The Kazakhstan Government has confiscated 116 acres of land from the Religious Organization Society for Krishna Consciousness. As a proposed solution to the conflict the government has offered 5 acres of land in an arid area and has declared this to be a happy ending to the conflict.

The conflict between the executive authorities of the Karasai district, Almaty province, and the Hare Krishna community has been going on for three years.

Independent observers have called the issue a "typical raiding," meaning forcible seizure of private property in favor of certain persons or companies, using the power of governmental bodies and courts in particular. This protracted conflict, which has clear signs of selective discrimination, culminated in the demolition of 13 houses of the community in November 2006.

International organizations and governments have commented on the crisis:

These bodies have addressed statements of concern to the Kazakh government condemning the aggressive measures taken towards the religious community, with the hope that the conflict would be resolved in a civilized manner.

In February 2007, A.M. Mukhashov, the vice-chairman of the Religious Affairs Committee of the RK Ministry of Justice, declared in Kazakh media, "It is a happy end, the Hare Krishna community is legally allotted a plot of land." The community's management was recommended to appeal to the local executive authorities for the allotment of land for temple construction.

On March 13 the community's leaders met with the assistant Hakim of the Karasai district, K. Baibaktinov, to learn that the destiny of the community had been decided at a meeting of the Almaty Province Hakims. The Krishna community was instructed to relocate northeast of Almaty in Talgar district. The Karasai Hakimat emphasized that the community would not retain the land on which it is presently situated.

On March 15, 2007 the community's leaders met with the Hakim of the Talgar district. At the meeting the community was offered 5 acres of land 70 kilometers northeast from Almaty city. This meeting was arranged by the chairman of the National Religious Affairs Committee, who repeatedly instructed the community's leaders to accept the Hakim's offer as soon as possible.

The following day the leaders of the Hare Krishna community visited the proposed site. They reported that the allotted land is a deserted, arid, saline land with no vegetation other than thorns.

The Kazakh government bodies repeatedly state that equal rights are observed for all religions, and thus the Krishna community may enjoy their right to receive land for temple construction. But the exchange of 116 acres of a green oasis for 5 acres of deserted land is not an equitable resolve to the conflict.

The Religious Affairs Committee has not taken these points into consideration. Though the court proceedings affecting the Krishna community have not come to the last instance, the Religion Committee has stated that the community has already lost all cases and have lost their land. Thus the new land must be accepted.

The Kazakh government is concerned with declaring a resolution and silencing the issue with the Krishna community.

Kazakhstan has ratified the International Pact of Civil and Political Rights and is aspiring for the chairmanship of OSCE in 2009. But the proposed solution amounts only to rubbing the proposed salty earth into the wounds of a hard hit religious minority.

The issue regarding the Krishna community has attracted media attention both within the country and internationally.

See the links: IHT, BBC, Times, Associated Press, Reuters

For information contact:

Society For Krishna Consciousness Kazakhstan,
Press-service
Tel. +7 701 7407943, +7 3272 969719
Tel/fax +7 32771 34287
E-mail: info@kazakhkrishna.com