Tsetsegee Munkhbayar

Tsetsegee Munkhbayar began the Onggi River Movement environmental group in 2001. This Mongolian herdsman struggled against mining companies and lawsuits to protect the natural resources of his homeland. [Published on Monday, April 23, 2007 by The Independent/UK. [http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/04/23/703/ "Battle For The Land of Khan: A Self-Taught Yak Herdsman From Mongolia Who Forced The Closure of polluting Mines On The Onggi River Is Today Awarded The World’s Biggest Environmental Prize."] By Clifford Coonan.]

Tsetsegee Munkhbayar protected the Onggi River from the mining factory. What happened was that Mongolia was in dire need of capital investment so lawmakers let 37 companies mine for gold on the Onggi River. Tsetsegee Munkhbayar noticed that the Onggi River was being contaminated and that is what made him act. In 2001 the river was completely depleted. Munkhbayar then signed up for journalism school which he completed his thesis on the impacts of mining. Then he was elected the head of the citizens council, which was really uncommon for a herder. Later in 2001, he established the Onggi River movement. Through his persistence he made the government to enforce regulations on mining. He made 35 of the 37 mining operations stopped their destructive actions. Munkhbayar now lives in Ulaanbaatar. For outstanding environmental achievement in Asia, the 2007 Goldman Environmental prize was awarded to Tsetsegee Munkhbayar

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