Mongolia Election Protests Turn Violent

Mongolia has declared a four-day state of emergency after thousands of people staged a violent protest against elections they say were rigged by the ruling party.

Shots were heard as troops moved into the capital Ulaan Bataar late on Tuesday, in an attempt to to bring the unrest under control as curfew came into force.

Police had earlier fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds after rescue workers were pelted with stones.

The headquarters of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) was set on fire and opposition supporters pushed into the election commission offices.  

Some rioters looted paintings from an art gallery and televisions from government offices. Others vandalised cars parked on downtown streets.

"From 11:30 pm [15:30 GMT] on Tuesday there will be a four-day state of emergency," an announcement from the president said.

According to national television, a curfew began at 10pm and anyone on the streets after that time without documentation would be arrested.

The crowds reportedly thinned after the president's declaration, which permitted police to use force in dealing with the protesters.

"Police will use necessary force to crack down on criminals who are looting private and government property," Munkhorgil, the minister of justice and home affairs, said.

Up to 30 police officers and 25 civilians have been injured and hospitalised, according to television reports citing local goverment and hospital officials.  

"The demonstrators are acting like hooligans and violating social order," Sainbayar, a police spokesman, said.

The protest by an estimated 6,000 people in the capital Ulaan Baatar began peacefully but by evening there was reportedly unrest in several areas of the city.

"The people have come here to fight for their freedom," one protester told the AFP news agency.

Fraud accusations originally centered on two districts in Ulan Bator that were awarded to the governing party but were contested by two popular members of the Civic Movement party. Following that, protesters called the entire election into question, with opposition Democrats saying that their party, not the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, or MPRP, had won the election.

Some protesters pushed into the General Election Commission offices to demand that officials resign because of alleged voting irregularities and fraud. The commission defended the vote, but at least one party called for a recount in some districts of Ulan Bator.

According to preliminary results, the People's Revolutionary Party - which also governed the country when it was a Soviet satellite - won 46 seats in voting Sunday. That would give the party far more than half of the 76 seats in Parliament, called the State Great Khural.

The other major party, the Mongolian Democratic Party, took 26 seats. An independent won one seat and a minor party another. Results in two other seats were not yet clear. The General Election Commission has until July 10 to announce the final results.