Decision of Kazakhstan Commission

[Guest guest]

Dear Devotees,

 

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

 

Hare Krishna!!

 

The special commission of the Kazakh government which was organised by the

Ministry of Justice has issued an undated decision signed by the chairman

Mr. Mukhashov.

 

This decision was distributed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to

representatives of the UK, US, and Dutch governments.

 

I am a part of the commission. As a member I never had any involvement in

reaching the conclusion, and til this moment I have not officially received

the decision. Also the independent observers from OSCE, Helsinki Human

Rights, and Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Law

Observance were never asked for their observations.

 

Again this shows that the government does not care to resolve the issue in

any type of fair process and is neglecting the glaring need to resolve a

crisis surrounding a minority religious group in their nation.

 

I have requested devotees to post the statement of the commission as well as

our response. (Statement is below, followed by a separate posting which

refutes the main points of their findings.)

 

Please continue to keep the Kazakh devotees in your prayers. We need your

ongoing support in our struggle.

 

And needless to say, I can’t thank you enough for your help during this time

of crisis.

 

Hope you have a joyous holiday season.

 

With affectionate regards,

 

BB Govinda Swami

 

____________________________

 

DECISION

of the Commission for investigation of the land issue of the Religious

Organization “Society for Krishna Consciousness”

in the Karasai district of Almaty province.

 

Having studied the current situation connected with land disputes of the

Religious Organization (hereinafter - RO) “Society for Krishna

Consciousness” in the Karasai district of the Almaty province and having

listened to members of the producers’ cooperative (hereinafter - PC)

“Horticultural Association Ptitsevod,” PC “Horticultural Association

Priozerye,” members of RO “Society for Krishna Consciousness” as well as

representatives of the Karasai District Hakimat, territorial bodies of land

resources management of Almaty province and Mr. B.B. Govinda Swami, the

coordinator of RO “Society for Krishna Consciousness” in Central Asia, the

Commission decided:

 

1. To recommend the Hakim of the Karasai district:

1) To solve disputable points on the usage of land plots and summer cottages

on the territory of the Eltai rural district in accordance with the

procedures established by the legislation of RK;

2) To take measures to exclude defects in the future work for the

privatization of land plots in the Eltai rural district and the control over

abidance by the requirements of land legislation and architectural and

town-planning legislation of RK;

3) To continue the previously suspended privatization of cottages and

horticultural plots of land taking into account the requirements of land

legislation and architectural and town-planning legislation of RK;

 

2. To recommend the management of RO “Society of Krishna Consciousness”:

1) To appeal to the local executive authorities of the Karasai district in

accordance with the procedures established by legislation for allotment of a

land plot to construct a place of worship;

2) To carry out public worship, religious rites and ceremonies according to

the requirements of the Law of RK “On the Freedom of Faith and Religious

Associations.”

3) To present the problems of cooperation with the local authorities

objectively while appealing to governmental bodies, international

organizations and mass media.

 

3. To recommend the members of RO “Society for Krishna Consciousness” and PC

“Horticultural Association Priozerye” that any disputable issues on the

usage of land plots and cottages on the territory of the Eltai rural

district of the Karasai district should be resolved in the order established

by the legislation of RK.

 

4. To recommend that the Department of Justice of Almaty province and the

Committee for Connections with Religious Organizations of the Almaty

Provincial Hakimat should take into consideration the current situation and

continuously control the observance of the law on the freedom of faith and

religious associations by local bodies, religious associations, and other

legal and physical entities in the Karasai district.

 

Chairman of the Commission (signed) A. Mukhashov