MONGOLIA: HUNDREDS DEMONSTRATE AGAINST RE-VOTE OF SEVERAL CONTESTED PARLIAMENTARY SEATS FOLLOWING A DEADLOCKED NATIONAL ELECTION
Record ID:
328723
MONGOLIA: HUNDREDS DEMONSTRATE AGAINST RE-VOTE OF SEVERAL CONTESTED PARLIAMENTARY SEATS FOLLOWING A DEADLOCKED NATIONAL ELECTION
- Title: MONGOLIA: HUNDREDS DEMONSTRATE AGAINST RE-VOTE OF SEVERAL CONTESTED PARLIAMENTARY SEATS FOLLOWING A DEADLOCKED NATIONAL ELECTION
- Date: 17th July 2004
- Summary: (U3) ULAN BATOR, MONGOLIA (JULY 17, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. SLV POLICE IN FRONT OF POLLING STATION 0.06 2. SLV/SV PROTESTERS OUTSIDE POLLING STATION 0.12 3. SV PROTESTERS PUSHING AND SHOVING AGAINST POLICE 0.25 4. CU/SV POLICE PUSHING DEMONSTRATORS AWAY (2 SHOTS) 0.50 5. MCU POLICEMAN ON WALKIE TALKIE 0.58 6. SV POLICE PUSHING PEOPLE 1.06 7. PAN BANNER AND PROTESTERS 1.18 8. SLV INTERIOR POLLING STATION 1.29 9. SV OLD MEN REGISTERING TO VOTE / REGISTRAR 1.40 10. SV MORE ELDERLY VOTING / WOMAN VOTING 1.53 11. SLV OBSERVERS MONITORING ELECTION 1.59 12. MCU (English) JOHN POEPSEL OF THE INTERNATIONAL REPUBLIC INSTITUTE, SAYING: "The whole situation here, hosting an election with over 5,000 voters in this polling site. Hosting it in less than 12 hours notice, I believe puts the whole entire situation into question." 2.18 13. SV OF PEOPLE VOTING 2.24 14. LV/SV POLICE IN FRONT OF POLLING STATION/POLICE HOLDING LINE (2 SHOTS) 2.35 15. SLV DEMONSTRATORS WITH BANNER 2.40 16. MCU (Mongolian) OPPOSITION SUPPORTER THIRTY YEAR-OLD ENKHTUVSHIN, SAYING: "Yesterday they announced on tv that there will be re-elections in the polling station. Right after that from 10 pm to 3 am MPRP people knocked at people's doors. They distributed voter IDs and gave 1,000 togrogs to people. And at one bus station they were giving beer and beverages, chocolates and other things." 2.59 17. SV PROTEST 3.05 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 1st August 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ULAN BATOR, MONGLIA
- Country: Mongolia
- Reuters ID: LVAAOIU17SFPUQDA975YI1FU9B5A
- Story Text: Hundreds demonstrate in Mongolia against sudden
re-vote of several contested parliamentary seats following
a deadlocked national election.
Protesters gathered outside a regional polling
station in Ulan Bator on Saturday (July 17, 2004) as a re-vote
got underway following last month's contested election.
Mongolia's government announced the re-vote on Friday
(July 16) night - sparking anger from opposition supporters
who said voters were not given enough notice.
The re-vote pits incumbent Defence Minister Gurragchaa
of the ruling Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP)
against Otgombayar, a candidate for the opposition
Motherland Democratic Coalition.
In the original poll last month, Otgombayar won by less
than 100 votes, an outcome disputed by the MPRP.
The MPRP has won 36 confirmed seats in the 76-seat
parliament to 37 claimed by opposition and allied
independent candidates.
Protesters, many wearing traditional Mongolian robes
and carrying signs with slogans like, "MPRP give up your
seat", tried to block voters from entering but were held
back by about 100 police.
A Western election observer said the process was highly
irregular.
"The whole situation here, hosting an election with
over 5,000 voters in this polling site. Hosting it in less
than 12 hours notice, I believe puts the whole entire
situation into question," said John Poepsel of the
International Republic Institute.
On Friday, a Mongolian court ruled that original
results showing a victory for the opposition party at two
other polling stations should stand, but that decision has
not been confirmed by the election commission.
Opposition supporters accused the ruling party of
unfair election practices.
"Yesterday they announced on tv that there will be
re-elections in the polling station. Right after that from
10 pm to 3 am MPRP people knocked at people's doors. They
distributed voter IDs and gave 1,000 togrogs to people. And
at one bus station they were giving beer and beverages,
chocolates and other things," said one opposition
supporter, Enkhtuvshin.
Both the MPRP and the opposition have traded
accusations of vote-rigging.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None