Members of three civil movements -United for Rivers and Lakes, Khuder River, and Gal Undesten – converged on Sukhbaatar Square yesterday morning with 100 horsemen and horse carts and put up eight gers there. An earlier plan to demonstrate had been foiled by Bayanzurkh police who seized their gers on April 4.

Members of the movements want a national discussion on the present situation, resignation of the Government, and dissolution of Parliament. Most of them are herders from Arkhangai, Uvurkhangai, Tuv, Khentii and Dundgobi aimags who want to protect these areas from mining.

The head of the Ongi River movement, Ts.Munkhbayar, said those who held power were working against the interests of the people who elected them. “We want them to resign and to have a special election,” he said.

Both the assembly and the putting up of gers in Sukhbaatar Square are in violation of orders, but the gers were still there on Wednesday afternoon. Another 300 horsemen are on their way to Ulaanbaatar from the western aimags to join those already here.