November 10, 2008
East-West Center
Abstract:
The post-election strife of July 1, 2008 shocked the Mongolian nation and sobered its leading politicians. The new government found itself in perilous waters, plagued with allegations of election tampering, country-wide economic woes, and internal political division. Today, four months after this shaky start, re-elected Prime Minister S. Bayar has implemented economic and political initiatives to help Mongolia move forward but still faces many challenges.
November 3, 2008
The Asia Foundation // International Center for Mongol Culture
Abstract:
This survey on “Community-Oriented Policing” was conducted in Mongolia between March and April 2008. The report consists of two main parts: one is an analysis of questionnaires administered to law enforcement officials, and the other to community and civil society representatives; the second is a narrative report based on information gathered from interviews, participant observation and general observation that enhanced the questionnaire data. The latter part of the report is a summation of the analysis and provides discussion related to the nature of the relationship between the police and the community in survey sites. OBJECTIVES: The main objectives of the survey were to examine and assess the present relationship between the police and target communities, and to identify the strengths and weaknesses in these relationships. The survey aims to diagnose police-community relations, and to suggest possible ways of enhancing and strengthening relations in order to improve dialogue and the provision of policing services in urban and rural communities across Mongolia. This survey contributes directly to efforts initiated by the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs (MOJHA) to reform the enforcement and police services in Mongolia. SURVEY METHODOLOGY: Several methodologies were employed in conducting the survey. Data was gathered through a questionnaire, participant interviews and observation, as well as through secondary source information taken from previous surveys, books and published materials. The questionnaires were administered after enumerators had spent time in the target communities and among the police, with whom trust, legitimacy and credibility were established. Such observation and participation helped to ensure the quality and accuracy of information gathered through the questionnaire, and enabled enumerators to obtain valuable additional information that otherwise would not have been elicited. For example, most police said that they were committed to their work, which in practice proved to be an overstatement. In addition to neighbourhood police, lawyers, prosecutors and high-ranking police officials were also interviewed. Fifty police and 50 members of the community, representing a cross-section of society, took part in the survey. Non-random sampling was used in order to ensure geographic and socio-economic diversity of the respondents. The General Police Department was consulted on the selection of participants. The survey questionnaire was modelled on prior samples used by The Asia Foundation in Bangladesh and Indonesia, and was adapted for use in Mongolia in consultation with the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, police, and social scientists....
August 26, 2008
Asian Development Bank Institute
Abstract:
This paper quantifies the impact of terrorism and conflicts on income per capita growth in Asia for 1970–2004. Our panel estimations show that transnational terrorist attacks had a significant growth-limiting effect. Transnational terrorism reduces growth by crowding in government expenditures. An internal conflict has the greatest growth concern, about twice that of transnational terrorism. For developing Asian countries, intrastate and interstate wars have a much greater impact than terrorism does on the crowding-in of government spending.
Policy recommendations indicate the need for rich Asian countries to assist their poorer neighbors in coping with the negative growth consequences of political violence. Failure to assist may result in region-wide repercussions. Conflict and terrorism in one country can create production bottlenecks with region-wide economic consequences. International and nongovernmental organizations as well as developed Western countries and regions could assist at-risk Asian countries with attack prevention and post-attack recovery.
This study has six purposes. First, and foremost, we present panel estimates for a sample of 42 Asian countries to quantify the impact of terrorism and conflicts on income per capita growth for 1970–2004. Panel estimation methods control for country-specific and timespecific unobserved heterogeneity. Second, we distinguish the influence of terrorism on economic growth from that of internal and external conflicts. Third, these influences are investigated for cohorts of developed and developing countries to ascertain whether development can better allow a country to absorb the impact of political violence. Fourth, econometric estimations relate violence-induced growth reductions to two pathways— reduced investment and increased government expenditures. Fifth, a host of diagnostic and sensitivity tests to support our empirical specifications. Last, we draw some policy conclusions....
July 2, 2008
United States Department of State
Abstract:
Mongolia, with a population of approximately three million, is a multiparty, parliamentary democracy. Observers noted minor irregularities in the 2005 presidential elections. Parliament (the State Great Hural), with the agreement of the president, selects the prime minister, who is nominated by the majority party. In November parliament confirmed S. Bayar of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) as prime minister, and a new coalition government was formed. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, but there reportedly were a few instances in which elements of the security forces acted independently of government authority. The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens; however, the following human rights problems were noted: police abuse of prisoners and detainees; impunity; poor conditions in detention centers; arbitrary arrest, lengthy detention, and corruption within the judicial system; criminal defamation laws applied to journalists; continued refusal by some provinces to register Christian churches; sweeping secrecy laws and a lack of transparency; domestic violence against women; international trafficking of persons; and some domestic cases of child prostitution....
May 14, 2007
Government Accountability Office
Abstract:
In March 2003, a U.S.-led multinational force began operations in Iraq. At that time, 48 nations, identified as a "coalition of the willing," offered political, military, and financial support for U.S. efforts in Iraq, with 38 nations other than the United States providing troops. In addition, international donors met in Madrid in October 2003 to pledge funding for the reconstru#ction of Iraq's infrastructure, which had deteriorated after multiple wars and decades of neglect under the previous regime.
This testimony discusses (1) the troop commitments other countries have made to operations in Iraq, (2) the funding the United States has provided to support other countries' participation in the multinational force, and (3) the financial support international donors have provided to Iraq reconstruction efforts....
Mongolia 
