Kazakhstan Demolishes Devotee homes

The Kazakh government has demolished more than a dozen homes of Krishna devotees. This follows an earlier thwarted attempt in April 2006. Kazakh officials have claimed that the land was transferred against Kazakh law. ISKCON devotees claim that this is not true and that this is a case of religious discrimination.

Kazakhstan has recently worked at portraying itself as a place where religious tolerance is respected. At the same time it has been repeatedly criticised by groups such as Forum18, a Norwegian human rights organisation, and is under observation by the OSCE, a group Kazakhstan's Pre­sident, Nursultan Nazarbayev, wants Kazakhstan to chair in 2009.

After the April attempt to evict devotes from their land, a government commission was set up to investigate the matter. According to Forum 18, there was a belief that this was merely to deflect criticism from the government during its Second Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.

Other groups claim to have suffered at the hands of the Kazakh government, including the Presbyterian Church, one of whose ministers was evicted from the country for "missionary activity without registration" shortly after being an official speaker at a state "Day of Spiritual Unity and Conciliation" ceremony, marking the official claim that "religious people and communities" have "full rights".

On 20 November at 6 am, orders were received for the devotees to demolish their homes or to have them demolished by the state at their expense. The next day, government demolitionists arrived.

By 23 November thirteen houses had been destroyed. The houses that weren't yet demolished have had their windows and window frames destroyed, making them uninhabitable in the freezing Kazakh winter.

In a phone call, the head of the committee investigating the issue, Amanbek Mukhashev, said "I know nothing about the demolition of the Hare Krishna homes I'm on holiday. As soon as I return to work at the beginning of December we will officially announce the results of the Commission's in­vestigation."

ISKCON's leader in Kazakhstan, Govinda Swami, who has attempted to raise international awareness of the problem said : "It is snowing in Kazakhstan and these folks are losing their homes. They entered one home where there was a woman with an infant and started destroying her home. We have been regularly told that the work of the commission is not finished and still they have attacked in this way." He said that it is "not a coincidence" that on 20 November his Kazakh visa expired "and on 21st they attacked".

Meanwhile, President Nazarbayev, is in England seeking economic investment for his country and was invited to officially open the London Stock Exchange.

In September, protests against Kazakhstan's tre­atment of ISKCON devotees were held in Washington DC. Following the recent demolitions, protests were quickly organised at the London Stock Exchange during President Nazarbayev's vi­sit.

An "early day motion" was passed in the UK Parliament condemning "harassment of and discrimination against Hindu minorities in Kazakhstan", noting that the Kazakh "Supreme Court reviewed two cases regarding Hindu cottages and ruled against the Hindus without inviting the plaintiffs to the hearings;" and called for President Nazarbayev "to intervene to stop action to demolish houses belonging to the followers of Hare Krishna, facilitate legal registration of properties owned by Hindus, allow Hindus to occupy their homes and worship freely."

Washington, DC: Over one hundred members of a local Hare Krishna temple, the Hindu-Jain Temple Association, and other Hindu organizations and interfaith groups, protested in front of the Kazakhstan embassy for two hours on September 13, carrying a dozen brightly colored placards that called upon the government in Kazakhstan to stop the ongoing abuse and mistreatment of innocent Krishna devotee, Vaishnava Hindus, in that country.

A simultaneous protest took place in New York City. Both demonstrations were timed to intentionally coincide with the "Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions," held in Kazakhstan. Many human rights groups and international governments, including the United Kingdom and India, are pressuring the Kazakh government to go beyond sponsoring conferences on religious freedom, and instead work to stop bigotry and harassment of religious minorities in their own county.

"National Hindu organizations from the UK, United States, Canada, Australia, and other countries call upon the Kazakhstan government to stop harassment and discrimination of Hindus," said Ramesh Kallidai, Secretary General of the Hindu Forum of Britain.

According to Kallidai, Hindu groups are preparing to launch an expansive international campaign of demonstrations, if the situation is not resolved by the time of Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev's official visit to the United States later this month.

A sign of the continuing tensions between Kazakhstan and the Hindu community was the last-minute failure of the Embassy to meet community leaders who had pre-scheduled an appointment with Embassy officials in Washington, D.C. When Sonia Chopra, of the Hindu-Jain Temple Association, Erik Schwarz, a lay Christian minister and interfaith leader, and Anuttama Dasa, ISKCON Communications Director, tried to attend their 1 pm meeting with the Ambassador's representative, they were refused entry to the building. The three leaders were made to speak their case while standing on the steps outside the embassy, despite the fact that they had duly made, and had been granted, an appointment for a formal meeting.

To many, the embassy's cold shoulder was just another reminder that Kazakhstan officials do not take the voices of the Hindu community seriously.

"I felt offended and demeaned," said Mrs. Chopra, "I was promised a meeting with a high-level official, and instead our peaceful group of three religious leaders was refused entry to the embassy. This clearly demonstrates what is wrong in Kazakhstan." Chopra is planning on lodging a formal complaint with the Ambassador.

The protests stemmed from attempts by local officials in Kazakhstan's Karasai district to bulldoze the homes of Krishna devotees, and an ongoing effort to defame the Hindu tradition in the public and in the media by the local government.

"We call on the Kazakh government to follow their own principles of religious freedom and tolerance," said Anuttama Dasa, Hare Krishna spokesperson. "It is an embarrassment for the nation of Kazakhstan that local officials are allowed to threaten and abuse innocent people while the head of state proclaims a progressive stance on freedom."

Krishna Devotees Take on Kazakh Government

India Post, News Report, India Post News Service, Posted: May 22, 2006

NEW YORK: Krishna devotees in Kashkhstan mounted their campaign against the Kazakhstan government to challenge religious persecution. The Kazakhstan government's attempt on April 25 to bulldoze five ashrams and private homes owned by Krishna devotees - followers of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) - has triggered protests around the globe.

In Hungary, two hundred protestors demonstrated in front of the Kazakhstan Embassy in Budapest on May 3, accompanied by a real bulldozer driven up to the steps of the embassy. Holding placards reading "Where is religious freedom," Krishna leaders and Ilona Szent-Iv?nyi, European representative of the International Association for Religious Freedom, appealed to an embassy representative to stop religious persecution. "It is obvious that they [Hare Krishnas] are being purposely forced out," Ninel Fokina, head of the Almaty Helsinki Committee rights group told the Associated Press. Fokina concluded that, despite the arguments that the Krishnas have failed to properly register the land, their real motivation was simply to usurp the Krishnas' land-property whose value has soared in recent years.

Authorities ordered the seizure without compensation on the basis of a court ruling in the government's favor.

Members of ISKCON claim that the seizure amounts to religious persecution and violates their religious and civil rights. India TV headlined the plight of the Krishna devotees, broadcast in India recently, with an interview of Kazakhstan Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov. The program drew immediate action from thousands of viewers, who sent SMS text messages to the station, requesting the Indian prime minister to intervene. "I can assure you that the rights of conventional or ethnic groups living in harmony at peace in Kazakhstan will be protected," the Foreign Minister promised.

In a two-hour meeting held with ISKCON leaders in New Delhi, the Kazakh Ambassador to India, Kairat Umarov, assured the Krishna leaders that he would personally work to find a solution to the volatile situation. Meanwhile, protests continue to build, with demonstrations planned in New York, Washington, DC, and other American and European cities within the next few days. "We are interested in working with the government of Kazakhstan to arrive at a reasonable solution," said ISKCON spokesperson Anuttama Dasa in New York. "The national government needs to intervene and act swiftly to ensure that religious and civil rights are not being violated on the local level. Unless that happens, there will continue to be an international outcry."

Boise Temple Produces Genius One After Another

Boise, USA EA Hare Krishna temple in Boise, Idaho has suddenly started generating interest among the local community. Its home school has been producing genius one after other. At least three from here have graduated at just 17 and many more are in queue.

The latest being Ayush Goyal, son of an Indian hydrology technician, who on May 14, became the second-youngest student to graduate from the Boise State University.

A devotee of Lord Krishna and an active member of the International Centre for Krishna Consciousness, Ayush (17) who spent most of his time at Boise temple home school after being taken out of the elementary school when he was eight, earned Bachelor's Degree in electrical and computer engineering on Saturday.

He has been declared among top 10 scholars, besides being ranked one of the country's four top electrical engineering student for the year 2005 by the Eta Kappa Nu, which is the national honour society for electrical and computer engineering.

Being modest, both Ayush and his parents—father Sudhir Goyal, who works with Idaho Department of Water, and Shyama Goyal, house wife and has a Masters in Economics—attribute it to the home school of the Hare Krishna temple.

The temple priest, Arun Gupta, claimed: "Many others like Ayush were likely to achieve the similar feat." Prominent among them include Shatakshi, who at just 13 is taking BSU classes this year, and Ian Walls, an American who at 10 is good enough for eight and 10th Grade. Then there is a Jain family.

It all began in 1999, when Ravi Gupta, his son, was the first one to graduate at 17. This was followed by his brother Gopal Gupta in 2001 at the same age. Ravi went on to achieve his Ph.D from Oxford in theology and religion at just 22 years of age.

"Initially, it was thought these were genius and it is because of individual capabilities of Ravi and Gopal. But after Ayush, local people have begun recognizing role of our home school in a child's development," Gupta told Hindustantimes.com.

At any time there are 20 child in the home school, started by his wife Aruddha Gupta in 1989. "The studies revolve around Bhagwad Gita, which is nucleus of all knowledge," he said.

Even in this age, students of this home school, for whom day starts at 4:45 in the morning with Mangal Arti, do not watch television. "This is a taboo. This (television) leads to a lot of distraction," he said.

Arguing that all children are genius, Gupta said: "We provide a right kind of environment to these young kids. The results are there for all to see."

Agreed Sudhir Goyal, who came to Idaho way back in 1993. "Ayush could remember the entire Bhagwat Gita when he was just eight years. "It is then, we decided to take him out from elementary school and send him to the home school."

Recognizing the contribution of Hare Krishna temple in his life, Goyal said, Ayush has decided to devote his next year of his life for the cause of ISKCON.

"During this period he would be traveling to Belgium, Peru, Netherlands, Spain and India along with his spiritual guru (an American) and make presentations on the Bhagwad," he said.

Thereafter, Ayush plans to go to Oxford University to study connections between science and spirituality, he said.

Goyal claimed it is the teachings and principles of their faith—mercifulness, self-control, honesty and abstinence from sex before marriage—gives them concentration powers that allowed students like Ayush to excel academically far beyond his years.

In fact, Ayush, who meditates early morning for 90 minutes, was personally singled out by Boise State University president, Robert Kustra. At the graduation ceremony, Kustra urged the university students and their parents to recognize Ayush's achievements.

To celebrate Ayush's accomplishments, the temple organized a yagna that was attended by a large number of people.

HARI BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLL
Thanks to http://www.iskcon.com

On the morning of Monday 26 June 2002, Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvami Maharaj had a meeting with Father Alfred Agius, a Jesuit priest who is the head of the Westminster Interfaith group of the Catholic diocese of Westminster. Father Agius, who had been a missionary in India for many years, can speak fluent Hindi and Bengali. He is also familiar with Vedic literature and has a great respect for Indian theological schools of thought.

First, Maharaj addressed the "Interfaith" theme of the day by defining the word "Hinduism".

"If you look up the word 'Hinduism' in the Oxford dictionary," he said, "you will find this definition: 'religious system practiced by a Hindu'."

Everyone laughed at this.

"So," he continued, "if you look up the word 'Hindu', the Oxford Dictionary says, 'One who practices a system of faith involving the worship of many gods and goddesses and belief in the caste system."

Maharaj went on to explain the vital difference between the idea of modern 'caste system', which is based upon birth, and the varnasrama system, which is based upon the character of a person. He showed how the varnasrama system is a natural thing. He said, "If someone has the tendency to worship and study scripture, he is a brahmana; if he has the tendency to rule, then he is a ksatriya. It does not matter if you use a different word, in your own language. The word is not important, but the concept is universal." Father Agius agreed whole-heartedly with this explanation.

Maharaj then went on to explain the misconception that Hinduism involves the worship of many gods and goddesses. He explained how the Vedas are designed to appeal to every type of human being, all of whom are influenced by the various modes of material nature. There has to be some system by which even those who are in ignorance may make advancement. Thusly, those who are addicted to eating flesh and consuming intoxicants can be gradually elevated to a higher level by worshipping the goddess, Durga, who is the embodiment of the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord. By this gradual process, even the lowest of human beings can come to the higher platform, to rajo-guna, then to sattva-guna and eventually to nirguna, or transcendence. Maharaj clearly explained how this method was in no way 'polytheistic', as the ultimate goal was always devotion to the One Supreme Lord.

Father Agius and the other devotees listened most attentively as Maharaj went on to describe the nature of the soul, atma, and how it differed from the body. Next, he described dharma and was particularly emphatic as he differentiated it from the word "religion". In great detail, he described the ten Vedic dharmas, explaining how they "hold society together". One by one, Maharaj explained the efficacy of these dharmas, including celibacy, truthfulness, charitableness and non-violence.

When Maharaj came to describing non-violence, he gave a clear explanation of how violence always comes back to the person who projects it. He slapped the tabletop with his hand. He said, "If I hit this table, what happens? The result is that I hurt my own hand. Similarly, if we perform any act of violence, it will immediately come back to us. This shows us, logically, that violence cannot sustain society; only the practice of non-violence can." Maharaj went on to describe sanatana-dharma, and Mahaprabhu's formula for World Peace, in which God must be at the center of all thought and action. He used the analogy of many circles with differing centers. "At some point, their circumferences will cross, indicating conflict," he said. "Only when their centers are focused on the same point will the circumferences stop crossing each other. Some may be larger, some smaller, some will perform a little service, while others will perform a lot; but all will fall around the same central point." This, he said, was the only actual formula for World Peace.

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, NOV. 15. A team of delegates from China has invited representatives of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) to visit China and spread the message of peace and brotherhood.

The officials, including Hua Junduo, Ambassador of China; Liu Yanhua, Vice Minister, Minister of Science and Technology; and Yuan Nansheng, Consul General of China, who visited the ISKCON temple on Saturday, gave the invitation, the president of ISKCON, Swami Madhu Pandit Dasa, said on Monday.

According to a press release, the team had a look at the implementation of the Akshaya Patra programme, under which midday meals are provided to about 55,000 children in the city. Mr. Hua expressed happiness at the success of the programme. He wanted more beneficial cultural exchanges between China and India.

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