Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ULAANBAATAR578
2006-07-29 06:48:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Cable title:
Mining Conflict Leads to One Death and Forcible Removal of
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHUM #0578 2100648 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 290648Z JUL 06 FM AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0176 INFO RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2376 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5147 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2178
UNCLAS ULAANBAATAR 000578
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV EMIN SOCI MG
SUBJECT: Mining Conflict Leads to One Death and Forcible Removal of
8000 Miners
Sensitive But Unclassified -- Not for Internet Distribution
UNCLAS ULAANBAATAR 000578
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV EMIN SOCI MG
SUBJECT: Mining Conflict Leads to One Death and Forcible Removal of
8000 Miners
Sensitive But Unclassified -- Not for Internet Distribution
1. (SBU) Summary: On July 27, police forcibly removed
approximately 8000 artisal, or "ninja," miners from a gold mining
area 100 miles northwest of Ulaanbaatar. The removal followed two
weeks of sporadic clashes with looting ninjas, including one on July
12 in which one person attacking the compound of a private Mongolian
mining company was shot to death. While there have been clashes in
the past among companies and ninja miners seeking to work tailings,
the size and organization of the clashes surprised and worried
observers. End summary.
2. (U) The violent clashes occurred in the Zaamar region of Tov
aimag, about 100 miles northwest of Ulaanbaatar. Both formal and
informal mining activities have intensified in the region over the
last decade. Informal "ninja" miners in Zaamar are now estimated to
peak at 8000 persons, and hail from a wide range of Mongolian areas.
The ninjas mine for gold both in their own primitive, basic
excavations and in the tailings left by the formal placer mining
companies active throughout the region. In the past, disputes over
the tailings have led to minor conflicts.
3. (U) According to newspaper reports, the violence began on July
11, when four ninja miners were arrested for forcefully entering the
facilities of Monpolimet. Monpolimet was established in 1996 and
has become one of Mongolia's top gold producers over the past 10
years. It has control of a significant amount of land in Zaamar. On
July 12, the number of attacking ninjas at the Monpolimet mine grew
to approximately 500. The mob stole and destroyed a substantial
amount of machinery and equipment, with estimates of the warehouse
loss alone exceeding $50,000. The head of Monpolimet's security
service unit shot and killed one of the attacking ninjas, a 24-year
old male from Khuvsgul aimag. The security head was arrested by
police. On July 13, the raids continued, with roughly 1000 ninjas
reportedly involved. While the police arrested some of the
attackers, they were unable to arrest the 20 alleged ringleaders,
who escaped in vehicles lacking license plate numbers. Police said
they were identified as being from Khuvsgul aimag. On the night of
July 21, over 1000 ninjas reportedly attacked the field of another
gold company in Zaamar. However, security and police responded
quickly and no damage was reported.
4. (SBU) On July 19, MP Damiran told emboffs that groups of ninja
miners recently had become very well organized and, he asserted,
were mostly led by former convicts. Damiran said that there exists a
well organized but technically illegal network for ninjas to sell
gold and distribute the profits. In the Monpolimet case, Damiran
continued, the gangs raided the mine site for the tailings, but also
stole anything that was not tied down -- food stores, brooms,
shovels, worker housing, wire, etc. The MP commented that this had
been happening in other mines, but in this case Monpolimet fought
back and someone got killed. Damiran noted that he was a member of
a parliamentary working group to better regulate artisanal miners,
and said that he hoped that the fall session of the State Great
Hural would pass the bill.
5. (U) On July 27, a 400-strong contingent of police began to
forcibly remove ninja miners from the Zaamar area. The action
followed a July 26 press conference in Ulaanbaatar during which the
head of the local legislative body blamed the ninja miners for the
high local crime rate and environmental damages. She stated that
that the 6,000 normal residents of Zaamar were overwhelmed by the
larger numbers of ninjas. As a result, she said, the government
would take strict action to expel the ninja miners from the area.
At the press conference, a government inspector also blamed the
ninjas for serious damage to the local environment. A Monpolimet
representative at the press conference described the serious damage
done in the attacks, while another gold mining company which has had
recurrent conflicts with ninjas stated that artisanal miners has
stripped 200 kilograms of gold from his company's property in the
last three months.
Slutz
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV EMIN SOCI MG
SUBJECT: Mining Conflict Leads to One Death and Forcible Removal of
8000 Miners
Sensitive But Unclassified -- Not for Internet Distribution
1. (SBU) Summary: On July 27, police forcibly removed
approximately 8000 artisal, or "ninja," miners from a gold mining
area 100 miles northwest of Ulaanbaatar. The removal followed two
weeks of sporadic clashes with looting ninjas, including one on July
12 in which one person attacking the compound of a private Mongolian
mining company was shot to death. While there have been clashes in
the past among companies and ninja miners seeking to work tailings,
the size and organization of the clashes surprised and worried
observers. End summary.
2. (U) The violent clashes occurred in the Zaamar region of Tov
aimag, about 100 miles northwest of Ulaanbaatar. Both formal and
informal mining activities have intensified in the region over the
last decade. Informal "ninja" miners in Zaamar are now estimated to
peak at 8000 persons, and hail from a wide range of Mongolian areas.
The ninjas mine for gold both in their own primitive, basic
excavations and in the tailings left by the formal placer mining
companies active throughout the region. In the past, disputes over
the tailings have led to minor conflicts.
3. (U) According to newspaper reports, the violence began on July
11, when four ninja miners were arrested for forcefully entering the
facilities of Monpolimet. Monpolimet was established in 1996 and
has become one of Mongolia's top gold producers over the past 10
years. It has control of a significant amount of land in Zaamar. On
July 12, the number of attacking ninjas at the Monpolimet mine grew
to approximately 500. The mob stole and destroyed a substantial
amount of machinery and equipment, with estimates of the warehouse
loss alone exceeding $50,000. The head of Monpolimet's security
service unit shot and killed one of the attacking ninjas, a 24-year
old male from Khuvsgul aimag. The security head was arrested by
police. On July 13, the raids continued, with roughly 1000 ninjas
reportedly involved. While the police arrested some of the
attackers, they were unable to arrest the 20 alleged ringleaders,
who escaped in vehicles lacking license plate numbers. Police said
they were identified as being from Khuvsgul aimag. On the night of
July 21, over 1000 ninjas reportedly attacked the field of another
gold company in Zaamar. However, security and police responded
quickly and no damage was reported.
4. (SBU) On July 19, MP Damiran told emboffs that groups of ninja
miners recently had become very well organized and, he asserted,
were mostly led by former convicts. Damiran said that there exists a
well organized but technically illegal network for ninjas to sell
gold and distribute the profits. In the Monpolimet case, Damiran
continued, the gangs raided the mine site for the tailings, but also
stole anything that was not tied down -- food stores, brooms,
shovels, worker housing, wire, etc. The MP commented that this had
been happening in other mines, but in this case Monpolimet fought
back and someone got killed. Damiran noted that he was a member of
a parliamentary working group to better regulate artisanal miners,
and said that he hoped that the fall session of the State Great
Hural would pass the bill.
5. (U) On July 27, a 400-strong contingent of police began to
forcibly remove ninja miners from the Zaamar area. The action
followed a July 26 press conference in Ulaanbaatar during which the
head of the local legislative body blamed the ninja miners for the
high local crime rate and environmental damages. She stated that
that the 6,000 normal residents of Zaamar were overwhelmed by the
larger numbers of ninjas. As a result, she said, the government
would take strict action to expel the ninja miners from the area.
At the press conference, a government inspector also blamed the
ninjas for serious damage to the local environment. A Monpolimet
representative at the press conference described the serious damage
done in the attacks, while another gold mining company which has had
recurrent conflicts with ninjas stated that artisanal miners has
stripped 200 kilograms of gold from his company's property in the
last three months.
Slutz