1989-90:
Zorig became one of the leaders of the democratic movement,
which was launched by young creative intelligentsia
at the end of 1989. Zorig's talent, commitment, and
strong beliefs played an important role in making the
Mongolian Democratic Union, the first political opposition,
a leading force of the democratic revolution. The MDD
helped put the authoritarian communist society onto
the rails of democratic development without using violence.
The chain of words “Mongolia-Democracy-Mongolian
Democratic Union-S.Zorig” is a guide to understanding
the poltical world in 1990 when communism fell. These
words are not only famous with the Mongolians of the
90’s who sought renewal, national sovereignty, and
real independence, but also became known to foreign
observers who followed the process of Mongolian democracy.
As the first general coordinator of the MDU, S.Zorig
sought a national coalition of independent and equal
political forces, organized a round table discussion
of the political forces on issues of future development
of the country, and considered it right to work out
commonly acceptable concepts. Out of the MDU, S.Zorig
and his comrades founded the first opposition party-the
Mongolian Democratic Party (MDP).
Autumn of 1990: Mongolia
had the first free elections and the Parliament was
founded. Deputy S.Zorig was elected Chairman of the
Executive Committee of the Parliamentary Group. He
was not included in the State Baga Hural (SBH), the
permanently functioning Lower House of the Parliament.
He did have the opportunity to be elected Deputy President
of Mongolia at the first meeting of the State Great
Hural (SGH), the Upper House of the Parliament, which
was empowered to form the State Baga Hural. The amendments
made to the Constitution by the parties read that
Deputy President heads the SBH.
According to the survey conducted by the “MongolPress”
agency in 1990 S.Zorig was one of the possible nominees
for President of Mongolia. He needed power at the
decision-making level in order to successfully deepen
the reform of the Mongolian society. The bulk of the
Deputies, however, did not vote for him. Observers
and live witnesses at the time say that it was the
result of selfish, unprincipled, and treacherous actions
by the leadership of the Mongolian Social Democratic
Party, which, in coalition with the MDP and the Mongolian
National Democratic Party (MNDP), was supposed to
form opposition to the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary
Party (MPRP). The MPRP went on to win the majority
of the SGH.
Autumn of 1991: In August,
the so-called State Emergency Committee (SEC) took
state power in Moscow. The new and old Mongolian leaders
were shocked when they received the statement of this
organization. In two or three days when it became
clear that the coup-d’etat failed, the leaders of
Parliament condemned the editor-in-chief of the central
state newspaper “Ardyin Erkh” for betraying the Soviet
power and publishing the statement of the illegal
SEC. However, the only person among prominent Mongolian
politicians who called that event “the illegal coup-d’etat”
and sent a telegram to Moscow on the very first day
of the seizure of power by SEC was the Chairman of
the Parliamentary Group S.Zorig.
1990-92: S.Zorig’s activities
were aimed at creating a legal environment for democratizing
Mongolian society, developing a market economy, opening
Mongolia to the rest of the world, and involving it
with world development. By the time Mongolia completed
the first phase of the democratic revolution and destroyed
the dictatorial regime, there was a split within the
MDU. T.Nergui and G.Boshigt followed their own ways.
S.Zorig began to contradict the leaders of the MDU
on the issues of strategy and tactics, and in 1992
they refused him leadership of the MDU. Soon, the
Republican Party founded by S.Zorig merged with the
Free Labor and G.Boshigt’s wing of the Mongolian Democratic
Party to form the United Party (UP). S.Zorig continued
saying that pro-democracy forces should unite to become
a strong opposition to the MPRP and guarantee the
further development of democracy in Mongolia.
As Chairman of the Parliamentary Group, S.Zorig contributed
to the implementation of the multi-pillar foreign
policy of Mongolia. S.Zorig paid particular attention
to Mongolia’s relations with Japan, and he was one
of those who helped make Japan one of Mongolia's biggest
donors. In 1992, Japan declared S.Zorig the Young
Politician of Asia and he was the first Mongolian
politician to meet the Emperor of Japan.
1992-96: In 1992, S.Zorig
was elected to the State Great Hural from the Coalition
of the MDP, the MNDP and the UP. He was one of only
6 members who represented the democratic forces in
the Parliament.
In the October of 1992 the Mongolian Democratic Party,
the Mongolian United Party, the Mongolian Renaissance
Party and the Mongolian Progress Party merged and
formed the Mongolian National Democratic Party (MNDP).
S.Zorig was a member of the General Council of the
MNDP.
Politicians of the 90’s made tremendous efforts to
reshape the society as a whole and at the same time
they shouldered a historical responsibility to avoid
making detrimental mistakes. A new era required them
to make decisions based on realistic studies and principals
different from those of the previous political leaders.
Aware of this, S.Zorig founded a non-governmental
organization called “Strategy and Research Center”
in 1990. This Center organized seminars and discussions
on such topics as the Constitution, renewal of the
legislative structure, and improvement of local governance
in collaboration with the Asia Foundation and within
the framework of making preparations for working out
a new Constitution of Mongolia. S.Zorig was a member
of the working group under the Mongolian President
that developed a new Constitution. .
1996-98: For the first
time the democratic forces came to power. S.Zorig
was re-elected as MP from the “Democratic Union” coalition
of the MNDP and the Mongolian Social Democratic Party
(MSDP). He became Chairman of the Standing Committee
on Public Institutions of the SGKh. In 1997, he served
as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Security
and Foreign Policy. It is commonly recognized that
S.Zorig made a valuable contribution to improving
the Mongolian-Japanese relations when he was the Chairman
of the Mongolian-Japanese Parliamentary Group. He
worked as the head of the Mongolian Commission to
prepare for the 25th anniversary celebrations of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia
and Japan. In this role, he initiated the construction
of a memorial in the location called Dambadarjaa in
the Mongolian capital in honor of Japanese soldiers
who died during WW II.
Besides being busy with his parliamentary activities,
S.Zorig took an active part in the activities of non-governmental
organizations. He served as the President of the Mongolian
Chess Federation, the President of the United Federation
of Employees, and he was an Honorary President of
the Oyuntulhhuur Foundation that works to help and
support vulnerable groups and orphans.
Spring of 1998: The
first government of the “Democratic Union” coalition
resigned as the democrats in Parliament were split
into groups. There was Zorig’s faction (D.Enhbaatar,
H.Hulan, S.Bilegsaihan, late M.Chimedtseren--all members
of the MNDP), members of the MSDP (A. Ganbaatar, R.Narangerel,
Batjargalyin Batbayar, R.Badamdamdin), a small group
that could be called “Small Zorig’s faction” within
the MPRP (including M.Bayartsaihan, J.Byambadorj,
R.Sodhuu, D.Bazarhuu, M.Zenee as well as Chairman
of the Mongolian Conservative Party , or the MCP)
late O.Dashbalbar and some members of the so-called
"Rural faction". In the newly formed government,
S.Zorig began to serve as the Minister of Infrastructure,
the least developed sector that required urgent attention..
It was this sector that absorbed most of the government
budget and donations, grants, and loans from donor
countries.
August of 1998: WhileTs.Elbegdorj’s
government acted as care-taker, S. Zorig granted an
interview to Mongolian Radio with reporter D.Baigalmaa.
It was S.Zorig’s last interview. S.Zorig defined the
basic principles that a politician should always remember
to follow and the sequence of interests he should
honor.
S.Zorig was only 36. He devoted 8 years of his life
to big politics. During all these years he had been
meeting journalists and exchanged views through press,
but he had never before given such an interview. This
interview was like a will addressed to politicians
of future generations. After only few months of service
as the Minister in charge of implementing costly foreign
projects, S.Zorig reminded others that the sequence
of interests must never be lost. Fierce races for
position and power neutralizes the objectives of new
and old political forces, slows down the process of
democratization, and might even result in stepping
backwards, Zorig noted.
“… But the sequence must not be lost. The national
interests must come first. Then the interests of social
groupings that became common in our society should
be safeguarded and after that the interests of a group
or a company may come. It is because they are to certain
extent profit making organizations. They will race
for profit. Lastly an individual will have the interests
to improve his private life and wellbeing. Such interest
existed all the time. It should be taken into account.
However, we must not break this sequence. If we lose
this sequence we will enter the stage of degradation…”
[Excerpts from S.Zorig’s interview granted to the
Mongolian Radio. August 1998]
October 2, 2001: The
President refused the candidates for Prime Minister
nominated by the Coalition. Louder and louder, people
said that, “Now it is time to nominate S.Zorig.” Today,
the Coalition leaders state that S.Zorig was not nominated
as Prime Minister. Making an official nomination document
and submitting that to the President for a stamp is
indeed a technical and ceremonial activity. Before
that, though, the most important action is the discussion
of nominations by the party leadership at an MNDP
General Council meething. The meeting approves only
unanimous decisions. There is a document which may
prove that the groupings within the Coalition agreed
to nominate S.Zorig. D. Enkhbaatar has stated, “It
was decided to nominate S.Zorig, that’s why he did
not go with me to Ulan-Ude but stayed that night [October
2, 2001]. It means that there was 100% possibility
that S.Zorig would have become the Prime Minister
in two or three days. It is because President N.Bagabandi
could not refuse S.Zorig’s candidature as he did the
others."
Instead of becoming Prime Minister, Zorig was the
victim of the first open political assasination since
Mongolia switched over to a free social structure.
Murderers waited for him at his home and killed him
by stabbing many times with a knife. The revolution
for democracy that started in 1990 lost its leader
during its 8th Autumn. The romantic period of Mongolia’s
democratic revolution was over. Zorig is survived
by his brother, Bayaraa, and his sister, Oyun.
