The following is a statement the SMHRIC director Enghebatu Togochog made on April 24, 2023 before the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) 22nd Session in New York City:

Thank you, Madam Chair. My name is Enghebatu Togochog. I would like to bring to your attention two major issues that the indigenous Southern Mongolians are facing today:

The first is China’s new policy of a total ban of the Mongolian language in Southern Mongolia. Two weeks ago, China announced that she would ban the Mongolian language in all schools across Southern Mongolia. Under this policy, Chinese is the only language that is recognized as the “National Common Language”. Without any formal amendment to its constitution, Madam Chair, the National Congress of China declared that the Mongolian language education is unconstitutional. Local authorities outlawed the use of the Mongolian language entirely. These moves not only violate UNDRIP that China is a signatory to, but also overwrite China’s own constitution.

The second is China’s larger campaign of cultural eradication in Southern Mongolia. In 2013, China announced that nomadic civilization was put to an end within the borders of the People’s Republic of China following the “resettlement of the last group of 1.2 million nomads”. This means the nomadic way of life the Mongolians and other indigenous peoples had maintained for thousands of years was officially wiped out. Madam Chair, this is not a “groundless accusation” as Chinese delegations often characterize, but was publicly announced by the Central Government of China and proudly reported across China.

As the final step of this systematic destruction of the Southern Mongolian nation, now China is implementing a full-scale cultural genocide campaign in the name of “Firm Inculcation of Chinese Nationality Common Identity”. The overarching policy behind this genocidal campaign is the so-called “Second Generation Ethnic Policy”. Under this policy, Mongolians and other recognized ethnic minorities are forced to give up their ethnic identities to identify as “Chinese” or “zhong hua min zu”. Madam Chair, this constitutes nothing but an active genocide.

China is a signatory to UNDRIP, yet China continues to deny the existence of indigenous peoples, as the Chinese delegation made it clear last week. China’s justification to this claim is that “indigenous issues” are the result of “western colonization” ONLY. With this absurd claim, China is justifying her own colonization of Southern Mongolia and other indigenous territories. We must hold China accountable for her ongoing cultural genocide and other atrocities committed against the Southern Mongolians.

Thank you,

Enghebatu Togochog