2004 Relocation Program Sample Clauses

2004 Relocation Program. In 2004, after completing mineral exploration work on our territory, the Oyu Tolgoi Project started fencing off licensed land for mine construction. During this process, a total of eleven herding households from the Javhlant and Gavliut baghs were relocated because their winter camps4 were within the licensed land or located in close proximity to the Project. All households were made to select a spot for construction of their new winter camp,5 after which the Company provided transportation and relocated the herder households. Many households resisted relocation, but gave in when the local government threatened forced eviction. Because the selection of the new location was done at short notice, many herders failed to select the best spots for protection from wind and cold.6 In addition, the possibility of land freezing under the thin layer of animal droppings in the animal shelters was not taken into account, which led to big losses of livestock in the 2004 zud7 for all resettled households, resulting in a drop in living conditions. The ground under animal droppings in our winter camps, which were used for generations by herder households, does not freeze, keeping animals warm during the winter. In addition, the diminished quantity and quality of pasture caused losses in livestock that winter. Most of our pasture was taken away or negatively affected by the Project. The quality of vegetation on the remaining pasture is poor due to dust and dryness near the Project site. Due to a lack of plentiful, high quality pasture, the animals did not gain enough weight during the summer to last through the long and cold winter. Water is another important factor for the animals to gain weight,8 but most of the xxxxx and electric pumps provided by the Company stopped working and failed to deliver water within a couple of months after the relocation.