Kaz Government Rules Against Krishnas

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KAZAKH GOVERNMENT COMMISSION DENIES PERSECUTION OF HARE KRISHNA FOLLOWERS

 

International Herald Tribune, Paris

Published: January 5, 2007

 

ALMATY, Kazakhstan: A Kazakh government commission on Friday ruled in favor

of local authorities in a land dispute with the country's Hare Krishna

community and dismissed the Krishnas' claims of religious persecution.

 

The commission said that the dispute, which led to the demolition of several

houses used by the community, was the result of "gross" violations of land

and religion laws by the Krishnas.

 

The commission affirmed decisions made in April by courts that found Hare

Krishna members guilty of illegally acquiring land and ordered that the

houses be destroyed and the land confiscated. The Hare Krishna community

denies breaking property laws and says it is a victim of religious

intolerance.

 

Laborers with crowbars and bulldozers destroyed the community's 13 country

houses at a farm outside the commercial capital, Almaty, on Nov. 21, while

police prevented community members from interfering.

 

The U.S. Embassy has expressed concerns about the legality of razing the

houses and urged Kazakh authorities to end what it called an "aggressive"

campaign against Hare Krishna followers.

 

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said after the

houses were destroyed that it appeared the Krishnas were targeted because of

their religious beliefs.

 

In its statement Friday, the government commission set up to look into the

dispute said the demolitions were legal and recommended the Hare Krishna

community seek to acquire land by lawful means.

 

It said that Krishnas had broken property-registration laws and disturbed

neighbors while carrying out their religious rituals.

 

The Krishnas, which have a small community in the Kazakhstan, issued a

statement Friday calling the commission's decision arbitrary. It accused the

commission of excluding them, as well as rights activists and observers from

foreign organizations, from its meetings.

 

Kazakh authorities have long been seen as being more tolerant of minority

religions than are other governments in mostly Muslim ex-Soviet Central

Asia, but in recent years they have tightened laws governing religious

organizations, citing concerns about Islamic extremism.