Mongolian protesters gathered in the capital for a fifth day on Thursday to decry perceived government corruption, despite the arrests of eight officials suspected of so-called coal theft.
Thousands of people have gathered at Ulaanbaatar’s Sukhbaatar Square since Sunday, requesting the authorities to identify individuals guilty of at least 385,000 tons of unaccounted-for coal between 2013 and 2019.
In October, the government announced that it had identified the missing coal by comparing Mongolian export statistics with import data given by China, the country’s primary consumer.
The findings have generated even more dissatisfaction over rising living costs and inequality, which sparked protests earlier this year.
According to central bank figures, coal accounted for more than half of Mongolia’s export revenue in the first 10 months of this year.
“Come out, come out!”
” On Thursday, people chanted towards the government building on Sukhbaatar Square. Protesters attempted to storm the facility on Monday, but subsequent demonstrations have been calm.
Some protesters carried banners that said, “Name the thieves” and “What did you do with taxpayers’ money?” We want to live happily in Mongolia.”
On Wednesday, the administration committed to investigating and punishing “coal thieves,” and it named ten officials under investigation.
Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai has also ordered a six-month probe into the state-owned business Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi JSC, which has mining permits for the country’s largest coal resource, Tavantolgoi.
Gankhuyag Battulga, the company’s former director, and seven others have been arrested, according to Nyambaatar Khishgee, the minister of justice and internal affairs.
However, the moves have done little to alleviate the outrage. On Thursday, some people demanded that politicians quit.
“People who steal public funds should be held accountable just as someone who commits a crime is held responsible. We would like to use that money efficiently for development in our country,” said Bolormaa Bayarmagnai, 24, who joined the protest on Thursday.
“During the spring demonstrations, promises were also made. “I don’t see anything coming from there,” she continued.
According to Oyungerel Tsedevdamba, a former member of Parliament and founder of the Civic Unity Party, authorities began investigating coal theft nine years ago.
“People are now demanding to announce the results of those investigations be made public,” she said.
On December 21, a public hearing on the coal theft will be held.
