Category Archives: Security Apparatus

Turkish Attempt to Abduct Educator in Ulaanbaatar

By Julian Dierkes and Mendee Jargalsaikhan More than just a curious spy story, this might turn into a full diplomatic crisis between Mongolia and Turkey, a relationship that has been active and vibrant for some years. Note that it is … Continue reading

Posted in Foreign Policy, Security Apparatus, Turkey | Tagged | 1 Comment

Joint Calls for Special Sessions to Removal of IAAC Leadership

by Mendee Jargalsaikhan & Julian Dierkes In May, we wrote a primer on the Independent Authority against Corruption. The АТГ has been back in the news recently, partly because of on-going investigations against former politicians, but also because of battles between … Continue reading

Posted in Corruption, Governance, Ikh Khural 2016, Judiciary, Politics, Public Service, Security Apparatus | Tagged | Leave a comment

Virtual Nomination of Anti-Corruption Leaders: Political Innovations?

By Mendee Jargalsaikhan and Julian Dierkes The role of social media continues to be something that we are watching closely. The most notable example of social-mediated democracy was Ch Saikhanbileg’s 2015 SMS poll. But, despite Mongolian politicians’ early embrace of … Continue reading

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A Primer on АТГ – the Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC) of Mongolia

by Mendee Jargalsaikhan & Julian Dierkes “Авилгатай Тэмцэх Газар” (АТГ) or Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC) of Mongolia has been all over the media – some describe it as ‘useless’, ‘politicized’, some compare with the ‘До Яам’ (Mongolian equivalent to … Continue reading

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Parliament Challenged

By Julian Dierkes This fall has brought a series of political tussles over ambassadorships that have hinted at one of the great rising challenges in Mongolia’s governance, corruption seemingly becoming a systemic block rather than simply a surtax upon transactions … Continue reading

Posted in Corruption, Democracy, Party Politics, Politics, Security Apparatus | Tagged | Leave a comment

Risking Foreign Relations out of (Partisan) Pettiness

By Julian Dierkes November is shaping up to be a very busy month of diplomacy across Asia, at least from a North American perspective. It is an odd time for the Mongolian president to seemingly hold some of Mongolia’s most … Continue reading

Posted in Canada, Foreign Policy, Germany, Japan, Mongolia and ..., Security Apparatus, South Korea, United States | Tagged | Leave a comment

Presidential Debate or FAQ?

By Mendee The presidential campaign closed with a two-hour debate on June 24.  Under the agreement between the DP, MPP, and MPRP for the debate, candidates were basically provided opportunities to express their views on frequently rumoured allegations during the … Continue reading

Posted in Corruption, Foreign Policy, Military, Presidential 2017 | Tagged | Leave a comment

Election Day

By Julian Dierkes The spectre of the July 1 2008 riots still loom over Mongolian elections. While full explanations never really emerged, it seems that those riots were a combination of some orchestration of protests, the latent potential for protests in … Continue reading

Posted in Elections, Ikh Khural 2016, JD Democratization, Protest, Security Apparatus | Tagged | Leave a comment

Democracy in Decline?

By Julian Dierkes Dear Democracy, May you rest in peace. Sincerely, Mongolia. — Lkhagva Erdene (@Lkhagva) May 28, 2016 Is it time to worry seriously about the state of democracy in Mongolia? Mongolian Democracy in International Context Globally, democracy appears … Continue reading

Posted in Democracy, Elections, Governance, Ikh Khural 2016, JD Democratization, Media and Press, Party Politics, Politics, Security Apparatus | Tagged | 3 Comments

National Survey of Mongolian Public Opinion

By Bulgan B and Julian Dierkes Just three weeks after Santmaral’s PolitBarometer came out, we have another indicator of Mongolian public opinion, courtesy of IRI with funding from the Canadian government, the “National Survey of Mongolian Public Opinion”. (Full Results … Continue reading

Posted in Aimags, Countryside, Democracy, Democratic Party, Ikh Khural 2016, Media and Press, Mining Governance, Party Politics, Public Opinion, Research on Mongolia, Security Apparatus, Social Issues | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Permanent Neutrality

At the UN General Assembly, on Sept 29 2015, Pres. Ts Elbegdorj included a very brief statement in his address that, Mongolia has pursued an peaceful, open, multi-pillar foreign policy. This stance enabled us to declare Mongolia in a state … Continue reading

Posted in China, Foreign Policy, Military, Mongolia and ..., Russia, UN | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Feeling (Politically) Pessimistic for Coming Year

By Julian Dierkes It is Tsagaan Sar, so happy new year to all of Mongolia and to Mongolians! Сар шинэдээ сайхан шинэлээрэй What will the year of the sheep bring? The sheep Gestalt (зурхай) seems to expect a windy Spring and … Continue reading

Posted in Constitution, Democracy, Democratic Party, Economics, Elections, Foreign Investment, Governance, Ikh Khural 2016, Inflation, JD Democratization, JD Mining Governance, Mongolian People's Party, Oyu Tolgoi, Party Politics, Policy, Politics, Populism, Security Apparatus | Tagged | 2 Comments

Parliament(s), Rifles and Me

By Julian Dierkes With all the turmoil in the Mongolian government at the moment it seems very challenging to write a blog post that will add any clarity as it will become obsolete virtually the moment I might press <publish> … Continue reading

Posted in Curios, Security Apparatus, Ulaanbaatar | Tagged | Leave a comment

Khaan Quest 2014: a small exercise with big implications

Just recovering from the heavy study term and now trying to join you all.  Here is a link to my recent op-ed on Khaan Quest, a brainchild of the US-Mongolian militaries over two decades of partnership.  The exercise is the only … Continue reading

Posted in Foreign Policy, Military, United States | Tagged | Leave a comment

Export peacekeeping training to Central and East Asia

This op-ed is first appeared in The Embassy, Canada’s foreign policy newsweekly (12/19/2013) Canada, a co-creator of United Nations peacekeeping, has a substantial comparative advantage in transferring peacekeeping knowledge to Central and East Asian countries, including former communist states, as it … Continue reading

Posted in Canada, Central Asia, Military, Mongolia and ..., UN | Tagged | Leave a comment