian people are understandable. Since the mining boom in 2011, inequality between the rich and the working class has grown ever wider, whether viewed in terms of the income gap or overall purchasing power. In assessing Mongolia’s current economic and corruption climate, however, the dilemma is that the mining conglomerates play a major role in decision-making and contribute tremendously to the national economy at large.

The obvious unfortunate part of this dynamic is that the rich get richer while the poor get poorer. This six-day demonstration stemmed from this larger problem: The Mongolian people have had it and they want equality. By taking to the streets they are saying, ‘Enough is enough; no more bending backwards and no more special treatment for the coal thieves.’ In an interview with the Zuv.mn on Facebook Live, a young female protester spoke for many when she said that the current government’s actions will not be enough. Catching a thief or two is not a real solution to Mongolia’s corruption. The protester further asked why she and her fellow colleagues are struggling to live in today’s Mongolia despite her high education and foreign-language skills. Why, she asked, must she live a restless life, working three jobs, while others are stealing millions and continue to flourish in the current political and business system?

The people of Mongolia want the Oyun-Erdene administration to unveil the corrupt system that has protected these mining conglomerates, particularly state-owned enterprises such as Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi. The people of Mongolia do not want to hear political rhetoric or narratives. They want crystal-clear action from the Ministry of Justice and from the Office of the Prime Minister.