Minister for Internal Affairs Ts.Nyamdorj answers questions on the tragic incidents of July 1, 2008, as their second anniversary approaches.

Why is it widely perceived that the case of the police firing will be covered up?

The State Prosecutor General has directed that the issue of fatal police firing, so far investigated by the police, be transferred to the investigation department of the General Prosecuting Authority. You should ask him if this is an effort at cover-up.

Did the National Human Rights Commission work in a proper manner when it declared that human rights had not been violated?

I’d say those who stress human rights seem actually keen to protect the rights of those who committed acts of violence. You cannot judge some incidents in
isolation from all that happened that night. You must have seen the photograph of protesters attacking policemen with pointed iron rods taken from fences. Why does nobody talk about that? Was everybody who joined the protest peaceful or were only some stones thrown? Criminals certainly have their rights but how can we forget that law keepers were also badly injured?

What has the government learnt from the incident?

Everyone, even the organizers of the protest, learnt something. The police organization realized the need to be prepared for such a situation and organized trainings and has plans to improve their technology. The whole incident shows what can happen from a single wrong move by politicians. If an illegal protest had not been held on June 29 in Songinokhairkhan district and then again on July 1 in Sukhbaatar Square, no such tragedy would have happened. The organizers must bear the responsibility for violating the law on organizing protests in force since 1994. This calls on organizers to keep the police informed of their plans and to take all measures to keep the protest peaceful. The organizers bear the primary responsibility for letting things go out of control, no matter how much they now shift the blame. See what happened in Kyrgyzstan, how small things can take on an uncontrollable momentum. We talk about July 1, but forget the events of 2004.

What happened then?

The doors of the National Broadcasting Radio and Television building were broken after the election of 2004. The director of the TV station had his shirt torn and was
injured. People attacked the building of the General Election Committee. Those who planned such things in 2004 and again in 2008 must reconsider their strategy and policy. You cannot light a fuse and then run away, putting the blame on others. Mongolian politicians should not be so pathetically irresponsible.

Did all victims receive compensation?

We classified the victims into four categories. MNT50 million was given to the families of those who lost their life; then came the injured policemen and emergency workers; third were the 10 citizens injured. All of them have
received compensation. Organizations whose property was damaged have received 60 percent of the compensation decided upon and the rest will be given before the year ends, or early next year.

Can the police tackle such violence if it occurs again?

The police have bought two vehicles with water cannon, as also bulletproof vehicles, shields and smoke screens. They have also received training in crowd control and related issues.