European Parliament: Attacks on Hare Krishna in Kazakhstan

KAZAKHSTAN - EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Attacks on Hare Krishna in Kazakhstan

WRITTEN QUESTION E-5550/06 by Robert Kilroy-Silk (NI) to the Commission

Subject: Attacks on Hare Krishna in Kazakhstan

What representation has the Commission made about the attacks on the Hare Krishna community in Kazakhstan?

Answer E-5550/06EN given by Mrs Ferrero-Waldner on behalf of the Commission (2.2.2007)

On 21 November 2006, private workers with bulldozers backed by militia encircled a village of about 50 houses in the outskirts of Almaty. The special operation was due to implement a decision of a local District Court expropriating this portion of lands. Due to the counteraction of the villagers, only 13 houses were partly demolished and the operation was stopped. Currently, new court proceedings are under way.

The village, located in a beautiful position on the lakeside, hosts the local Krishna Consciousness Society. According to the information available at the Commission Delegation, this is more a question of rule of law than of harassment against religious minorities. In fact, it seems the operation was not carried out especially against the Hare Krishna community. It has been reported that behind the incident there are economic interests of supposedly powerful people who are attempting to take possession of these properties for future commercial use.

The fact that the 13 partly demolished houses were all of Krishna fellows led some observers to talk about harassment against religious minorities.
However, as was also stated by some Krishna representatives, they came under special scrutiny because of their strong resistance to the expropriation.

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Centre in Almaty is observing the renewed court proceedings and will soon present a detailed report. According to independent observers, the court case is carried out in violation of the procedural code. The general feeling is that the Hare Krishna community will lose the court case with a decision declaring its land contract as null and void, which will also deprive them of compensation.

The Commission will continue to watch the situation and raise the issue in its regular contacts with Kazakhstan at the appropriate occasion.