On the morning of May 25, 2011, nearly two thousands students from Mongolians schools including Shiliin-hot Mongolian High Shool, Shiliin-gol League Mongolian High School, and Shiliin-gol League Vocational School gathered in front of the League Government building at Shiliinhot, capital city of the League (equivalent to prefecture), to urge the Chinese authorities to respect the rights and dignity of Mongolian herders in Southern Mongolia.

A series of demonstrations and protests took place in the Leauge’s Right Ujumchin Banner since May 10, 2011 in response to the brutal killing of a Mongolian herder named Mergen by a Chinese coal truck driver. The authorities however failed to act promptly to redress the herders’ grievances.

According to an email communication from Shiliin-gol League, in order to calm the enraged local Mongolian herders and students, high-ranking officials from the League Government visited the demonstration site to meet with protesters and promised the following:

1. Redress the case of Mergen in a just manner;

2. Handle the case of Abag Banner (banner is equivalent to county) where local herders had a deadly clash with Chinese miners;

3. In order to respect the Mongolian herders’ rights in the future, official promised to have the government-run local media to report on the cases.

Reportedly, the students agreed to return to their schools to arrange their next step according to the way in which the promise of the government is fulfilled.

For more information about the case of Mergen, please visit our website at:

http://smhric.org/news_378.htm

http://smhric.org/news_376.htm