SEEK COMPENSATION VIA CHAPTER 11

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GBC ENCOURAGES YOUTH TO SEEK COMPENSATION VIA CHAPTER 11

July 9, 2003

 

Dear Devotees and Friends,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

I am writing on behalf of the ISKCON Governing Body Commission (GBC)

regarding the child abuse lawsuit and Chapter 11 Reorganization proceedings

underway in United States Federal Bankruptcy Court. Please share this

information with anyone who could benefit from it.

 

The opportunity currently exists for young people who were abused to get

significant financial and other assistance from ISKCON through these court

proceedings.

 

The GBC urges any young person who may have been mistreated or abused at a

gurukula (or temple) in the 1970s, 1980's, or 1990's to come forward and

file an official claim to seek compensation, or assistance, through the

current proceedings in the Federal Courts.

 

The decision of North American temples named in the suit to seek Chapter 11

Reorganization was approved by the GBC. The purpose of the reorganization

was to 1) provide a fair system to assist any young person who may have been

abused in the past, and 2) protect innocent devotees from losing their

temples.

 

A federal judge will soon study the assets of the ISKCON temples/projects

involved and decide how much they are able to pay. The exact amount of

compensation and different levels of distribution are still to be determined

by the Court. The number of individuals filing claims will not affect the

amount of money the temples must pay.

 

Filing a claim does not mean one is "joining" the existing lawsuit. Nor will

filing a legitimate claim at this time hurt ISKCON, or be an offense to

Srila Prabhupada. No ISKCON member should criticize someone who files a

claim.

 

It is imperative that anyone who has a legitimate claim files (registers

their name) immediately. The Court has set a deadline of August 15, 2003 for

filing, and claims must be received by that date. Names submitted after

August 15, 2003, will not be accepted. Per court order, all claims will be

kept "under seal," or confidential. The privacy of individuals filing claims

will be protected and personal information will not be made public.

 

To file a claim, please go to the website harekrishnaclaims.com for detailed

information. This is valid internationally, and is not restricted only to

those abused in North America.

 

Your servant,

Anuttama Dasa

ISKCON Minister of Communications