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ULAN BATOR: Mongolia was on Saturday expected to lift a state of emergency implemented after unprecedented deadly election riots engulfed the capital of Ulan Bator, but residents feared renewed violence.
Five people died in Tuesday's riots over alleged rigged parliamentary elections, and residents of the city expressed concern about the prospect of further unrest.
"Now in my country it is a very important time and politics are not stable, and if these protests happen again, a lot of people could get hurt or could lose their lives," said Naraa Baatar, 19.
The four-day state of emergency, due to end at midnight on Saturday, was implemented for the first time in Mongolia after the protests, imposing a 10pm (1400 GMT) curfew and shutting down all media outlets except for state media.
But some residents went out after the curfew on Friday as the city returned to normality.
Allegations of fraud in Sunday's elections, in which the former communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) won by a large majority, were still circulating, heightening concern of further unrest.
Many still believed that the MPRP had stolen votes from the rival Democratic Party – allegations that caused the violence on Tuesday in the first place.
"In my opinion, there will be more protests because the election was unfair and dishonest," said Bayanbat Ganba, a 21-year-old bank worker in Mongolia's capital.
But a joint declaration signed by conflicting parties on Friday, urging against any further violence, and pledging to resolve their differences peacefully, was expected to alleviate the tension.
Sanjaasuren Oyun, Mongolia's foreign minister, earlier said she thought the declaration would prevent any further violence, although it would not stop politicians from rowing over the disputed elections.
- AFP/so
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