Kaz Government Rules Against Krishnas

01-15-2007, 03:00 AM

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.