VLADIMIR ISKCON TEMPLE CASE: STATEMENT FOR INDIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS We beg you to acknowledge the fact that the only Hindu (Hare Krishna) temple in the region and Food for Life Charity organization have been dumped on the street ruthlessly while it was – 20 C. This was done by Management of Vladimir city municipal property under the supervision of court executors. Management of Vladimir city municipal property roughly claimed their property despite the facts that: – worship in this Temple has been carried out for the last 20 years on; – the building had been resurrected by believers and thus it’s cost has gone up to $ 300.000 instead of the initial $ 30.000; – Deities cannot be thrown on the street, after the worship had been going for so long; – Vladimir Hare Krishna Temple and Food for Life Charity are important and unique Hindu educational and charity organizations; – Hare Krishna Temple in Vladimir has international significance, being regularly visited by Hindus from other Russian towns and cities and from abroad. We had appealed many times to the court, stressing these points, yet all our appeals were rejected by the court as insignificant. This is the time to install the justice and show that Russian-Indian relationship are not a bluff. Please intervene into this situation. ISKCON Vladimir Chairman Yudin S.Yu. (aka Sacipati das)
PLEASE SUPPORT HARE KRISHNA TEMPLE IN VLADIMIR (RUSSIA) Dear Maharajas and Prabhus, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! We beg you to support Sri Sri Gaurasundara-Nitaicand Temple in Vladimir (Russia) with your letters, fax messages. Worship in this Temple has been carried out for the last 18 years. But recently city officials (Management of municipal property) demanded that we vacate the temple, because they want to sell this municipal property. Though we have no money to buy it, we try to convince Municipal Board to let us stay in the building on terms of rent. We try to communicate that temple cannot be dumped on the street, that Vladimir Hare Krishna Temple and and Food for Life Vladimir are important educational and charity organizations. Besides, Hare Krishna Temple in Vladimir has international significance, being regularly visited by Hindus from other Russian towns and cities. We keep hope that this problem can still be solved peacefully. Gopal Krishna Goswami, who has done so much for organization of this temple, has written to us, that “we should not give up so easily”. We beg you to send letters to Vladimir officials and request them to allow the only Hare Krishna temple in Vladimir region and Food for Life Vladimir remain in their present location: 56/25 Nikolo-Galeiskaya Street, Vladimir, Russia. Here are the contacts where you may direct your messages (please be polite in your statements): 1) Vice mayor, head of the Management of Vladimir municipal property Shohin Andrey Stanislavovich (Russia, 600005, Vladimir city, Oktyabrskiy prospect, 47. Fax +7 (4922) 35-35-32, umivladimir@rambler.ru ); 2) Vladimir mayor Rybakov Alexander Petrovich (Russia, 600000, Vladimir city, Gorkogo st., 36. Fax +7 (4922) 53-04-54, info@vladimir-city.ru, http://www.vladimir-city.ru/meria/head/?vopros ) 3) Governor of Vladimir region Vinogradov Nikolay Viktorovich (Russia, 600000, Vladimir city, Oktyabrskiy prospect, 21. Fax +7 (4922) 35-34-45, post@avo.ru ) Snail mail and fax are preferential Your servant, Sacipati das (ISKCON Vladimir Chairman) www.vtsnet.ru/iskcon/ krsna@mail.ru
FEEDBACK FROM AROUND THE WORLD 22-08-2009 Thank you all for your support! Specials thanx to: Gopal Krsna Goswami ...we have been at this location for over 15 years and we just can't leave like that. H.H. Bhanu Swami ...I hope you are successful in your fight. H.H. Hanumatpresaka Swami ..hope this situation with the Temple is chance to expand the situation. H.G. Badrinarayan das ...May Lord Nrismhadeva protect the yatra. Vackresvari devi dasi ...Sure we shall pray and also offer abhishek and nama puja to Lord Narasimhadeva in Mayapur for the temple Habarovsk, Yoshkar-ola, Rostov yatras, Dvija Krishna d., Mahabuddhi d., Adi-rasa d.d. and others. 24-08-09 Gokula Tulasi das from Radio Krishna Centrale in Pisa, Italy [www.radiokrishna.com] Good luck for your service, Haribol! Danavir Goswami from Rupanuga Vedic College www.rvc.edu I am sorry to hear of the plight of the Vladimir temple. I remember my visit there well and fondly. You certainly have my prayers for success in all circumstances. May Krsna protect you all. 25-08-09 Govardhana das (South Africa) Please accept our strongest support from iskcon south africa. Lord caitanyas temples should be never be closed...we pray to Nityananda Ram to ensure this! Please advise what you like us to do to help. Praneshvari devi dasi (Moscow) Hare Krishna! Thank you very much for your letter. Your address was distributed widely. One thing: I cannot open your site, it says: "There is information that it's attacked by other computers" THANK YOU ALL! WE HAVE BECOME SO POPULAR! OUR SITE www.vtsnet.ru/iskcon/ IS WORKING! Bhakti Vijnana Goswami (Moscow) Try to resolve everything peacfully without pressure. 26-08-09 Subal das ...on behalf of Mukunda Goswami and news.iskcon.com website. We are in a process of publishing an article about situation in the Vladimir temple. 30-08-09 Russian ISKCON Temple Given Ultimatum to Vacate Premises By Subala Dasa on 29 Aug 2009 http://news.iskcon.com/node/2252 Vladamir, Russia is famous for its ancient Orthodox churches. Hare Krishnas of Vladimir city received an ultimatum to vacate their place of worship by September 1st 2009. A U.S. Congress-backed panel has included Russia on its Watch List of countries where people’s religious freedoms are at risk. Modern Vladimir (200 kilometers [124 miles] to the east of Moscow) is a part of the famous “Golden Ring” of ancient Russian cities, a significant tourist attraction. For the last 17 years, the ISKCON Vladimir temple was a place of worship for local Russians and visiting Hindus alike, and a place where hungry people could eat free vegetarian food. Sacipati Dasa (Chairman of ISKCON Vladimir) says: “We asked the Municipal Housing Board to cancel this decision and explain that ISKCON Vladimir and Food for Life Vladimir are important educational and charitable organizations. We hope that this problem can still be solved favorably.” The Moscow Times reported on 4 May 2009 that the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said the main reason it had put Russia on the Watch List of 11 countries was the creation in February of the Justice Ministry’s Expert Religious Studies Council, “which was given extremely wide powers to investigate religious organizations, including their activities and literature, for a broad array of reasons, including extremism.” The 269-page report, which devotes 15 pages to Russia, also expresses concern that the council’s head, prominent anti-cult activist Alexander Dvorkin, lacks academic credentials as a religion specialist. His deputy Roman Silantyev has written articles intolerant of “so-called radical Islam” and the council includes five pro-Russian Orthodox Church members known for attacking Hindu and Protestant faiths. The report also raises concerns about religious liberty in four other former Soviet republics, including Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, together with countries like China, North Korea and Saudi Arabia. 31-08-09 Lokanath Swami We sincerely pray for the best outcome.
FIRST APPEAL 20-08-2009 Dear Maharajas and Prabhus, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! We beg you to pray for the ISKCON Sri Sri Gaurasundara-Nitaicand Temple in Vladimir (Russia). Worship in this Temple has been carried out for the last 17 years. But recently city officials (Management of municipal property) demanded that we vacate the temple building by September 1, 2009. (See Russian version of notification here: http://www.vtsnet.ru/iskcon/mrooskv-otkaz.jpg and here http://www.vtsnet.ru/iskcon/pdj-otkaz.jpg). In our official reply (see Russian version here http://www.vtsnet.ru/iskcon/mrooskv-otvet.jpg and here http://www.vtsnet.ru/iskcon/pdj-ovet.jpg) we ask the Municipal Housing Board to cancel this decision and explain that ISKCON Vladimir and Food for Life Vladimir are important educational and charity organizations. Besides, ISKCON Temple in Vladimir has international significance, being regularly visited by Hindus from other Russian towns and cities. We keep hope that this problem can still be solved favorably. Gopal Krishna Goswami, who has done so much for organization of this temple, has written to us, that "we should not give up so easily". So far we beg you to pray that ISKCON Vladimir and Food for Life Vladimir remain in their present location: 56/25 Nikolo-Galeiskaya Street, Vladimir, Russia. Hopefully, everything will be ruled out at this point. If not, more vigorous support will be required. We shall inform of the latest developments. Your servant, Sacipati das (ISKCON Vladimir Chairman) krsna@mail.ru * Please direct the message to the interested. You may also post it in your center board. This is another opportunity to prove that we are INTERNATIONAL.