Хөвсгөл хөдөлгөөн: 1988-1991

Khuvsgul movement: 1988-1991

Abstract

During mid 1987, influenced by Perestroika in the Soviet Union, writers from Soviet Siberia, together with Japanese journalists and writers, started an environmental movement to protect Lake Baikal. The movement drew writers and journalists from the Republics of Armenia and Kazakhstan, which were part of the Soviet Union at that time, forming the international environmental movement "Roof". Inspired by these, writer Baldorj Tserendorj publsihed an article entitled "Mother Sea on the Death Row" with the request of newspaper “Unen”. The article was so inspiring that in July 1988, Mongolian journalists and writers formed "Khuvsgul Movement" as a branch of "Baikal Movement". In the fall of 1989, the students of the National University of Mongolia organized a movement to protect Lake Khuvsgul. This article referenced the archive materials of the National Archives of Mongolia, the former Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, old daily newspapers, official memoirs of people who participated in the event, and interviews with them. It could be concluded that the public protests to protect Lake Khuvsgul played a critical role in organization of the first demonstration in Mongolia and formation of Mongolian Democratic Union.