An important story that should be remembered to avoid its repetition! This is a tragedy of brutal repressions carried out by the Bolsheviks, plunging the Mongols into an ocean of blood and tears.
“The recent music video by Mongolian musician ThunderZ for the song 'Tengri: Gegeen' has created a real resonance in Mongolia. It illustrates one of the darkest moments in the country's history — the 'Great Repressions',” reports the publication InsideMongolia.
Those dark times when Mongols suffered from the brutal repressions of the Bolsheviks... this is what the song narrates...
🎥 The video reveals a tragic love story between a Buddhist monk and a woman in an era when monks were forbidden to feel emotions and create families. Their attempt to escape ends in horror: the monk is captured and burned alive. This was the harsh reality of Mongolia from 1920 to 1990, when the state became a tool for suppressing its own people.
🙅 Mongolia: a country where the death penalty has been abolished
It is important to remember that Mongolia abolished the death penalty in 2012, becoming a country free from this measure. This step was a bitter lesson learned from the events of the Great Repression. Under the influence of Soviet power, mass arrests and executions of alleged “enemies of the state” occurred, leading to the deaths of more than 37,000 people, including monks, politicians, and ordinary citizens, which was a true catastrophe for a country with a population of only 800,000. The repressions particularly affected Buddhist monks.
More than 700 monasteries were destroyed.
More than 17,000 monks became victims of persecution.
About 14,000 monks were executed.
As a result, 10.9% of the adult male population of Mongolia and nearly 5% of the entire population of the country were affected.
👇 Day of Remembrance: Honoring the Victims of Political Repressions
Since 1997, when a memorial was opened in front of the National Museum of Mongolia, September 10 is observed as the Day of Remembrance for the victims of political repressions. This day serves as a moment for national reflection, dedicated to the memory of those who fell during one of the most difficult periods in Mongolia's history, as well as to express respect for the families who preserved their legacy.
✍️ Words etched in memory
On the monument, the following words are engraved:
In those years, the burning faith was crushed,
And brave hearts were torn apart.
May the years of horror and despair
Never fade from the memory of the Mongolian people.
On the inner wall of the monument, the phrase “No death penalty” is engraved. Even today, Mongolians discuss the possibility of reinstating the death penalty for serious crimes. Nevertheless, this memorial serves as a reminder that the government must never again become a machine for the destruction of its own people, reaffirming Mongolia's commitment to protecting human rights and human dignity.
