By Aaron Rhodes
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Open Letter
Mr. K. Abdrahmanov
Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan
Acting Head, Delegation of Kazakhstan to the OSCE
Via facsimile: 367 66 57 20
Vienna, 8 June 2007
Dear Deputy Minister Abdrahmanov,
I am writing to you to draw your attention to our continuing concerns in the case of the Society for Krishna Consciousness in Karasai, near Almaty, which the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) has been following.1
On 6 June 2007 the hakim of the Karasai district issued an order to demolish further houses of the Hare Krishna community within ten days. This order follows the 8 May 2007 Supreme Court decision against the community in a land dispute issue. Kazakh officials have reportedly assured that the Hare Krishna community be provided an alternative plot of land but have failed to deliver on these promises.
To date, fourteen houses of the community have already been demolished. New demolitions would mean that dozens of members of the community are rendered homeless. This would make Kazakh authorities liable for violations of international human rights provisions that guarantee the right to housing and protection against forced evictions.2
Among the buildings due to be demolished is also the temple building, where the Society for Krishna Consciousness is legally registered. The community fears that the demolition of the building would also serve as a pretext to the community’s liquidation as a legally registered religious group.
Furthermore, due to violations of international due process standards in the course of the many trials against members of the Hare Krishna community (including the Supreme Court proceedings mentioned above) and the fact that the whole dispute appears to be based on discriminatory attitudes among local authorities towards this religious minority, we urge you to ensure that fair retrials be opened in all cases that deal with property, eviction and privatization issues. Pending retrials, we ask you to ensure that no forced evictions of the community’s members and demolition of their homes or other buildings of the community be carried out.
Yours respectfully,
Aaron Rhodes
IHF Executive Director