The Editor, Eurasia Daily Monitor
Dear Sir,
In his recent article “KAZAKHSTAN EXACERBATES “RELIGIOUS THREAT” BY MANEUVERING BETWEEN BEIJING AND WASHINGTON” your correspondent Marat Yermukanov writes:
Recently the local government of Karasay district, Almaty region, dispatched police to forcibly evict 50 families of Hare Krishna followers from their leased land. Members of the sect staged a sit-down strike in protest and ultimately won their case in court.
Firstly, allow me to thank you for writing about this situation and bringing international attention to this issue.
As of May 10th, 2006, the legal situation has still not been resolved, as you can read on their website at www.palaceofthesoul.com, and the Kazakhstani Krishnas are still facing the threat of forced evictions and having their homes demolished.
The Kazakh national government takes pains to point out that the Hare Krishna movement is not being persecuted throughout the country, but it does seem apparent that in this instance, in this particular part of the country, these people are being discriminated against on the basis of their religious faith, and that due legal process and their basic human rights are being violated.
