Cablegate: Death of Mongolian Peacekeeper in Sierra Leone

VZCZCXYZ0010
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUM #0666 3330908
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 290908Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1683
INFO RUEHFN/AMEMBASSY FREETOWN 0005
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0064
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0017
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2746
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5869
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 3050
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1981
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0207
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0522
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0329

UNCLAS ULAANBAATAR 000666

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/CM, AF/W, AND IO/PHO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPKO PGOV EAID MG SL
SUBJECT: DEATH OF MONGOLIAN PEACEKEEPER IN SIERRA LEONE

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION

1. (SBU) A Mongolian peacekeeper, 21-year old Private B.
Mungonshagai, died November 20 in Sierra Leone, reportedly of
tuberculosis. He was one of 250 Mongolian peacekeepers guarding the
war crimes tribunal. (Note: Mongolia also has forces in Iraq and
Afghanistan.) Mungonshagai's remains arrived in Ulaanbaatar on
November 26 and were met at the airport by the Chief of the General
Staff. The Defense Attache subsequently conveyed condolences to his
Ministry of Defense contacts. Mungonshagai, a tank mechanic, is
scheduled to be buried on November 30th.

2. (SBU) News of the death received front-page, non-lead attention
in at least two newspapers, but there has been virtually no public
criticism of Mongolia's participation in UN or other peacekeeping
operations. In a chat room affiliated with the daily Onooder
newspaper, only one of 12 missives on the subject expressed regret
that Mongolian soldiers were deployed overseas. The writer asked
why Mongolian forces needed to be abroad when so much work remained
to be done in Mongolia.

MINTON

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