Senator Zhamsuev Calls for End to Chinggis Khan Monument Dispute

Russian Senator from Zabaykalsky Krai Baair Zhamsuev at a plenary meeting of the Agin-Buryat Okrug administration on January 31 called for an end to disputes over the installation of a Chinggis Khan monument in the region, as the main goal is to create a tourist attraction, not to glorify a conqueror. According to the senator, the created object could have a different name.

The idea of promoting Chinggis Khan in Zabaykalsky Krai has sparked much controversy. In November, writer Zakhar Prilepin got involved, calling for not to dramatize the situation. Writer Yelena Chubenko, outraged that money would be spent on the monument and trail for Chinggis Khan while people are raising funds to help participants of the special military operation, questioned him about it. Later she criticized his position. In December, State Duma deputy Andrey Gurulyov stated that a Chinggis Khan monument is not needed in the region.

‘Our strength lies in preserving a strong, unified state entity. Therefore, if any disputes arise, we must remember that we are one family. If disputes arise, we should resolve them ourselves. A conference has passed, and it has come to the point where they start accusing those who advocate for the monument of being almost traitors. It is clear that we are raised on stories that view Chinggis Khan as a conqueror. But I want to remind you that there was a great Russian writer, an Old Believer, Isai Kalashnikov, who wrote the novel «The Cruel Age». When he was writing it, he confessed to his wife that he had written several chapters and was afraid that he would be imprisoned for it. Because he was praising Chinggis Khan, it was Soviet times. But no one imprisoned him, his book spread around the world. That is history,’ said Zhamsuev.

At the same time, the senator added that no one plans to erect a monument to Chinggis Khan: ‘Let«s move away from this concept. We view our history through the prism of wanting to build a tourist attraction. Perhaps it is not very fortunate to call it Chinggis Khan. Let»s abandon this name. <…> If we want to create such a tourist attraction, are we praising him as a conqueror? No way. It«s about a tourist attraction related to history.’

Minister of Science and Professional Education of Zabaykalsky Krai, archaeologist Natalya Vikulova believes that the banks of the Onon River are one of three places where Chinggis Khan might have been born. However, there is no reliable data yet that this happened in Zabaykalsky Krai, as no deep scientific research has been conducted.

Russian archaeologist, professor, doctor of historical sciences of Zabaykalye State University Mikhail Konstantinov confirmed that there is no unanimous opinion — the Buryat population of Zabaykalsky Krai believes that Chinggis Khan was born on the Russian Onon, while Mongols believe it was on theirs. Therefore, the version of the khan«s Zabaykalsky origin belongs to legends.