In 2001, a time when local river named Onggi stopped flowing, Munkhbayar.Tse and other herders united
in Onggi River Movement. Onggi River Movement NGO was originally established
on October 19th that year. The main reason why we started this movement was to
protect the River Onggi from IRRESPONSIBLE MINING. Onggi River flows through
Taragt, Zuunbayan-Ulaan, Arwaikheer, Bayangol soums in Uwurkhangai Province and
Saikhan-Ovoo soum, Dund Gobi province, pours into Ulaan Lake in Mandal Ovoo
Soum, South Gobi province.
We are simply the herders who
live in the countryside in Mongolia. Back of every herder there is a family
consist of a wife and children, livestock, and every day work which was shaped by
nomadic life style. Nomads lived thousands and thousand of years by herding
livestock in the wild range land. Nomadic culture or life style is first of all
about adapting in the nature, not destroying or ignoring. In our traditional
belief says Mother earth and Sky as a heaven. We strongly believe in the power
of mother earth. Water is life spring of everything; fount of earth soil,
plants, animals humans and so on. We, nomads depends on rivers, springs and
water basins in our area.
Onggi River Movement has passed
15 years behind. We had harsh times, we had happy and unforgotten moments, we
had succeeded in many ways together with devout supporters, collaborators, our
fellows and reliable friends .
On 16th July, 2009 Law
of “ TO PROHIBIT MINERAL EXPLORATION AND MINING OPERATIONS AT HEADWATERS OF
RIVERS, PROTECTED ZONES OF WATER RESERVOIRS AND FORESTED AREAS” was approved by
parliament. We worked hard to make this happen. Many Mongolians were happy that
time. Since then we have continuously followed up the implementation of the
law.
There are other projects we have
handled during last decade with our devout supporters. Such as
- Onggi River – Rain project (aims for much rain fall in the head water of Onggi River)
- Onggi River – Forest project (planting sea-buckthorn bushes in the river side )
- School book project ‘”Onggi River – Nomadic Culture” (developed and published school book about nature conservation and Onggi river protection, including contents explaining scientific proofs, traditions, folk tales, social issues. Now read by local children at local secondary school in Uwurkhangai province. Therefore translated into Japanese for students who studies Mongolian at Osaka University)
- Onggi River – Nomadic Tour (study tour for international young experts, students from different fields of science, and people interested in Mongolian culture)
Truly hope our old friends will
proceed relation we have established in the past.
And I’d like to say EVERYONE IS
WELCOMED! We need your worth advice.
<<< TOGETHER WE CAN SAVE
OUR MOTHER EARTH >>>
Photo explanation:
Onggi river stopped flowing in 2001. This photo was taken a decade later when it is revived in 2011. Photo by Gantulga Bold.
