namahatta.org - Congregational Development Ministry

[These updates were published at www.sivaramaswami.com, among others.]

UPDATE: November 22, 2006 - Destruction of Krishna Community

By Bhakti Bhrnga Govinda Swami

Krishna devotees are in a state of Shock in Kazakhstan.

24 hours after 200 riot police appeared at the their farm community, the devotees are sifting through the ruins of their homes trying to salvage clothes and belongings.

The Omon riot police threw the personal belongings of the Hindus into the mud and snow, while loading the furniture on the back of trucks. The officials said the furniture and household belongings would be destroyed.

Many of the devotees were left without clothes. The officers cut the power to the area so there was no light or possibility to run heating systems.

When the members of the community tried contacting Amanbek Mukhashov, the chairman of the government commitee to investigate the issue of the Krishna devotees, he angrily screamed on the phone that he was on vacation and it was not his concern.

Two different officers in the State Religious Commitee politely suggested that we call the Karasai Rayon Administration to complain on their behaviour.

Recently a member of the Krishna Community met an Ambassador of the Kazakh Government who begged to remain left unnamed. He clearly stated that the issues were instigated by the government to steal the lucrative investment that the devotees made in Kazakhstan.

The execution of the order violated the laws of Kazakhstan by giving only 24 hours notice prior to demolition. It also violated the law by evicting citizens from thier homes in the frozen winter weather.

Prime Minister Tony Blair raised the issue with President Nursultan Nazarbayev at a meeting yesterday in London.

Different informed individuals in Kazakhstan state that the brother of the President is the organsier of the initiative to destroy the Hindu community and steal thier property.

Today there will be demonstrations in London as Nazarbayev opens the trading on the London Stock Exchange.

UPDATE: 7:50 pm Tuesday

• As of now 11 houses have been demolished at the farm, and the power mains to all the other houses pulled down. That means that in sub-zero, snowy weather, devotees are having to leave in order to protect themselves from the elements.

• The police are promising to return and tear down the remaining houses and possibly the temple. At present we have no pictures of the event as the police are destroying all cameras and videos they see.

• Meanwhile in England devotees arranged to get the entire file to PM Tony Blair before his meeting with President Nazarbayev, and the PM passed on the file and his concern to the President.

• Tomorrow there will be a protest of hundreds of devotees from all the UK temples at the London Stock Exchange, which the President is opening. Media will be there as well.

• WHAT CAN YOU DO: Make an appointment with other devotees to see your local Kazakh Ambassador and don’t accept their answer that this is just an issue of illegal housing, but pound your fist on their table and demand that they immediately stop this persecution and compensate devotees for damage done.

HH BB Govinda Maharaja:

On November 20, 2006 at 6 AM an unidentified person delivered a stack of orders from the Executors of the Karasai District Court. The orders stated that the owners of cottages must destroy their homes, or they will be destroyed by the government at the expense of the owners.

On November 20, 2006 at 6 AM an unidentified person delivered a stack of orders from the Executors of the Karasai District Court. The orders stated that the owners of cottages must destroy their homes, or they will be destroyed by the government at the expense of the owners.

24 hours later 3 buses full of riot police, 2 ambulances, 2 empty lorries, and executors of Karasai district arrived at the Hindus farm to destroy their homes and personal temples.

They have strictly cordoned off the area to prevent journalists, human rights observers, and congregation from entering the area.

As of 16:25 (4:25 PM) they have destroyed three homes and broken out the window of all of the Hindus home. At the present it is snowing and is subzero weather.

When I last ‘communicated with Kazakhstan the officials were destroying the home of one mother and her newly born infant daughter. Her husband was not present as he was in Almaty.

The Chairman of the Commission that was established to work on the issue, Amanbek Mukhashov, was phoned from India. When he was question he simply closed the telephone call. Mr. Yerlan and Mr. Tulesov, of the Religion committee, have both recently made statements that the work of the commission is still in progress. They both said they had no idea what was happening.

In India the Kazakhstan Ambassador, Mr. Umarov, could only repeat the incorrect information which he has received from the Kazakhstan central government.

The president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, is at the present moment in England seeking economic investment for his country.

This attack is a follow up to foiled attempt to destroy homes in April 2006. The result of that action was international outcry regarding the disregard of human rights of the Kazakh government.

The acts constitute religious discrimination against a minority religion in Kazakhstan, as well as a collusion of the local government with the land mafia of Kazakhstan. The issue is under observation by OSCE and International Human rights organisations.

We are requesting concerned persons around the world to appeal to your foreign ministry to take up this issue with the Kazakh Ministry of foreign affairs, human rights organisations, OSCE, Helsinki Comittee on Human Rights.