Southern Mongolian Human Rights Policy Act
The Southern Mongolian Human Rights Policy Act is a bill California Senator Merkley and Senator Sullivan introduced in the 119th Congress. It aims to advance the rights and protection of Southern Mongolians living in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), particularly in Inner Mongolia, by combining diplomatic pressure, sanctions, public diplomacy, and cultural and economic support. The bill sets out findings about language rights, education policy, religious freedom, pastoralist livelihoods, environmental harm, and political repression, and it proposes a multi-pronged US approach: condemn abuses, push Beijing to allow Mongolian language education and cultural autonomy, monitor and sanction responsible individuals, expand US public and cultural programming (notably through Voice of America and cultural institutions), improve US diplomatic focus on Inner Mongolia, and promote sustainable livelihoods and minority-led development in areas designated as Mongolian autonomous regions. If enacted, the bill would create new reporting requirements, authorize targeted sanctions (with a five-year sunset), establish a Mongolian-language VOA service, direct embassy resources to monitor Inner Mongolia, and encourage international financial and cultural institutions to support autonomous Southern Mongolian communities under strict safeguards. The overall effect would be to bolster international attention on Southern Mongolian rights and to leverage diplomacy, media, culture, and development tools to protect language, religion, traditional livelihoods, and self-determination opportunities for Southern Mongolians.
Key Points
- 1Comprehensive policy package to protect Southern Mongolian human rights, language rights, culture, religion, and autonomous economic development in areas designated as Mongolian autonomous by the PRC.
- 2Sanctions mechanism: annually identify individuals (including PRC officials) responsible for serious abuses against Southern Mongolians and impose targeted sanctions under Global Magnitsky, immigration, and related authorities; five-year sunset for the sanctions provisions.
- 3Public diplomacy and information: establish a Mongolian-language Voice of America service within 180 days to reach Mongolian-speaking audiences in Mongolia, the PRC, and Russia; funding of $2 million per year for 2025-2026 to support this effort; include a formal implementation report.
- 4Diplomatic and embassy focus: create an Inner Mongolian team within the U.S. Embassy in Beijing to monitor developments in Inner Mongolia and other Mongolians-designated autonomous areas, with emphasis on Mongolian-language staff and reporting on human rights conditions; requires a reporting timeline on staffing.
- 5Cultural preservation and diaspora support: prompt Smithsonian funding for endangered cultures (including Southern Mongolians) and support for diaspora-related grants through the Institute of Museum and Library Services; build programs to preserve Mongolian culture and heritage.
- 6Sustainable livelihoods and development: affirm the right of Southern Mongolians to pursue autonomous, culturally respectful economic development (including pastoralist livelihoods); guide U.S. involvement with international financial institutions to support appropriate projects with safeguards against land dispossession and demographic shifts.