As the Chinese Central Government Work Inspection Team arrived in the troubled region of Southern (Inner) Mongolia recently, protests of various forms have taken place in rural Mongolian pastoralist communities across multiple banners (“banner” is an administrative unit equivalent to a county). Since last week alone, at least 10 separate protests have been reported.

April 24, 2017:

Nearly 200 Mongolian herders from Tsegeen Sum of eastern Southern Mongolia’s Ongniud Banner staged a protest in front of a pig farm that has recently occupied a large piece of grazing land of the local herders. The protestors held a long banner and chanted slogans, demanding the closure of the pig farm and the immediate return of the grazing land.

“We are here today to demand our right to clean air, clean water and justice for the herders,” a protestor said in a video clip released on WeChat.

April 24, 2017:

Herders from Naiman Banner of eastern Southern Mongolia’s Tongliao Municipality gathered in front of the local government building, demanding the return of herders’ grazing land.

The herders held a large banner reading, “Return Our Oboodai Gachaa’s 50,000 mu Land, Return Our Pristine Nature.” In a video statement issued by the protestors, a herder said, “The Banner Government sold our 50,000 mu land, leaving us landless.”

April 24, 2017:

Herders from eastern Southern Mongolia’s Hulun-boir League’s Old Barag Right Banner published an open letter on Chinese social media, demanding the Chinese Central Government Work Inspection Team carry out a thorough investigation into illegal land grabbing and police brutality in the local Mongolian pastoralist communities.

The open letter states that 19 herders were arbitrarily detained during a clash between the Chinese police and local herders in 2015.

April 22, 2017:

On behalf of pastoralist communities of Shiliin-gol League, activist and community leader Ms. Naranhuaar (also known as Yanjindulam) published a video statement, urging the Central Government Work Inspection Team to redress the grievances of Mongolian herders in the Shiliion-gol region.

April 21, 2017:

Herders from Shuluun-Chagaan Banner of Shiliin-gol League gathered in the regional capital, Hohhot, to demand a meeting with the Central Government Work Inspection Team. Herders protested the local authorities’ illegal appropriation of grazing land and the failure to redress the herders’ demands. Local Public Security agents arrested the herders’ leader, Chimgee, and brought her back to Shuluun-Chagaan Banner.

April 21, 2017:

Herders from western Southern Mongolia’s Darhan-Muumingan Joint Banner came to the regional capital of Hohhot to demand justice for the herders. Ms. Oyuunchimeg and Ms. Burentsetseg published a video statement protesting the Chinese authorities’ land grab, mining, pollution, livestock grazing ban, arbitrary detention and illegal confiscation of herders’ livestock.

“Herders are plundered of their livestock and subjected to large sum of fines. The life of herders is like a hell,” Oyuunchimeg said in the video statement, “mining, pollution and depletion of water pushed us herders to the edge of extreme poverty. We trusted the sunshine policy of the great Party which in turn led us to poverty, marginalization and destruction and natural environment.”

April 21, 2017:

In eastern Southern Mongolia’s Horchin Right Wing Middle Banner, some desperate herders blocked the entourage of the Work Inspection Team, bringing their grievances directly to the inspection officials despite the security personnel’s seemingly relatively restrained intervention.

In video footage taken at the scene, an outraged herder rushed to the inspection officials during their visit to a rural Mongolian family and repeatedly shouted, “Officials sold the land of Bayannuur Sum for own profit! No way is left to us to make livings! No way is left to us to make livings!”

April 19, 2017:

Mongolian herders—including Ms. Urgamal and Ms. Altantovch from western Southern Mongolia’s Hangin Banner, Ms. Otgon from Otog Banner, and Ms. Tsetsenchimeg from Urad Middle Banner—gathered in Hohhot, appealing to the Central Government Work Inspection Team for a just solution to herders’ plight. In a joint video statement, four herders from the three banners brought to the attention of the inspection officials the cases of Chinese settlers’ illegal occupation of Mongolian herders’ grazing lands and the local governments’ failure to take any action to protect the herders’ rights.