June 2, 2011
THERE IS NO CHINA:
Jasmine revolution now plays out in China's Inner Mongolia (B Raman, June 02, 2011, Rediff)
China's Inner Mongolia, where Mongolians are in a minority of only 20 per cent out of the total population of 23 million, has been going through a Jasmine-type revolution since May 10. There have been widespread protests in different towns following the death of a herdsman by the name Mergen who was allegedly killed by a Han Chinese truck driver during a protest against mining operations in their area. Mergen was among a group of Mongolians who attempted to block a caravan of coal-hauling trucks in Xilingol.The protests, which started spontaneously in a fit of rage over Mergen's death, have not so far seen demands for political reforms or independence. The protests till now have been against the modern way of life imposed on the Mongolians -- a nomadic group that loves their grasslands -- by China's craze for development.
The Mongolian youth, who came out of their universities and schools to protest against the death of Mergen, are now protesting against the widespread damage to their environment, grasslands and nomadic way of life due to the large-scale exploitation of coal in the area through open-cast mining to feed the power stations in the rest of China.
There has been large-scale destruction of their grasslands due to mining and infrastructure development. Their nomadic way of life is being destroyed by the modern way of life brought in by the Han Chinese who have come from outside the province and settled down there.
Posted by oj at June 2, 2011 5:57 AM
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