GhanaStar
  • News
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Music
No Result
View All Result
GhanaStar
  • News
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Music
No Result
View All Result
GhanaStar
No Result
View All Result
Home Headlines

In Mongolia, Democracy Unfolds In A Yurt

June 26, 2017
in Headlines
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

At 6:55 a.m. on Monday, a man in rural Mongolia stood outside a yurt and looked down at his watch.

You Might Also Like

Ghanaian Can Travel to South Africa Visa-Free

2019 – the Biggest Year yet for Ghanaian Tourism

Three Britons On Trial In Singapore Accused of Gang-Raping Drunk Woman

Five minutes remained until presidential election polls opened in the country of just three million wedged between Russia and China. Clad in a bright green traditional “deel” gown, Sharkhuu Gerelt-Od was ready.

The 39-year-old public servant was the chief organiser of a mobile polling station in Erdene Sum, a small city situated in Mongolia’s sprawling steppes, where nomadic herders parked their yurts — circular, collapsible tents — and let their livestock graze among the rolling hills.

The polling station was set up to accomodate these herders, who move with the changing seasons to find the best pastures for their goats, horses and yaks.

“We have to provide the conditions for the herders to vote,” said Gerelt-Od.

“We have to give them access — it’s their constitutional right.”

Soon he was joined inside the yurt by other polling booth officials, all garbed in colourful traditional outfits.

At the centre of the tent was a tall stack of bread carrying curd sweets, cheese pieces and a thick cream.

It is Mongolian tradition to offer guests with the best food that one has on hand. Among herding communities, that food is often dairy.

“The voters are our guests in this yurt,” Gerelt-Od said with a smile.

The first voters, a husband and wife herder pair whose yurt was stationed in the area, arrived wearing a suit and a printed dress.

Voting is a special event in the young democracy, which started holding elections in 1990 after decades of Soviet control. The day of the presidential elections is a national holiday, and Mongolians dress up for the occasion.

Aside from Western-style business casual and traditional Mongolian attire, several voters also came clad in fedoras and tall leather boots.

Gerelt-Od and the other officials greeted many of the arrivals with a small bottle containing a mixture of herbs and tobacco powder, which the voters passed around and sniffed in turn — another traditional form of greeting.

This year’s election campaign, however, was mired in corruption scandals plaguing all three candidates: Mieygombo Enkhbold of the parliament-ruling Mongolian People’s Party, Khaltmaa Battulga of the outgoing president’s opposition Democratic Party and Sainkhuu Ganbaatar of the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party.

Although the national statistics office estimates that herders make up about a third of Mongolia’s population, their nomadic way of life is increasingly threated by “dzuds” — summer droughts followed by severe winters.

The growing frequency of the extreme weather phenomenon, which causes livestock to freeze to death, is attributed to climate change.

Gerelt-Od’s full-time job for the Erdene Sum government involves monitoring the environmental impact of local businesses.

“I wanted to protect my country’s natural environment,” he said, “and to preserve the land as it was”.

Environmental issues were foremost on voters’ minds at the yurt polling station.

Vanganjal Tsendmaa drove 13 kilometres from her yurt to vote for Enkhbold.

“This year has been very dry,” said Tsendmaa, 60.

“The government can help herders by making sure there are enough wells, especially in remote areas. The most important thing for raising animals is water.”

Sundui Nemekhtuya, 58, said the next president should prioritise “issues concerning pasture land.”

“If you respect the environment, nature will revive itself,” she said.

After the voters filled out their ballots and placed them into a machine, they sat under a canopy and ate snacks with the election officials, who poured them salty Mongolian milk tea.

By 10 a.m., more than 50 people had passed through the station — about 12 percent of the 443 who were registered for that location.

More voters were expected to arrive at noon, after most herders had finished tending to their animals.

When the polls close later that night, the voting machine will be transported to the city centre for ballot counting.

Until then, Gerelt-Od will tip his fedora at voters, sip his milk tea, and wait.

Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.

Tags: AsiachinaDemocratic PartyErdene Sum governmentfoodGeography of AsiaGerInner AsiaKhaltmaa BattulgaMongoliaMongolian People's Partynational holidaynational statistics officeNomadpollpresidentPresidential electionpresidential electionsRepublicsRevolutionary PartyRussiaSundui NemekhtuyaVanganjal TsendmaaVoting boothYurt

Related News

Ghanaian Can Travel to South Africa Visa-Free

by
July 10, 2019
0

Citizens of Ghana no longer need a visa to travel to South Africa. This is because the South African Government...

2019 – the Biggest Year yet for Ghanaian Tourism

by
January 24, 2019
0

2018 was a good year for tourism in Ghana with more than GH₵5.8 billion spent in the country's travel and...

Three Britons On Trial In Singapore Accused of Gang-Raping Drunk Woman

by
August 1, 2017
0

Three British men have gone on trial in Singapore today accused of gang-raping a 23-year-old woman while visiting the city-state...

Pakistani Taliban Launches Women’s Magazine

by
August 1, 2017
0

The Pakistani Taliban on Tuesday released the first edition of a magazine for women, apparently aiming to convince its target...

Next Post

Hong Kong Activists Stage China Protests Ahead of Xi Visit

Boko Haram Clashes Kill Eight Chad Soldiers

Categories

  • Africa & World
  • African Music Lyrics Directory
  • Business
  • Business Directory
  • celebrities
  • Computing
  • Diaspora
  • Entertainment
  • Events
  • Feature
  • Featured
  • Ghana Elections 2016
  • Headlines
  • Health
  • International
  • Internet
  • Jobs
  • lifestyle
  • Music
  • News
  • Offbeat
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Profiles
  • Religion
  • Security
  • Seth Terkper
  • Smart Home
  • Social Networks
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Top Stories
  • World News

Tags

accra addo africa Association football Banks - NEC business Business_Finance chairman Donald Trump economy education Entertainment_Culture environment Geography of Africa ghana Ghanaian people government Government of Ghana Human Interest John Dramani Mahama john mahama Law_Crime mahama minister MPs elected in the Ghanaian parliamentary election Nana Addo Nana Addo Dankwa Nana Akufo-Addo National Democratic Congress National Democratic Congress (NDC) New Patriotic Party New Patriotic Party (NPP) nigeria politics Politics of Ghana president Social Issues Social Media Social Media & Networking sports United Kingdom United Nations United States Vice President War_Conflict

Recent Posts

  • Government of Ghana Unveils Official Portraits of President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang
  • Who Is the Woman (Sheena Gakpe) in Sarkodie’s Latest Hit “No Sir” and Why Everyone Is Talking about It
List of Ghana Holidays for 2020
Ghana Geocoding
Ghana Cedis Exchange API
Ghana Maps Service
Toyota Cars Auto Auction History
  • African Music Lyrics Directory
  • Business Directory
  • Diaspora
  • Top Stories

All rights reserved © 2021 GhanaStar.com

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Music

All rights reserved © 2021 GhanaStar.com