Source: Udriin Sonin               Date: 29 April, 2011

It is no coincidence that the people’s assembly was held on the birthday of Lenin, whose successors in the last century were responsible for the killing of over 1 million innocent Mongolians. The people attending the assembly were indeed observing the birthday, with Mr. N.Enkhbayar’s call to start “a revolution against the Mongolian oligarchy” greeted with shouts of “Let’s bring socialism back!”  Observers wonder if the whole show was organized to bring socialism back or to help Mr. Enkhbayar regain his lost power. The people in general, and not just those in the assembly, have not forgotten how things were during the time when Mr. Enkhbayar ruled the country, rewarding support and sycophancy with financial benefits like tax exemption. There is irony in the thought that the present opponent of Mongolian oligarchy was himself once known as “the godfather of corruption and the patron of a new oligarchy in Mongolia”. There is double irony in that Mr. M.Enkhsaikhan, who coined the sobriquet and put it in circulation, should now, as chairman of the National New Party, be sharing the platform with Mr. Enkhbayar.