POLICEMEN RECEIVE COMPENSATION

Ulaanbaatar, /MONTSAME/ Some policemen and interior troops injured during the July 1 riots have received a compensation of MNT 442.5 million.
The government made a decision to compensate them in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. A total of 396 policemen got the money. A Chief of the General Police Department, Major General D.Sandag-Ochir handed over the cash to the police officers.
On July the first of 2008, citizens demonstrated on Sukhbaatar square in Ulaanbaatar protesting the results of the Parliamentary Election. The demonstration became a riot by the evening, and five people died due to it.
After the election, some officials made statements about the preliminary results of the victory of the MNRP (Mongolian National Revolutionary Party). People vehemently opposed those statements. A mass meeting was held on Sukhbaatar square in Ulaanbaatar that day. Many citizens expressed their thoughts about political issues and election frauds. In the afternoon, a crowd of several thousand people gathered at the main office building of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party in Ulaanbaatar.
The protests began peacefully, but soon led to unrest. After unsuccessful attempts of the crowd to enter the building the police arrived. The crowd clashed with the police, throwing stones. Rioters set fire to the MPRP headquarters, which was eventually completely destroyed by the flames. When rioters attempted to prevent firefighters to reach the burning building, more police units were called to deal with the situation, using tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons against the protestors.
Rioters also looted and set fire to the Cultural Palace, which houses a theatre, museum and art gallery. Others attacked a police station in search of weapons. Military forces were called into the city. Crowds, however, refused to disperse. That night, four people were shot to death, one person died due to smoke in the MPRP building.
S.Batbayar
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