Five people have been killed and over 300 wounded in an outbreak of violence in Ulan Bator when the ruling Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) claimed victory in the elections (44 seats). The opposition Democratic Party, which received only 27 seats in the 76-seat parliament, has accused the ruling party of fraud.
Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar declared a four-day state of emergency, prohibiting demonstrations and authorizing a clampdown on protesters. According to foreign news agencies, over 700 people have been detained.
The opponents, armed with stones and Molotov cocktails, seized and torched the headquarters of the ruling party, while other supporters of the civil movement tried to force their way into the parliament. In all, approximately 8,000 people took part in the riots. The rioters included a varied cross section of people, from small traders who demanded compensation for their burned outlets in the outdoor market to deceived bank clients.
At present, over half of Mongolia's nearly three million people live in Ulan Bator, many of them without permanent residences or jobs. These people formed the core of the public unrest.
The violence was among the worst the nation has seen since adopting a democratic model 18 years ago, and many people in Ulan Bator were left disenchanted.
Mongolia's civil movements and the opposition Democratic Party receive funds through NGOs, leading analysts to suspect Western involvement. The West would benefit from bringing the Democratic Party to power, because this would give it a chance to negotiate access to Mongolia's mineral resources.
However, unrest and the state of emergency have delayed a parliamentary hearing of a bill on mineral resources, supported by both the ruling and the opposition parties. The bill allows the state to own controlling interest in companies with foreign capital that develop coal, gold, silver and other mineral deposits.
This does not suit foreign countries, which have threatened to cut short investment in Mongolia over the disputed amendments to the law on mineral resources.
Competition among foreign businesses is very tough in this landlocked country. Russia, which has been its partner for a long time, needs stability to continue working there. The Russian Foreign Ministry has expressed concern over the unrest in Ulan Bator and called on Mongolia's political forces to show restraint.
The results of the parliamentary elections are unlikely to be reviewed. This would only be possible if the margin of loss was small, however the MPRP won the elections by a large margin.
The state of emergency should stabilize the situation, and parliament is expected to appeal to the people to stop the violence.
The current unrest is unlikely to spark a revolution in Mongolia, which has merely stumbled on its way to democracy.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.
