15
UB Post
It's their year, but poverty stalks
many of Mongolia's senior citizens
BY N. OYUNBAYAR-
A s Mongolia's Year of
/\ the Elderly begins, 60
X ~ X s e r cent of Mon-
^fc's seniors live in poverty.
Tta's the figure given by
the Mongolian Seniors'
, which says the
mt should use the
year to attack
among the nation's
M9S has been designated
iMenutional Year of the
B4erN by the United Nations,
mm me Mongolian govern-
•nt has followed suit by
ng a Year of the
• fcr this country.
A mational organizing
smmmtrtK. headed by the
fame Minister, has been
sac jrec. and a budget of
50 million (U.S.
1WJH1T) Jnntrrl for events
•taodtofce year.
MMgatia is home to more
Mi ^S.OOO seniors, defined
« *B coBcery as women over
i. : ~ i - r v e r 60. Most
on pensions of
i Tg 12,000 and Tg
5~ :- :5-$66) per
I the majority who
: pensioners before
1 5 pension-reform law
i kss than their
4 counterparts. Some
n seniors are
cly poor.
•s' Association
fcB afed on the government
- • -; - - ~ _ m pension
m*m » Tg 30,000 (S33) per
^•fc-Araesentonly 18,000
mmjif receive pensions of
mmrmm Tg 30,000 monthly.
-jsociation'shead,J.
tmmmmta, told a press con-
mtooe aa veek that seniors
ec BZ k« Mocgolia's transi-
•• » a capitalist economy,
i who were
i state-owned
; collapsed often
19-01-99
fly mpMttMr «M*n. bin • m«iority,of them IIv« In powrty. Photo by 5. ENKHJARGAl
said Tsendsuren. "We need to 200,000 and Tg 500,000. and social welfare of the million restoration of the
abolish the enormous dif- But, says the Association, elderly, and a programme to Tarina sanitarium in Tov
ferences between pension it is not nearly enough. implement this policy," he aimag, which served Mon-
rates." Still, says Tsendsuren, the said. golia's seniors in socialist
He said the many seniors Seniors' Association does "The legal framework is times, and the establishment of
who were sacked or laid off have one advantage. Unlike there. The job of organizations seniors' culture and recreation
lost not only their jobs but the most of the country's 500 like ours is to pay attention to centres in Ulaanbaatar and all
support of their unions or NGOs, the MSA has a con- the implementation of the aimag capitals.
professional associations. The crete law around which to programme and the law." The national committee
Mongolian Seniors' As- lobby the government. Year of the Elderly acti- charged with organizing Year
sociation could be a unifying "There's a government vities that have already been of the Elderly events is slated
body for the nation's seniors, policy on improving the health announced include the Tg 45 to meet this week.
he said.
The Association's deputy
chief, L. Chuluunbat, argued
that society was hurting itself
by failing to draw on the
experience and wisdom of its
elderly citizens.
Mongolia has a long
'tradition of respect for its
elders. This emerges most
forcefully at Tsagaan Sar, the
lunar new year, when all
Mongolians pay respect to
their seniors.
Business lay on parties
and gifts for their senior Mongol Messenger 28-10-98
workers. Even the President
Wasted water taking
personally greets the nation's
30 or so centenarians.
And seniors do receive a
number of concessions, in-
cluding the right to free or
subsidized public transit and
some free medical treatment.
Veterans also receive one-
a toll on Ulaanbaatar
time payments of between Tg Hydrologists report that of water reserve and 6.1 million
Ulaanbaatar's water table has been cubic metres of water depth.
reduced by 30 percent over the In related news, an ongoing
past 30 years due to human impact. project to drill 45 new wells in
One expert reports that an central and southern regions is in
typical household uses 350 litres its second stage. The three year
of water a day, most of which is project is assisted by the UNDP,
wasted. Other impacts are the governments of Austria and
deforestation and erosion from Holland and the Swedish
mining and logging. It is estimated International Development
that Mongolia has 34.3 cubic km agency.
 16
UB Post
Week-long campaign puts poverty
in the national spotlight
The United Nations has
called poverty the world's
most pressing problem.
And according to the UN-
backed Mongolian Human
Development Report, pub-
lished last month, poverty
in this country is on the
rise.
That was the sobering
message delivered by rep-
resentatives of the
Mongolian government
and the United Nations
Development Programme
at the October 17 launch
of Poverty Eradication
Week, which runs through
October 24.
"Today there are 1.3
billion people in the world
living on less than $1 a
day," said UNDP spokes-
person David South.
According to the UN's
research, poverty in Mon-
golia increased 40 per cent
between 1990 and 1996.
It estimates 19.6 per cent
of Mongolians are poor.
In addition to
highlighting the problem of
poverty, the week is also
intended to showcase the
work of the National
Poverty Alleviation Pro-
gramme.
Launched in 1994 in
collaboration with the UN,
the World Bank and the
22-10-97
Asian Development Bank, single mother of four, The principle of tN
it has implemented 900 received a loan of Tg loan is to pay 20 per cert
projects throughout the 650,000 four months ago. back in the second yeal
country. She works as a crafts- 30 per cent in the! 1C thirt
II M"
The key to those woman making jewelry ntinW
year and 50 per cent in 1
projects is microcredit - from silver, copper, brass fourth year.
small loans designed to and leather. "The purpose of thi
help poor families, She has been able to week-long campaign is tt
especially those headed by buy a two-room house prove that poverti
women, start small with a yard, and can now eradication is possible
businesses. pay her daughter's there is the will," sa ;
B. Chuluuntsetseg, a university tuition fees. South.
IB Post 11-11-97
Mongolia needs emergency
food aid, says report
Mongolia's food-supply Union, Mongolia produced Japan.
crisis is serious enough to sufficient cereals - mostly Grain production - con-
call for emergency food wheat — to meet domestic centrated mainly in the six
aid, says a report by the demand and even to ex- aimags of the Central
United Nations' Food and port. Agricultural Region (0-
Agriculture Organization. But both crop yields rkhon, Tov, Bulgan,
An FAO mission to and area harvested have Darkhan, Ovorkhangai and
Mongolia in September and plummeted since then. Selenge) - is a vulnerable
October assessed the The 1996 harvest was 70 sector.
country's food-supply sit- per cent lower than pre- Fertilizers and insect-
1990 levels. icides have not been used
uation, which special at-
tention to the crops sector. The FAO report fore- in several years, and the
Its conclusions are so- casts the 1997 harvest at good harvest this year is
bering. 282,000 tonnes - 28 per due largely to favourable
One in four children is cent higher than in 1996, precipitation.
chronically under- but still only 40 per cent Mongolia's flour mills
nourished. And while Mon- of 1990's harvest. are working at oniy 50 per
golia doesn't face the The reliance on im- cent capacity.
threat of widespread fam- ported cereals is creating "The future of grain
ine, it "now faces a serious a dangerous situation. For production looks bleak,"
food deficit and only pro- the 1997-98 marketing says the report, without
duces some 60 per cent of year, the report predicts a substantial investment in
its estimated cereal 90,000-tonne shortfall machinery, chemicals,
needs." between requirements and marketing, training and
And the report warns imports, "for which the research.
of "a growing population country needs emergency The report has warn-
of vulnerable, low-income and programme food as- ings, too for the livestock
people who have been sistance." sector, which accounts for
experiencing a dramatic fall It calls upon the Nat- 88 per cent of Mongolia's
in nutritional standards due ional Poverty Alleviation agricultural production.
to a major deterioration in Programme to find 23,000 Crumbling infrastructure,
their economic circum- tonnes of emergency food cuts to veterinary services
stances." aid for society's poorest, and a decline in fodder
The study paints a as well as 67,000 tonnes production are creating an
picture of an agricultural of programme food aid. increasingly vulnerable
sector in dire straits. It In 1996, the country situation for the nation's
notes that, before the received 6236 tonnes of herders.
collapse of the Soviet food aid, largely from
 17

UB Post 20-10-98
Week
shines the
spotlight
on poverty
According to the United
Nations-backed Mongolian
Human Development Report,
one in five Mongolians is poor.
Since the democratic transition,
poverty has been rising steadily
in this country.
The government of Mon-
golia used the launch of the
international Poverty-Eradi-
cation Week (October 17-24)
to tout the work of its National
Poverty Alleviation Pro-
gramme.
The United Nations-
backed programme was laun-
ched in 1994 and is slated to
run until the year 2000.
Programme chief S. Onon
told reporters that NPAP has
. implemented 2600 projects
aimed at increasing the income
of the most vulnerable, as well
as job-creation, health and
education projects.
Its core activity is micro-
credit, small loans designed to
help the poor, and unemployed
start up small-scale businesses.
Since March 19%, NPAP has
distributed U.S. S2.2 million in
start-up loans, ranging from Tg
75,000 to Tg 1 million, to more
than 21,000 people.
At the launch of the week's
activities, journalists were led
on a tour of several successful
projects in Ulaanbaatar, in-
cluding a bakery and a sausage
factory in Bayangol district, a
shoe workshop in Chingeltei
district and flood barriers in
Chingeltei district constructed
by the unemployed.
"Our goal is to support, in
particular, disabled people and
poor women heads of house-
hold who have no jobs but have
the ability and desire to work,"
said Onon.
The week culminates in a
charity concert on Friday (Oc-
tober 23) at the Youth Palace
in Ulaanbaatar.
On October 26, NPAP will
present Russian jeeps to a
number of soums for use as
ambulances.
 18

Mongol Messenger 22-10-97

Locals mark Poverty

Eradication Week
by B. Ihdra

Forty-year-old G.
Chuluuntsetseg has four daughters
and is head of the family.'Four
months ago she took a loan of
Tg496,000 from the National Pov-
erty Alleviation Programme's
Women's Development Fund.
By purchasing silver at the
black market and making and sell-
ing jewellery, Chuluuntsetseg has
earned Tg600,000, bought a house
and yard, and also paid for her
children's schooling. Previously
the family of five lived in a one
I room flat.
Chuluuntsetseg took the loan
over four years and is required to
pay back 20 per cent in the second
year, 30 per cent in the third year,
and the remaining 50 per cent in An exhibition and sale of small business goods was held at the
the fourth year. Elba Centre in Ulaanbaatar last week.
The success stories of the
Women's Development Fund were tre in Ulaanbaatar. Bayanzurkh district. Tsekh bor-
highlighted last week during the Included in the display were rowed TgSOO.OOO from the Fund
second annual Poverty Eradication children's clothes and shoes made in April 1996 and since then has
Week. of felt and leather, handmade car- sold goods valued at more than
To mark the occasion a media pets, traditional Mongolian boots, Tg9 million. About Tg2 million
breakfast was held at the Mongo- vegetables and sleeping bags - was spent on workers' salaries.
lian Press Institute. The ceremony made by 42 projects in seven dis- A charity concert to aid the
was attended by MP tricts. Blind Children's Kindergarten, was
Sharavjamtsiin Batbayar and Most of the other women who held on Saturday to commemorate
United Nations Resident Repre- took loans are generating a Poverty Eradication Week.
sentative, Douglas Gardner. monthly income of between An exhibition of paintings and
To honour the work of women's Tgl5,OOOandTg30,000. photographs will be displayed at
small business under the Among these, is the bed-sheet the Children's Palace (opposite
programme, a two day exhibition manufacturing Tsekh company, lo- the Bayangol Hotel) until Novem-
and sale was held at the Elba Cen- cated in the 7th region of the ber 1.

Micro-Credit Summit Breaks new Ground
A. GELEGBALSAN
Mongolia's first micro-
credit summit was held
June 2 5 / 2 6 at Nuht
tourist complex near
Ulaanbaatar.The summit
opening was attended by
Prime Minister
Enkhsaikhan, head of the
In Hural Economic
Standing Committee Da.
Ganbold, head of the
Social Policy standing
committee H. Hulan,
Health Minister L. Zorig,
Minister of Agriculture L.
Nyamsambuu and UNOP
Resident Representative
Douglas Gardner. Also in
attendance were Orlando
Sakei and Fazael Hussein,
who are international
micro credit advisors,
delegates from the World
Bank, Asian Development
Bank and the International
Monetary Fund. More
than 100 delegates from
Mongolia's 21 provinces
were invited to and arrived
at the summit. Minister
Zorig opened the summit,
followed by a speech from
the prime minister, who
informed delegates that
any micro credit system
had to be carefully
monitored.
"This micro credit
system has to be used as
a means of increasing
standards of living across
the country, not just a
method of loaning money
and having it returned
within a given time span.
A sophisticated system of
distribution needs to be
employed, with careful
monitoring by the
government of exactly
how the money is being
utilized". UNDP resident
representative Douglas
Gardner reiterated a
message sent to summit
participants by UNDP
headquarters administrator
James Speth, which
described the summit as
"one method of elevating
the poor from their low
standard-of living.Today,
poverty is one of the
reasons for conflict
between people and
nations and represents a
threat to global stability.
There are many nations
and peoples who can be
saved from poverty by the
introduction of
appropriate micro credit
loan projects. I would
hope that Mongolian
delegates participating in
this summit will sign an
ambitious declaration,
which was one of the
decisions taken at the
February '97 Washington
DC summit. I wish the
delegates luck and
success". Gardner also
spoke in his own
capacity, saying
Mongolia's natural
resources "have the
potential to develop the
national economy. But the
most important aspect is
development of human
resources. The aim of this
summit is to improve the
living standards of the
poorest members of the
Mongolian community. To
enable them to fulfill their
potential, not just to
issue credit, but assist
them in maintaining profit
and hence raising their
own living standards".
ca
o
on
S. Onon, head of the
Poverty Alleviation
Program Office (PAPO)
presented a profile of her
organization and the
potential of micro credits
to the delegates.
President Bagabandi
also sent a message of
support to the summit,
wishing the delegates
every success. The
summit was broadcast on
the Internet. Health
Minister Zorig and
Douglas Gardner signed a
microstart pilot micro
credit project on June
26th, which will target low
income Mongolians and
especially women. It will be
used to "strengthen the
capacity of a range of local
organizations, including
PAPO. UNDP has agreed bouglas Gardner & Health Minister Zorig signing th« micro'credH pilot project
to invest an initial $1 stablishment of loan operating on loans issued delegates attended stated its aim to develop
million in the pilot study. unds in rural areas and by micro credit projects". international micro credit micro credit systems
nother "encourages There's also an emphasis seminar in Washington amongst 100 million of
A national micro credit ooperation between on training .locals to DC in February. The the poorest people in the
declaration was also tate and private manage micro credit delegates signed a micro world before the year
signed by the summit rganizations which are schemes. Mongolian .credit declaration which 2005.
delegates. The main
emphasis is future micro
trends in Mongolia. Of the
eight objectives, one
addresses the O
K)
Human
Development

UB Post
Rendering the Land Barren
D. Enkhtaivan
Just over 8 percent of
Mongolia is forest. UNDP
has placed Mongolia on the
critical list as regards natural
wood reserves for the first
time this year.
Ten years ago an
embargo on exporting wood
was suggested, but over
ridden and the " w o o d
industry has subsequently
expanded. This year that the
ENVIRONMENT
Government included
limiting wood exports in
their annual program. The
decision has been passed,
but not implemented.
Sustainable change has yet
to be introduced. An
estimated 1 .4 million
hectares of forest have been
logged in the last seven
years. Ironically furniture
production has slumped and
wood factories have been
forced to close as the vast
09-07-97
country, which have
continued relentless logging
in forested areas. Soil has
been eroded and forests
destroyed in the name of
exportation. It is estimated
by environmentalists that
even if logging ceased
today, it would take 70-100
years for Mongolia's forests
to recover. Pine trees make
up a full quarter of
Mongolia's surviving
forests. There is a wood
export tax, although wood
is classified as a basic and
not luxury item. If wood
exports were subject to
luxury tax, irreversible j
damage could be avoided.
However this change of
taxation status has to be
swiftly introduced.
Once aware that duty
will be introduced on wood
exports, logging companies
will accumulate massive
stockpiles to be freighted
out of the country before
the tax change. Last year
there were approximately
386 fires across the steppe
- 173 were attributed to-
human carelessness and
altogether 2,163,600
hectares of for.est were
completely destroyed.
Damage was conservatively
estimated at Tg 1.4 billion.
Despite this destruction of
almost a quarter of
Mongolias' forests, people
are still being issued with
majority of wood is permission to log by the
immediately exported to Environment Ministry. 1
China. Consequently the square meter of wood is
price of wooden products worth around Tg 150,000
has increased - wood has in Mongolia. During this
become a national spring between 21-32 train
commodity. State sales of carriages of wood left for
logs to those living in ger China almost daily. The
horoolols and rural districts national export of wood has
has ceased - there isn't to be stemmed while
enough wood available. Mongolia still enjoys and
Instead, new wood benefits from its natural
exporting businesses have forest reserves.
been established across the

Stnl, mi and wnl« t in
inm« hat
national pride in Mongolia's
vast, unspoiled territory.
Even today, the country
boasts 35 Specially
Protected Areas, divided
into four separate
categories sites according
to their natural resources,
historical and scientific
interest and sheer natural
beauty.
These areas are legally
protected by the 1992
Mongolian constitution.
The country is also known
for its air quality and lack
of heavy industry. But
environmentalists are still
raising the alarm
ncemed at stemming the
"tio'w of pollution before
Mongolia has to combat
environmental problems
akin to those being faced
in the industrialized
western world.
Already, an estimated
sixty percent of Mongolia's
power stations deposit
their industrial waste as
raw sewage without burial
or processing. 64 percent
of these power stations
emit smoke which isn't
filtered and therefore
contains chemicals such as
carbon and nitrogen
dioxide.
Power station officials
such as D. Bayarbaatar
(director of Ulaanbaatar
power station NO.4) admit
they are forced to use
antiquated equipment
which can't filter pollution,
while they have no
designated, sealed
dumping sites.
Meanwhile,
Mongolians are renowned
for scattering their rubbish
across the steppe whilst
visiting rural areas.
Violating Hie M< mi n(\
Imtl
' ' "' ...... '
I .mm Is no monitoring
and few penalties for those
who are careless with their
packages and bottles and
although violators of the
Specially Protected Areas
are officially penalized, this
depends on the individual
park keeper and his
employees. Each soum
(local administrative
district) has its own
environmental protection
officer, but unarmed and
with few legal powers,
they can effectively do
little against wanton
damage, ranging from
open waste disposal to
illegal hunting of
endangered species. The
environment has long been
taken for granted and there
are gradually signs that
vigilance has to be called
on.
Mongolian school
children receive no
environmental training and
alternative sources of
power have been little
explored, although
Mongolian companies ABE
and the Renewable Energy
Institute (REt) manufacture
and sell solar panels. REI
prduces small 30 watt
solar panels which can be
used in gers to generate
electricity and portable
TV's or radios.
A legacy of taking the
pristine Mongolian
environment for granted
has led to carelessness and
damage to the countryside.
There has been little
foresight and foreign
experts have eventually
been drafted into the
country to repair damage
as Mongolians have on the
whole been
environmentally negligent
m , m I, lift [I ....In [fill *lr vr|o|.in. nl , , , . 1 ml, ,m ,1,,,,, '. I ,,|. lnl, r ,, „ |
IH
I >«m,i.uloi| (In* itu|ut I on tlir l.nul .m.l i|- ( |H <>p|r
d
"0
to limit • ilm% anil mi ihn
ateppe. Tho United Nation!
I
Development Program
Biodiversity Project, which
initially started in '93 is
hoping to receive funding
for its second phase in
September. If the Global
Environmental Facility
comes through with the
money, a new project
focusing on protected
areas in Sukhbaatar,
Dornod and eastern Hentii
will start in the autumn.
United Nations' Volunteers
will assist local
environmental inspectors
with protected area
management and public
awareness campaigns.
This public awareness may
be as simple as
discouraging people from
washing their cars in local
rivers, driving directly
across the steppe and
breaking the traditional
bottles of arkhi. which all
have a limited but
consistent impact.
Tov province's more sophisticated lifestyle western province mainly transportation costs are content. they are forced to transport
ant] advanced sanitation resettle in Erdenet, high and traders make a When Gobi-Altai was water for up to 40
Mother Rock is a classic
and employment Darkhan and Ulaanbaatar. considerable living from first established as a kilometers from outside
example This natural, Altai. There have been
opportunities. Local residents have cited charging over the odds to province in 1940 there was
sacred site has been those who have no choice no discussion of how to several confirmed reports
Mongolians are economics, education,
devastated by rubbish piled moving from their pristine health and employment as of where to purchase their supply the province with of .people draining their
up against the brick tea rural environments .to their incentives for flour and rice. water and this has never home radiators to extract
walls surrounding the rock urban settlements, which resettling and the media The lure of a in fact been resolved. The the water inside. Local
icon. A clean up operation are now struggling to cope have joined the voices potentially ' more provincial capital Altai doctors say the provincial
has stemmed the flow of with the steady human raised in protest at comfortable life tempts relies on supplies from water carries stomach and
deteriorating living people to pack up their Eson Bulag well, which liver health risks. Visitors
bottles, rotting food and
paper which gathered
influx. The State Statistical
Office claims 90 percent of standards in the provinces. nomadic lifestyles and doesn't have sufficient to the province often p
M
those moving to Those who choose to head to the uncertainty of water .reserves to supply complain of stomach
around the monument, but o
Ulaanbaatar are from remain in the provinces urban life. the population. Human upsets and diarrhea and
a stench still hangs in the
western provinces, where have to face increased Then there is the numbers have diminished the doctors say many
air over the rock as the as people have moved deaths have been
standards of living have prices for goods question of water. In
rubbish slowly rots into the IOP-J traditionally been transported from the four western provinces and eastwards, although the attributed to liver and
ground. lower than the rest of the major cities and collapsing especially in Gobi-Altai the local population is stilt stomach complaints and
Environmentalists say country. Approximately 80 local facilities. quality of water is higher than the original the blame has been laid on
one of the biggest factors percent are from Gobi- Food is often more appalling. Gobi Altai's 1940 numbers. the province's poor quality
in Mongolia's Altai province. The expensive in the limited local water supply As a result of the of water.
e n v i r o n m e n t a l residents of this one countryside than the cities- has a particularly high salt water quality, locals claim
deterioration is
urbanization, with the
consequent demands for a
Environment
22

Mongol Messenger 10-06-98

UNDP heaas Dornod

biodiversity project
By Montsame Correspondent
B. Purevsuren
The Dornod
Mongolian Steppe
Project, which fo-
cus' on sustainable
development and
protection of ani-
mals, will be
implemented by
the Mongolian
Government and
United Nations
Development
Programme
(UNDP). Project
contracts have
been signed by the
Minister of Envi-
ronment S.
Bayarsogt and UNDP Resident Represen- will provide the bulk of the financial aid
tative Douglas Gardner. for the seven-year project, contributing
The World Environment Foundation US$4.1 million; UNDP wilt assist with an
additional US$1 million.
Researchers involved with
the programme hope to cre-
ate a management plan for
the area by studying its
biodiversity. The project
also aims to improve the
lives of local people, by pro-
viding efficient ways to co-
exist with their environ-
ment.
The Eastern Mongolian
Protected Area contains
rare wildlife, minerals,
grasslands and rolling
plains. It is home to 25 spe-
cies of mammals, domi-
nated by herds of Mongo-
lian gazelle and birds in-
cluding the rare white-
naped crane.
 23
IB Post 16-02-99

Tragedy strikes
teppe gazelles
LAWLESS At the request of admin-
istrators at the Eastern Mongolia
•iecuoa has Protected Area - the vast
•tBeariyallthc national park that's home to
[ban last year many of the country's gazelles
i j casern steppe. — the Environment Ministry
> the tra- has banned both commercial
i a "mff-icnn danger and household gazelle hunting
^•» of the fleet-this season.
While that suggests the
I by a government is taking the prob-
land foreign lem seriously, it's not a uni-
• found versally popular move in the
• •a*d 90 per cent area. Gazelles are an integral
E born to 1998 part of the local economy in the
I • x rrsait of necro- eastern aimags. Their skins and
. a Bin of foot rot meat are used by local residents,
illy heavy and also exported to China.
i August The meat of the animals - A fee* totelteft ha* liliM *e*i**«l* *iptB«if«wMgng
r-wfckh causes considered plentiful and easy to Bf»»*MM»S, •
r iBtition that kill - is even used to feed
•i walking prisoners and border troops in
9 blamed for the area.
t Dumber of "People do poach, and that's
; through a problem," says Enkhbold.
"Government organizations
predict have a budget to buy livestock Mongol Messenger 24-02-99
mortality for food. But they save money
s over the by using gazelles.

Results of biological
"Atjd some big companies
•'»••& mniiver- that do commercial hunting are
•Bfal B 73 mil- not happy.
"The aimag, soums and the

diversity project to
ps S. Enkhbotd, a
B«KB*st with the Protected Area all have inspec-
ffc Biodiversity tors. But, especially in the
CiBiirrl Sations- scums, the rangers lack petrol
•hidi is moni- or money to get around."
popuUtion
JBJ arteroative
easkn-steppe
In the meantime, biologists
are pinning hope on a number
of upcoming gazelle-friendly
be discussedin May
•or there was initiatives, including an inter- The first year result of the ern part, including east and south
national research project and a "Eastern Mongolian Biological Hentii Aimag province and two
rtbe exact study of gazelle hunting by Diversity" project, being imple- other aimags, Dornod and
: result is that Germany's GTZ organization mented by the Mongolian Minis- Sukhbaatar.
taac;.otBg-age class
that's aimed at establishing try for Nature and Environment The project is being imple-
r *•» other popu- sustainable hunting levels. jointly by the United Nations De- mented with an aim to improve
, lower than They say further monitoring velopment Programme (UNDP) management of Mongolia's strictly
t »e expected." will be needed before they can and the Worldwide Nature and protected areas, simultaneously
rfMvs exactly how say whether hunting can be Environment Foundation will be giving support to people, residing
*s-ME Mongolia's resumed next autumn. And they discussed in May, this year. the environs, to solve their social
. A H96 study using stress that protecting the gazelle The project, costing 6.1 mil- problems, as well, to protect bio-
I there will require an international lion US dollar, will be imple- logical diversities in the territory
effort
"What we're trying to do
mented for seven years, involving and develop the matter on proper
says the 1998 vast territory in the country's east- use of natural resources.
Mongolia's now is find out what's hap-
fcr years to pening across the border in
China and Russia, "says Sanna-
i be worried Kaisa Juvonen, a wildlife bio-
tt it's a big logist with the Biodiversity
L Two age Project
The "We're going to have a
I would have meeting in April of all three
rin three countries to talk about con-
. S* • afewyears servation issues-and what we
r a tog effect on the can do to protect the gazelles in
the border region."
24

Mongol Messenger 21-10-98

®1$A$TBR Relief
By D. Narantuya fence Office often fails to report
pertinent information. "They keep creasing world-wide, a phenom-
At the beginning of this de- it a secret,"from
said Ts. Shagdarsuren, ena which has been influenced
cade, the United Nations an- a reporter Mongolian Radio.
A Civil Defence Office repre-
significantly by human impact.
nounced to the world that the sentative Despite its remote location and
1990's would be the 'International sive. "Wethen went on the defen- sparsely populated land, even
Decade for Natural Disaster Re- tion when there istoagive
refuse informa-
cause for na-
Mongolia has been severely af-
duction.' Each year would carry tional security. For example, the fected by hum°n influenced natu-
its own theme and slogan. 1998 Fall marmot plague could not be ral disasters.
was branded 'Natural Disaster publicised Mongolian disasters include
Prevention and the Media.' until we had detailed drought - the worst recorded
and valid information," he said. years being 1945,1955 and 1968.
With the slogan "Prevention Observers note that specialised More than a million livestock
begins with information," the journalism is developing in Mon- were lost during these three years.
idea is that journalists can play golia, including environmental
an active roll in saving lives by journalism. Yet many are critical In 1993, a drought coupled with
educating people through their that the field is young in Mongo- heavy snow killed 840,000 head
medium. of livestock, a Tgl.4 billion loss.
lia and poorly developed. For this
This message was discussed reason, Fire has also been a hazard in
on October 14 - the international a handbook it has been confirmed that Mongolia, 1065 blazes have been
dedicated to the sub-
day for natural disaster reduction. ject will be released. triggered over the past 15 years,
Representatives from Mongolia's destroying 20 percent of forest
United Nations office hosted a latedEnvironmentalists
that natural
have calcu-
disasters are in-
lands. The Spring fires of 1996
caused Tg32.6 billion in losses.
round table discussion with me-
dia to mark the occasion.
Former Minister of Environ-
ment and current advisor to the
same ministry Ts. Adiyasuren in-
dicated that Mongolia must stop
waiting for disasters to happen
and then cleaning up. Rather, it
should plan ahead and create di-
saster prevention programmes.
He added that the media can
greatly assist with this campaign.
"The media has a tendency to
inform the public of an event af-
ter it happens," said one represen-
tative. Journalists at the meeting
admitted that there is intense
competition to report on sensa-
tional events, but little motivation
to inform the public on preven-
tion measures.
The discussion had its share
of confrontations. One journalist
complained that the Civil De-
Mongolia's earthquake plans: are they shaky at best? 3
-0
O
By Jill LAWLESS The Civil Defense Board is ards were introduced in 1960, but defense plan. Bui when prcswd
Earthquakes in Mongolia, 1964-1995 the guardian of Mongolia's enforcement fell apart in the early for details, he says ihe plan i ,

T
he January 10 earthquake National Emergency Plan. Of- 1990s. So many new buildings secret. Getting details requires
in northern China, which ficials there are reluctant to give are structurally shaky, and un- permission from the Ulaanbaatur
killed 10 people and left details about the nation's regulated apartment renovation . mayor's olTice.
as many as 50,000 homeless, set disaster-relief scheme. could be harming older resi- Mongolia also needs new
off aftershocks in Mongolia. "We have a plan of measures dential buildings. earthquake-monitoring equip-
The tremor, whose epicentre which will be taken in the event "We need special con- ment. The Astronomy and
was located 180 kilometres of an earthquake," says Bold- struction for buildings in Ulaan- Geophysical Centre has 16 moni-
northeast of the Inner Mongolian baatar, a senior trainer at the baatar," notes Ulziibat. He says toring stations around the
capital of Hohhot, triggered a CDB. "This plan covers the enforcement at the moment is, country - but only four of them,
series of small quakes, measuring country as a whole, as well as "not so good. If we have a major installed since 1994 with French
two to three on the Richter Scale, each aimag." earthquake. I think there will be aid, give data in real-time. The
that were picked up by seis- ——country But the plan dates from the many damaged and destroyed others take a week to get in-
mological stations in this *. station days of- central planning and buildings. formation back to Ulaanbaatar.
country. - M<=3.0 centralized authority. "It needs to "Just now we are beginning "The Americans are be-
Alongside the physical rip- « M-3.5 be changed," admits Boldbaatar. new work to make an assessment ginning to be able to predict
ples, it raise's troubling questions O M=4.0 The United Nations De- of buildings - are they OK or not earthquakes using GPS tech-
for Mongolia, an earthquake- O M=5.0 velopment Programme's Disast- OK? The Building Construction nology to study the movement of
prone country with a shaky O M=6.0 er Management Project is work- Institute has equipment to check faults,'.' notes Ulziibat. "We need
physical and a d m i n i s t r a t i v e O ing with the Civil Defense Board whether buildings are OK or not research in this area, so we know,
infrastructure. on a disaster-management for earthquakes. So we'll see in if there is an earthquake of 6.5
Mongolia has a busy and The map shows the frequency and Intensity of quakes fn Mongolia. database that will help set the three or four years." or 7, how will we protect Ulaan-
active earthquake history. In this framework for a new disaster- "We have a detailed account baatar?
century, the country has ex- ronomy and Geophysical Centre not so many people," says Ulzii- there are some dangerous regions preparedness plan. But the pro- of the damages that will be Still, he confesses excitement
perienced five quakes measuring of the Mongolian Academy of bal. "In the 1957 earthquake, near Ulaanbaatar. In 1967, there ject has yet to produce concrete incurred and how people will be at the prospect of a major quake.
seven or higher on the Richter Sciences, with something like only 10 people died." was a large earthquake mea- results. affected by earthquakes for every "It's my job. I like big earth-
Scale. Those rank as large earth- pride. But if a large quake hit suring 7.2 on the Richter Scale And what if a major quake district of Ulaanbaatar," says quakes."
quakes - this month's quake in The most recent big quake Ulaan-haatar, it would be a 300 kilometres from Ulaan- does hit Ulaanbaatar? Ulziibat Boldbaatar of the capital's civil
China, by comparison, rated 6.5. was in 1991, when a tremor different story. Mongolia's capi- baatar." says buildings constructed before
Two of the quakes measured measuring 6.5 hit Khovsgol tal does not lie in the country's Two major fault lines slice 1960 were not built with
higher than eight - the very top aimag. ' most earthquake-active zone, but through Mongolia - one in the earthquake-proofing in mind.
end of the earthquake scale. A Mongolia's sparse and scat- it does sit on several faults. Gov-Altai mountains in the That means many of the city's
quake in the Gov-Altai moun- tered population prevented these "Normally in Ulaanbaatarwe southwest, the other in the Bulnai best-known landmarks —
tains in 1957 reached 8.2. major earthquakes from amas- don't have large earthquakes, but mountains in the northwest. including Government House,
"That's very large —r the sing huge death lolls. we have some small ones," says These are sparsely populated the Opera and Ballet Theatre and
whole world knows about this "There was not much death Ulziibat. areas - but they're also remote, the Drama Theatre - could be
earthquake," says M. Ulziibat, a or many destroyed buildings, "Although Ulaanbaatar has whtch makes disaster relief a levelled by a severe quake.
research worker with the Ast- because in Mongolia there are not had any big earthquakes. potential nightmare. Earthquake-proofing stand-

00

Environment
26
UB Post
Quake rattles a
sleeping UB
U laanbaatar residents
were shaken from
their sleep at 4 am on
September 25 when a mod-
erate earthquake struck cen-
tral Mongolia.
The tremor, centred on
the border of Deren and Del-
gertsogt soums in Dundgov
aimag, approximately 250
kilometres south of the
capital, measured 5 on the
Richter scale.
It was felt in the aimag
capital of Mandalgov and
across Ulaanbaatar. Minor
damage to buildings was
reported in Deren and
Detgeiitogt soufhceritres anrf
in Mandalgov, where the
aimag administration offices,
library and a school suffered
cracks.
Ulaanbaatar emergency
services reported only three
calls to ambulances during
the quake. In the most serious
incident, an already ill old
man died during the quake.
Another tremor, also
measuring 5 on the Richter
scale, struck between Dar-
khan and Erdenet at 11 am on
September 25.
Seismologists say it is
unlikely the tremors are pre-
cursors to a bigger quake.
Mongolia plays host to fre-
quent, albeit frequently small,
earthquakes.
But the tremor has start-
led many Ulaanbaatar resi-
dents into thinking about the
impact of a major quake on
Mongolia's capital city.
. "It shook our building,"
said one Sansar resident. "It
was scary, I tell you."
"Car horns were going
off, dogs were barking," said.
another apartment-dweller. "I
06-10-98
thought I was going to wake
up in a pile of bricks."
Engineers warn that many
Ulaanbaatar buildings cannot
withstand a severe quake.
Buildings constructed before
1960 were not earthquake-
proofed, and those built or
renovated after 1990 are often
not up to standard.
Although Ulaanbaatar
does not He in the most earth-
quake-prone region of Mon-
golia, it does sit on several
faults. And the country as a
whole lies in an active earth-
quake zone.
In this century, Mongolia
h'B*experTerice3Tfve major
quakes measuring seven or
higher on the Richter scale.
Two of them measured more
than eight - the very top end
of the earthquake scale.
The closest of the big
quakes to the capital was
centred 300 kilometres from
Ulaanbaatar.
Earlier this year, an of-
ficial with the Civil Defense
Board admitted to the UB
Post that Mongolia's outdated
National Emergency Plan,
which dates from the days of
central planning, "needs to be
changed."
But change is slow in
coming. A plan by the Build-
ing Construction Institute to
check the earthquake-
proofing standards of UB's
buildings will take several
ears to complete.
The United Nations De-
velopment Programme's
Disaster Management Project
aims to work with the CDB
on a disaster-management
.database and a new disaster-
preparedness plan. But it is
still in the preliminary stages.

Mongol Messenger
MAP-21 programs:
setting the standard
By Laura Ryser
Since its creation in May
1996, the Mongolian Action
Programme tor the 21st
Century (MAP-21) has
promoted sustainable
development in Mongolia.
The Capacity 21/United
ons Development
Project (UNDP) project is
creating a national strategy
tad has implemented three
pilot projects and twenty-
one small projects
throughout the country.
Sustainable devel-
opment can be promoted
•rough equal access to jobs,
education, and social
services. It is also enhanced
through a sustainable use of
natural resources, while
protecting the integrity and
sability of the environment.
A draft of the MAP-21
report was issued last August
and is expected to be
completed by May of this
- The document is
Mongolia's response to the
1992 Rio Declaration
; :ed by the United
N a t i o n s Commission on
Environment and Devel-
opment.
The report is expected to
help leaders and citizens
focus on steps that will
determine the future of
Mongolia.
Under the project, each
aiaug will develop their.
r*Ti Aimag Action Plan.'
The agenda 21 process
will also help Mongolia
coring its economic
i i t i o n to a market
economy. The document
will be a reflection of the
background of our nomadic
people who are settling into
a dmerent style of life.
"We need to know how
ID Make Mongolia a more
.rsdustrialized country, to
complement our traditonal
[•i>n ijrtir society," said
MAP-21 National Coord-
:=ator, Mr Khuldorj.
The document considers
27
14-01-98
A stich in time: Residents of Mandalgobi, Dundgobi Aiamg,
learn to sew through a MAP-21 small project.
Mongolia's strengths in and a greenhouse, is an for sustainable development
m i n i n g and agriculture, attempt to improve the water in Mongol ia. The forum will
although recognising that supply which has been also be open to the general
productivity needs to be polluted by agricultural, public,
increased. There are also waste. Local people are The backbone to MAP-
many weaknesses that the being trained in straw-bale 21 projects is rural
document will attempt to construction, composting, development.
address. and sustainable agriculture When rural aimags
A costly energy sector practices. become more self sufficient,
can be improved by A MAP-21 small project pressure will be taken off the
developing clean burning in Dundgobi focuses on capital, which has suffered
stoves for gers, ana training youth in various from an influx of rural
encouraging the construc- skills including sewing, shoe people in search of better
tion of straw-bale energy making, carpentry, and hair life. This issue has created
efficient buildings. dressing. Products are sold intense competition for
Consultants and locally to help pay for the housing, jobs and social
researchers have suggested costs of teacher salaries and services.
developing a petrochemical raw materials for training. The Mongolian Action
industry to develop oil and MAP-21 has also Program for the 21st
gas reserves to be used as developed the Aimag Action Century is funded by UNDP
substitutes for expensive Development Fund, with and the Capacity 21
foreign energy imports. loans of up to US$5,000 to initiative.
pne of MAP-21's pilot be given for selected
projects is the Urban projects. Training in
Sustainable Agricultural managing and repaying the Laura Ryser gradu-
Settlement Project which loans will be provided for ated from the University
enhances waste manage- the chosen participants. of Northern British Co-
ment while providing One of MAP-21's goals lumbia in Canada and is
fertilizer. is to improve public in Mongolia on an in-
The fertilizer and awareness and participation
greenhouse demonstration in sustainable development ternship from the Sus-
project is located in activities. tainable Development
Gaachurt - 20 kilometers In the February 5-7 Research Institute. She is
outside of Ulaanbaatar. youth eco-forum, young working with the UNDP
The project, which people will be asked to environmental team on
includes two straw-houses contribute their own ideas the MAP-21 project.
28

UB Post 26-05-98

Forest fires: a
community response
By A. DELGERMAA cent for China. Yet Mongolia
exports wood to all these coun-

M
ongolia's forest cover tries.
is shrinking every In addition to working out a
day. The devastation disaster-management scheme to
has crept up on the country. reduce the damage caused by
Forest fires are an annual event, natural disasters - in part by
and logging is a longstanding setting up an information net-
tradition. work at the Civil Defence De-
But the devastating fires of partment to provide quick access
1996, which scorched 10.5 to information — the UNDP
million hectares of forest and project targets community-based
pasture in 16 aimags, woke the reforestation.
country up to the urgent need for Community forestry is new
a disaster-management plan, and to Mongolia, but has proved
for some way to fix the damage. highly effective in Southeast
In the wake of the 1996 fires, Asia. It's aimed at increasing
the United Nations Development public participation in pre-
Programme and the Ministry of venting fires and protecting the
Nature and the Environment forest.
established a U.S. $329,000 In 1997, the pilot com-
project to address the economic munity reforestation project
and ecological cost of the fires. covered 147 hectares of forest in
While the years since 1996 Arkhangai aimag and 124 hec-
have not been quite so deva- tares in Selenge aimag - a start,
stating, fires in 1997 and 1998 but still a drop in the bucket.
have damaged 5 million hectares Four groups consisting of up
of forest and pasture land.
to 22 families in Arkhangai and
And unrestrained and often
Selenge aimags have been au-
illegal logging continues to
thorised to run forest-related
shrink Mongolia's forest cover.
business, such as picking
Forests officially cover 7.5 per
berries, tax-free in return for
cent of Mongolia's territory,
carrying out environmental
though the unofficial figure is
around 12 per cent. That com- protection and fire-prevention
pares to 66.2 per cent for Japan, measures and reforestation.
65.1 per cent for South Korea, The problem is that land is
44.9 per cent for Russia, 30 per not privately owned in Mongolia
cent for Germany and 13.6 per - so most people fee! they have
a right to use the foresi as they
like.
"In other countries, land is
owned by people," notes project
consultant Arnold Ahlback. "In
Mongolia they are allowed to
use the land. But that is nearly
an ownership."
He is enthusiastic about the
future of community forestry,
but underlines the importance of
proper guidance and financing
to lay the foundation
The project's term finishes
at the end of this year "But the
draft programme of national
disaster reduction would guide
future activity in the field."
emphasises J. Batbayar, the
project's national co-ordinator.