[Onthebarricades] MONGOLIA: Mass uprising after election rigged

[Andy]

ON THE BARRICADES - Global Resistance Roundup, April-August 2008
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http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5htXp_X6rVZOmySXc9OKAkhYQXeVg

Mongolia clamps down after five killed in unrest
Jul 1, 2008
ULAN BATOR (AFP) - Armed soldiers patrolled the tense streets of Mongolia's 
capital Wednesday amid a state of emergency that was imposed after protests 
over alleged vote-rigging left five people dead.
The government vowed it would prevent further unrest after Tuesday's 
upheaval, when around 8,000 people stormed through the centre of Ulan Bator, 
destroying buildings, torching cars and pelting police with rocks.
Five people were killed and 329 people injured in the protests, Justice 
Minister Tsend Munkh-Orgil told reporters, adding that police had fired tear 
gas and rubber bullets to quell the unrest but that they had been 
overwhelmed.
"Border troops and armed forces are being used to improve security in the 
city because of an insufficient number of police," Munkh-Orgil said.
"We have word that certain groups are organising for large demonstrations 
after the end of the state of emergency. The government will suppress any 
such acts."
Mongolian President Nambariin Enkhbayar declared a four-day state of 
emergency late on Tuesday to end the rioting, with the measures including a 
ban on alcohol sales and the closure of all media except government-run 
outlets.
A night-time curfew also was imposed while traffic was banned from the 
centre of Ulan Bator, where the worst of the violence erupted.
"This is the first ever state of emergency in Mongolia and I hope it will be 
the last," Munkh-Orgil said.
The unrest began after the former communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary 
Party (MPRP) claimed victory in Sunday's national elections over the 
Democratic Party, with which it had shared an uneasy coalition since 2004.
The General Election Committee has yet to make a formal announcement on the 
ballot. A spokesman for the committee, Purevdorjiin Naranbat, told AFP that 
a final decision did not have to be made public for another fortnight.
"By law we have to have a final result within 15 days, we are not late yet," 
Naranbat said.
After Democrats leader Tsakhia Elbegdorj alleged the MPRP had cheated its 
way to a supposed win, its supporters took to the streets in protest.
The Soviet-era headquarters of the MPRP, a concrete five-storey structure in 
the centre of town, was set alight and looted.
An AFP reporter who walked through the city on Wednesday also saw burnt-out 
cars and other damaged buildings, including the National Palace of Culture, 
a Soviet-era building that houses many national treasures.
"The Palace of Culture was set on fire and the invaluable collection of art 
inside was looted," Munkh-Orgil said.
Mongolia , a landlocked nation of nearly three million people, has a history 
of political intrigue and turmoil after emerging from 70 years as a Soviet 
satellite to hold its first democratic elections in 1992.
However the violence was among the worst the nation -- famous for its 
ancient warrior history under Genghis Khan -- had seen since adopting a 
democratic model, and many people here were left disenchanted.
"I sincerely appreciate my country and its history but I think this was an 
unfair election," said Denzin Chuluunbaatar, 45, a social worker, who was 
walking through the city on Wednesday.
"The politicians are not thinking about the country, they just think about 
themselves... It's just a small country so we can't fight each other. It 
would be terrible if there was a civil war."
As the protests erupted, Prime Minister Sanjagiin Bayar, of the MPRP, 
accused the Democrats and Elbegdorj of inciting the violence.
"The other party is accusing us of buying the election. It's not true, the 
election was free and fair," he said from the MPRP headquarters before it 
was ransacked.
Elbegdorj bluntly accused the MPRP in a press conference on Tuesday of 
"illegal activities" to rob the Democrats of victory.
"People voted for democracy. Ask eight of 10 people and they will say they 
voted for the Democratic Party. We lost because... corrupt people changed 
the results," he told reporters.
"This was a dark moment in the history of Mongolia."
The MPRP, which ruled during the Soviet years, had claimed to have won 45 
seats in the 76-seat Great Hural. State press said the Democrats had won 21 
seats.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/357601/1/.html

Violent protests erupt in Mongolia amid poll dispute
Posted: 01 July 2008 2056 hrs

Photos 1 of 1


Mongolians clash with police officers outside the HQ of the Mongolian 
People's Revolutionary Party in Ulan Bator


ULAN BATOR - Thousands of people staged a violent protest in Mongolia's 
capital on Tuesday as they voiced outrage over what they claimed were rigged 
elections, forcing police to fire gunshots, witnesses said.

The headquarters of the former communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary 
Party was set alight, with Prime Minister Sanjagiin Bayar believed to be 
inside, according to the witnesses at the building.

The protesters from the rival Democratic Party, which claims the MPRP bought 
votes and used other tactics to win Sunday's election, threw stones at 
firefighters who arrived to put out the blaze.

However the flames appeared to be extinguished by people inside the 
six-storey building, with the unrest also broadcast live on the privately 
run Eagle Television station.

Politics in Mongolia, a country of 2.6 million people sandwiched between 
China and Russia, has a recent history of turmoil and disputes, but violence 
such as that seen on Tuesday is extremely rare.

As the rioters massed outside the building before the blaze, Bayar spoke on 
television from inside, calling for restraint.

"The other party (the Democrats) is accusing us of buying the election. It's 
not true, the election was free and fair. We now request that everyone 
should stop this chaotic protest immediately," he said on Eagle Television.

Bayar accused Democratic Party leader Tsakhia Elbegdorj of being responsible 
for the unrest.

"Elbegdorj made a false announcement and he is misleading people and 
inciting violence," Bayar said.

Police repeatedly fired what appeared to be rubber bullets into and above 
the crowd to quell the protests, according to a reporter for Eagle 
Television and a European journalist at the scene.

However there were no immediate signs of major injuries.

The MPRP, which ruled for decades under the protection of the former Soviet 
Union, says it won 45 seats in the 76-seat Great Hural while the Democrats 
have reportedly won 21 seats.

The General Election Committee has yet to make a formal announcement on the 
ballot.

"This election was run by one party. It is a false election," one of the 
protesters, Galsan-Namjillin Sukhbaatar, told AFP outside the MPRP's 
headquarters before the worst of the riots erupted.

"The communist party should not win. I stand for democracy and human rights, 
but we don't see that today in Mongolia."

The MPRP ruled Mongolia from its independence from the Chinese in 1921 until 
1996, when it was beaten in elections by the Democratic Party.

In 2004, Mongolia's last general election, the MPRP and the Democrats nearly 
split the vote and were forced into a coalition that produced three 
different prime ministers.

The instability held up economic reforms and shook investor confidence, but 
the nation's economy still grew by 9.9 per cent last year thanks largely to 
its vast deposits of copper and gold. - AFP/ir

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/other/2008/07/03/163739/5%2Ddead.htm

5 dead in Mongolia post-election riot

By Irja Halasz, Reuters
Thursday, July 3, 2008



ULAN BATOR -- A riot in Mongolia's capital over alleged election fraud has 
killed five people, dampe


ning hopes for a period of stable government to develop the mining sector 
and tackle inflation.
President Nambariin Enkhbayar declared a four day state of emergency late on 
Tuesday after protesters upset over last weekend's election clashed with 
police and set fire to the ruling Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party 
(MPRP) headquarters.
The emergency rule -- the first in Mongolia's history -- means protests are 
banned and security forces can use tear gas and rubber bullets to break up 
demonstrations.
"We urge parties to resolve outstanding issues related to election results 
in a legal way and seek a consensus-based solution to the present crisis," 
Justice Minister Monkh-Orgil told a news conference.
He said about 220 civilians and 108 servicemen were injured in the clashes. 
Around 700 protesters have been detained.
Mongolia's election committee has yet to announce the final result of 
Sunday's vote, but preliminary results give the MPRP, which ruled the 
country as a Soviet satellite for much of the last century, a clear majority 
in the 76-seat parliament.
The opposition Democratic Party said it did not accept the projected 
outcome, but members also disavowed the violence.
Its members were set to meet with the MPRP on Wednesday.
"From the Sea of Japan to the eastern border of Europe, we are the only 
functioning democracy and we have a duty to save it," Democratic Party 
leader Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj said.
He condemned the government for allowing the riot to continue so long but 
also said it may not have been necessary to immediately declare the state of 
emergency.
The chaos threatens to further delay deals that could unlock vast reserves 
of copper, coal, uranium and other resources beneath the country's vast 
steppes and deserts, seen as key to lifting the landlocked Central Asian 
state out of poverty.

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php?sid=377740

Five killed, 300 injured in Mongolia riots

IANS     Wednesday 2nd July, 2008
Moscow, July 2 (RIA Novosti) Five people have been killed and over 300 
injured during mass protests in the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator over 
allegations of election fraud, the Mongolia Web news portal reported 
Wednesday.

Up to 6,000 people took to the streets Tuesday after the results of Sunday's 
elections were announced with the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party 
(MPRP) claiming to have won at least 44 seats in the country's 76-seat 
parliament, the Great Hural.

The opposition Democratic Party has won 21 seats.

Following Tuesday's riots, President Nambaryn Enkhbayar announced a four-day 
state of emergency after protesters set fire to cars, attacked government 
buildings, shops and tried to steal weapons from a police station.

A total of 1,800 police were involved in trying to maintain order but were 
forced to use rubber bullets and water cannons after the crowd set fire to 
the headquarters of the ruling party's building.

Over 700 people have been arrested and 108 police were injured in the 
clashes.

Riots were also reported in the easternmost province of Dornod and the 
northern province of Bulgan.

Moscow expressed concern over the riots in Mongolia and called on the 
country's political forces to show restraint and responsibility.

'We are convinced that the existing disagreement could and should be solved 
within the framework of the country's constitution,' the Foreign Ministry 
said in a statement.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/02/2291704.htm

Mongolian rioters burn ruling party headquarters
By ABC reporter Nicky Redl in Ulaanbaatar
Posted Wed Jul 2, 2008 9:44am AEST
Updated Wed Jul 2, 2008 12:51pm AEST

Protesters gather in the streets of the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar. (ABC 
News: Nicky Redl)
Angry demonstrators in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar have seized an 
opportunity to hold violent riots against the outcome of last weekend's 
election, saying that they have been ''waiting for years'' for this moment.
The protesters have burned down the headquarters of the ruling, former 
communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP).
Police fired rubber bullets into the crowd and used batons against the 
demonstrators as they began their rampage, but to no avail.
Protesters told ABC reporter Nicky Redl, who is in Ulaanbaatar, that they 
did not care if they were hurt or arrested because they had been waiting for 
this moment for years.
Several hundred protesters threw furniture out the windows of the building 
and threw bottles of alcohol into the flames.
The night sky was alight and the streets full of people as a neighbouring 
building and a car were also torched as protesters threw rocks and chanted 
slogans.
The masses blocked firefighting trucks from getting to the flames, only 
letting them pass in the early hours of the morning.
People yelled that they will not be intimidated and that they had had enough 
of the MPRP.
Mongolian President Nambariin Enkhbayar has declared a state of emergency in 
the capital.
Demonstrators say they want democracy and allege the ruling MPRP receives 
donations from China and Russia in return for access to the country's 
resources, while most of Mongolia's people remain poor.
While political unrest has been fairly common in recent years, violence in 
the landlocked nation between Russia and China is rare.
The nation of 2.9 million people made a peaceful transition from communism 
to democracy in 1992.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7011475405

Mongolia Capital In State Of Emergency As Protesters Riot
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July 1, 2008 8:46 p.m. EST

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Windsor Genova - AHN News Writer
Ulan Bator, Mongolia (AHN) - Mongolia's leader, President Nambariin 
Enkhbayar, placed the capital under a state of emergency for four days on 
Tuesday to stop violent protests against the results of Sunday's 
parliamentary election.
A 10 p.m. curfew and ban on public assembly and independent broadcasts took 
effect here following two days of rioting by 6,000 supporters of the losing 
Democratic Party. The protesters burned and looted the headquarters of the 
former communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), which they 
claim rigged the elections to win.
Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas on protesters, who threw rocks on 
firemen who came to put out the burning MPRP building.
Protesters also attacked a police station to free their arrested colleagues.

http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2008-07/2008-07-02-voa3.cfm?CFID=27413982&CFTOKEN=47093143

5 Dead After Violent Political Protests in Mongolian Capital
By VOA News
02 July 2008

Smoke from headquarters of ruling party after protesters set it on fire in 
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 1 Jul 2008 (Kyoto News Photo)
Mongolia's justice minister says five people were killed Tuesday in a 
violent protest in the capital Ulaanbaatar over Sunday's parliamentary 
elections.

Hundreds of others were injured Tuesday after demonstrators burned the 
offices of the ruling party, accusing it of voter fraud.  Police responded 
by firing rubber bullets and tear gas.

The violence led President Nambaryn Enkhbayar to declare a four-day state of 
emergency, beginning after midnight Wednesday night.  Under the presidential 
decree, no public gathering will be allowed in Ulaanbaatar during the 
emergency period.

The full results of the election have yet to be released, but preliminary 
results show the ruling Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party winning more 
than 40 of parliament's 76 seats.

The head of the rival Mongolian Democratic Party, which is predicted to have 
won more than 20 seats, says his party will not accept the results of the 
race.

Both parties campaigned on a promise to give cash payouts to every Mongolian 
from big mining projects, including a major copper deposit in the Gobi 
desert.

The Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party ruled the country for much of the 
past century as a one-party communist state, but introduced multi-party 
democracy and market reforms in the 1990s.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/function/0,,12215_cid_3453801,00.html?maca=en-rss-en-news-1092-rdf

 | 02.07.2008 | 01:00 UTC
Protests continue in Mongolian capital despite curfew
Mongolia's President has declared a four-day state of emergency in the 
capital after violent protests over claims the general election was rigged. 
Thousands of protestors from the rival Democratic Party stormed the 
headquarters of Mongolia's governing party in Ulan Bator, as officers used 
tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. Part of the Cultural 
Palace, which contains an art gallery, a museum and a theatre, was on fire 
early Wednesday as violence continued despite the emergency decree. Public 
gatherings and independent media broadcasts have also been also banned. The 
General Election Committee has not yet made any formal announcement on the 
ballot.

http://www.mongolia-investment.com/news/mining-news/political-unrest-in-mongolia-may-hinder-mining-investment/

Political Unrest in Mongolia May Hinder Mining Investment


The political chaos that triggered a state of emergency in Mongolia this 
week could slow the country's economic transformation and delay investment 
plans of Western mining companies that have been waiting to push through 
deals.

Mongolia imposed a four-day state of emergency in downtown area of the 
capital, Ulaanbaatar, after the opposition alleged fraud in weekend 
elections which lead to violent protest. By Thursday, newswire services were 
reporting that the military vehicles had withdrawn from the streets, and the 
state of emergency officially ended early Saturday. Despite the end of 
unrest in the capital city, political bickering could take months to 
resolve.

Mongolia has endured boisterous protests in recent years as it tries to 
establish a permanent democracy following decades of domination by the 
Soviet Union. Many of those protests have revolved around mining, which some 
locals view as a critical source of revenue and others see as a potential 
driver of environmental degradation and corruption. In one 2006 protest, 
activists burned effigies of a key foreign mining executive and top 
political leaders in the capital's main square.

The latest unrest is different from past episodes because it has been more 
violent and intense, according to observers.

Though largely agrarian, Mongolia, which has about three million people, is 
rich in copper, coal and other commodities whose prices have skyrocketed in 
recent years. As mining companies have depleted resources elsewhere, many of 
the country's best mineral assets were left untouched. That puts Mongolia 
among a handful of developing countries -- including troubled places such as 
the Democratic Republic of Congo and other parts of Africa -- that still 
hold promise of big riches for Western miners.

Companies that see Mongolia's potential include Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. of 
Vancouver and global mining giant Rio Tinto, which together are trying to 
develop one of the world's largest copper and gold projects deep in 
Mongolia's Gobi desert. But the $7 billion effort, called Oyu Tolgoi, has 
been held up for years as the companies have sought to negotiate a final 
investment agreement with the government that would set terms for taxation, 
royalties and other issues.

Mining companies "are waiting for closure on major mineral agreements. ... 
There is a sense that they want to begin the development process in a 
serious way and [want to] have a stable investment climate" to work in, says 
a Western diplomat based in Ulan Bator, the capital. "This is a pivotal time 
for Mongolia."

Mongolia's ruling party has supported legal changes that would facilitate 
deals with foreign miners but has been unable to push them through the 
country's legislature. The ruling party's gains in Sunday's parliamentary 
elections were therefore expected to benefit the resources industry, but the 
opposition's protests have clouded those hopes.

Tensions began to escalate Tuesday afternoon, after the leader of Mongolia's 
Democratic Party -- which appeared to fare worse than expected in 
preliminary results from Sunday's elections -- questioned the results. Final 
tallies from the vote still have not yet been released.

After the opposition party questioned preliminary tallies, as many as 8,000 
people participated in a major demonstration, according to Montsame, 
Mongolia's national news agency. Five people were killed when the protests 
took a violent turn. Some protesters ransacked the headquarters of the 
victorious political party, removing computers and setting fire to the 
building.

International observers have called the elections free and fair, but the 
fraud allegations could delay a resolution for months. Technically, a new 
government must be formed two weeks after the elections, but that looks 
uncertain as the opposition has called for a recount in some areas. 
Mongolia's parliament usually sits twice a year, in the spring and fall. The 
uncertainty means investors might have to wait until February for a decision 
on any mining deals.

Ian Head, a spokesman for Rio Tinto, would say only that "we're optimistic 
that we can sit down and talk with the new government to achieve a 
satisfactory agreement," once calm is restored.

Source: Wall Street Journal
July 6, 2008

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/08/01/mongolia-silent-protest-at-sukhbaatar-square/

Mongolia: Silent Protest at Sukhbaatar Square

AsianGypsy tells that families of the recent protests' detainees along with 
Mongolia's National Green Movement and Civil Front Movement members have 
organized a silent demonstration at central square of Mongolian capital, 
demanding the release of the detainees.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PEK339912.htm

Relatives await news of Mongolia riot detainees
05 Jul 2008 09:27:31 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Royston Chan
ULAN BATOR, July 5 (Reuters) - Mongolia lifts its four-day state of 
emergency late on Saturday, but relatives are still waiting for news of 
those detained in the post-election riots that prompted the imposition of 
emergency rule.
Some 700 people were taken into custody following violence on Tuesday night 
over perceived election fraud, when stone-throwing mobs torched the 
headquarters of the ruling Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP).
"I am worried and people here are saying different things about the 
situation, such as the detainees being beaten up," said one woman, who said 
her son had been missing for three days.
"Some of them went up the hill and saw detainees made to squat down and walk 
in line ... They talked about such harsh conditions," the woman added.
She was one of several anxious relatives waiting outside the Denjiin Myanga 
detention centre, many of whom said they had received no word on the 
condition of their family members or whether and where they were being 
housed.
"When I asked the Sukhbaatar district police about his whereabouts, they 
asked me to go to the state investigation office," said the woman, who did 
not want to be identified.
"Later, the state investigation office sent me here. But I also cannot find 
any information about him here. So I am just waiting," she said.
The status of those detained is one of several questions being raised 
following the president's declaration of a state of emergency on Tuesday, 
the first since the country shook off Soviet influence and embraced 
democratic reform in 1990.
At least three of the five killed in the riot were determined to have died 
from gunshot wounds, and local newspapers have reported that several more in 
hospital had gunshot injuries.
The opposition Democratic Party, which alleges fraud in last Sunday's 
election, which international observers say was largely fair, established a 
working group to investigate accounts of homicide during the riot.
Security forces were mandated to use rubber bullets and tear gas to bring 
the thousands of protesters under control, but were not authorised to use 
lethal force.
The party has also announced it will evaluate the impact on the media of 
emergency rule, under which only state television is permitted to broadcast 
on air.
For those waiting at the detention centre in the poor suburb of Ulan Bator, 
one of several outlying areas where unemployment and alcoholism run high, 
the promise of a long-term investigation may bring little comfort.
Some said they were pushed around by police when they demanded information.
One woman, who said her son was only out buying groceries on the night of 
the riot, said she was worried that authorities might force him to confess 
involvement.
"First I found out that he was here but the next time I came, his name was 
not on the list anymore," she said.
"So I went to the investigation office, but he was not there. Who knows if 
he is being kept somewhere and forced to sign some confessions?"
(Writing by Lindsay Beck; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7011512462

Mongolia Lifts Emergency Rule After Deadly Election Riots
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July 5, 2008 1:33 p.m. EST

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Mayur Pahilajani - AHN News Writer
Ulan Bator, Mongolia (AHN) - Mongolia on Saturday removed a state of 
emergency imposed following deadly clashes erupted in the capital Ulan Bator 
early this week.
On Tuesday, fatal protests led to the deaths of five people and left 300 
wounded, after hundreds were detained in riots over alleged fraud in the 
general election.
Country's first state of emergency was lifted four days after deadly riots 
as the reports said calm had returned to the city, but police and military 
personnel continued to patrol the streets on the capital city.
Mongolian Prime Minister Sanj Bayar announced that the authorities and 
parties will look in to the accusations of alleged voting fraud in 
parliamentary elections by law.
Local reports showed that the ruling Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party 
(MPRP) won a majority of seats in the elections held on Sunday.
Prime Minister Bayar accused the leader of Democratic Party, Tsakhia 
Elbegdorj, for misleading people and increasing tensions leading to violent 
protests.
But international observers, who were stationed at several polling booths in 
the country, said the election was free and fair and it was not rigged.
Observers said protesters were mainly demanding the government to stop 
corruption and frustrations boiled over widening rich-poor divide.
The national election commission has until July 10 to announce final results 
of the elections.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/03/asia/mongolia.php

Mongolia capital cleans up debris after deadly rioting

The Associated Press
Published: July 3, 2008


ULAN BATOR, Mongolia: The smell of smoke hung in the air Thursday as people 
swept up in Mongolia's capital on the second day of a state of emergency 
called after at least five people died in rioting brought on by allegations 
of election fraud.
A four-day emergency was declared after thousands of rock-throwing 
protesters clashed with the police late Tuesday, mobbing the headquarters of 
the governing Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, or MPRP, and setting 
it on fire.
The demonstrators also attacked the General Election Commission, demanding 
that officials resign.
The police and troops imposed a 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfew, which appeared to 
have been mostly observed overnight. Traffic on Thursday was near normal in 
a steady drizzle of rain.
The smell of burned wood and plastic was still heavy in the air.
Workers were sweeping out a cultural center near the party headquarters that 
was also attacked. Every office in the building, which housed arts and music 
groups, had been broken into and looted, with glass and other debris on the 
floors.
"They stole everything, all the instruments, even the performers' costumes. 
The only thing left is the piano," said Delgensaikhan Tuvshinsaikhan, the 
leader of a traditional folk music group that was housed in the building.
As he spoke, several of his musicians swept up glass and broken vases.
President Nambariin Enkhbayar issued a nine-point decree allowing the police 
to use force in dealing with demonstrators, who reportedly also looted an 
art gallery and government buildings.
Mongolia's national news agency Montsame said five people died in the 
Tuesday violence, in which officers used tear gas, rubber bullets and water 
cannon to beat back rioters wielding bricks and iron rods. The report did 
not say how they died.
There were 220 people wounded in the unrest, including a Japanese reporter, 
Montsame reported.
According to preliminary results of the Sunday election that focused on how 
to share the country's mineral wealth, the MPRP - the former Communists who 
governed the country when it was a Soviet satellite - won 46 seats in the 
76-seat Parliament. Official results are to be announced by July 10.
The MPRP has long been dogged by allegations of corruption and official 
misconduct and is unpopular in the capital.
A spokesman for the opposition Mongolian Democratic Party, Sharavjamts 
Bathayar, said supporters of his party showed up to vote only to find that 
someone had already cast their ballots.
There were also cases of votes cast in the names of dead people, he said.
The opposition was seeking a recount, but there was no comment from the 
General Election Commission.