Mongolian democrat butchered at home

ONE OF THE HEROES of Mongolia's 1990 peaceful democratic overthrow of Communism has been axed and knifed to death in Ulan Bator, in an apparent political killing. Two masked men broke into the home of Sanjaasuregiin Zorig, 36, on Friday night, tied up his wife and murdered the politician when he returned home.

Zorig was known as the "Golden Magpie of Democracy" when he became one of the leaders of Mongolia's pro- democracy movement. He was a possible candidate for prime minister. The job has ben vacant since 24 July when the ruling Democratic Coalition and the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), the former Communists, failed to agree a candidate.

The MPRP wants to force a general election after widespread complaints about the social costs of the government's free market reforms.