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Thousands at risk of homelessness in Mongolia

Rights group blames authorities' urban redevelopment failings
Thousands at risk of homelessness in Mongolia
Published: December 07, 2016 08:14 AM GMT
Updated: December 07, 2016 08:15 AM GMT

Mongolian authorities are failing residents of Ulaanbaatar with an urban redevelopment process that is putting thousands of people at risk of forced eviction and homelessness, Amnesty International (AI) said in a report published Dec. 7.

AI's 55-page policy briefing, highlights the plight of residents in Mongolia's capital and reviews an urban redevelopment agenda that is marred by a lack of information on eviction, compensation and resettlement.

"The ambitious redevelopment agenda has not been matched with the establishment of sufficient safeguards to protect against the risk of forced eviction," said Nicholas Bequelin, East Asia Director at AI in a statement.

"There is an urgent need for the authorities to put in place clear and effective guarantees to protect residents' rights," said Bequelin.

The current redevelopment plan for Ulaanbaatar is focused on 24 ger (traditional round felt dwelling) areas where approximately 9 percent of the city's 1.3 million residents live and public housing, which is deemed unsafe or structurally unsound.

The rights group is concerned that there is a possibility that people will be removed people from their land and housing for redevelopment without adequate consultation and compensation. There is also a serious risk of forced eviction and other human rights violations, which AI says runs counter to the stated objectives of the urban redevelopment agenda to "ensure a healthy, safe and comfortable living environment."

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