The
Chief Commissioner Mr. Byambadorj Jamsran and Commissioner Ms. Oyunchimeg Purev
have hosted a meeting with Tuva community representatives from Tsagaannuur
soum, Khuvsgul province. Commissioner Ms. Oyunchimeg Purev had an informal open
talk with them by listening to their life situation, implementation of the
rights of ethnic minorities as well as realization of outcomes of a joint-project
implemented by the Commission and Tuva ethnic minorities before. Tuva or Dukha
communities are one of the Mongolian ethnic minorities. These representatives
have made a long journey to the capital city Ulaanbaatar from taiga in Khuvsgul
province to attend the 8th Conference of National Association of
Mongolian Food and Agriculture. Before heading back to their hometown, they
wanted to meet their old acquaintance Commissioner Oyunchimeg Purev. During the
meeting, they have mentioned that there is a number of issues that need to be
addressed for them. For example, they have raised that there is a need to take
necessary measures by the Government in relation to the following issues:
- to raise public awareness about livelihood and situation of people living in taiga;
- to respect a culture of Tuva ethnic minorities for maintaining a livelihood by herding reindeers;
- to provide elders of Tuva ethnic minorities with a same pension as herders;
- to include a representative from Tuva ethnic minority in self-governing local bodies and in decision-making process. They said that above-mentioned issues can be raised during a celebration of "Festival of 2000 reindeers” which is envisaged to be held in 2019. In addition, they have also discussed about an implementation of the President’s resolution on Tuva people.
As of today, there are only 470 Tuva or Dukha communities living in far western Khuvsgul province. The availability of pasture for reindeers that are main source of livelihood of Tuva reindeer community counts for only 3-4 percent as rest of 96 percent of territory of western and eastern taiga consist of mountains and rocks. Thus, there is a greater need to take studies on situation of Tuva communities as well as pastures for reindeers.
