The Inner Mongolian People's Party was established on 23 March 1997 in Princeton, New Jersey with the goal of creating an independent state of Inner Mongolia.^[2] Another reason for the creation of the IMPP is that some of the Inner Mongolian people still have many unaddressed grievances dating back to the atrocities committed during Cultural Revolution. They believe that the Chinese government has not been held accountable or acknowledged their wrongdoings.^[3] The re-unification of Inner Mongolia and Mongolia is not currently within the "scope" of the IMPP as their current primary focus is on attaining independence for Inner Mongolia.^[2]

The IMPP has a chairman and vice chairman who are directly elected. The secretary general is proposed by the chairman and approved by the Standing Committee, who is elected by Congress representatives. The chairman, vice chairman and secretary general all are automatically committee members. The IMPP has branches in a few countries that are set up by the chairman and vice chairman. Additionally, there is an advisory board that is made up of non-IMPP members.^{[citation needed]}

In March 1997, more than fifty IMPP members from Mongolia, Germany, Japan, Canada and the United States attended the first Congress of the Inner Mongolian People's Party, which meets every four years, and acts as a decision-making body. Xi Haiming was elected as chairman, Bache was elected vice chairman, and Oyunbilig was elected as general secretary.^[4] Additionally, at the congressional meeting the Constitution was passed, membership criteria agreed upon, flag design finalized and, an "Open Letter to the People of Inner Mongolia" was issued and distributed.^[4] The party's headquarters are in the United States due to the contentious relationship with the People's Republic of China. Due to sensitivity issues and to protect IMPP members, there is limited information available to the public concerning party membership and the identities of their members.

Xi Haiming, Chairman edit

Xi Haiming, (Mongolian: Temtsiltu Shobtsood) was born in 1957 in Inner Mongolia. In the mid-1970s, he was actively involved in Inner Mongolian efforts to hold the Chinese government accountable to punish the people involved in the "cleansing campaign" during the Cultural Revolution. In 1981, the Chinese government implemented a policy to resettle millions of Chinese people in Inner Mongolia. Xi, as a student at the University of Inner Mongolia, became an influential student leader fighting to have the Chinese government reverse the policy and founded the Inner Mongolian League for the Defense of Human Rights.^[2] Due to his activities, the Chinese authorities put him under surveillance. In 1991, many of his friends were arrested causing him to flee to Mongolia. In 1993, he was granted political asylum in Germany and currently lives there with his wife and daughter.^[2]

Bache, Vice Chairman edit

Bache, born in 1955 in Xinjiang, used to be a member of the Chinese Communist Party. In 1990, he went abroad on official duty and did not return. Presently, he is a visiting scholar with the East Asian Institute at Columbia University.^[4]

Oyunbilig, General Secretary edit

Oyunbilig, born in 1968 in Inner Mongolia, graduated from Beijing University in 1990 and worked for the Chinese Aerospace Department and as a business representative to Mongolia. He was actively involved in the 1989 Tiananmen Square Student Movement in Beijing. In 1995, he was granted political asylum in the U.S. and is currently living in Maryland.^[2]

The only criterion for membership is that the individual accept the Constitution and is willing to actively participate in all events. According to the Constitution, members are free to withdraw their membership should they wish to do so.^[5]

The Constitution, passed at the first Congress, states the party's main goals as "to uphold the principles of democracy and peace in fighting to end the Chinese Communist Party's colonial rule in Inner Mongolia" and the "ultimate goal is to achieve the independence of Inner Mongolia."^[5][4]

• Separatist movements of China
  • Inner Mongolian independence movement
• Inner Mongolian People's Republic
• Mongolian People's Party in Outer Mongolia

• Official website