Defend Russian Hindus

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• Defend Russian Hindus
• Campaign to safeguard Hindu human rights and
  freedom in Russia

Ramesh Kallidai (Romapada Dasa) Hindu Forum of
Britain
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The Russian Campaign

• Part 1 The initial days
• Part 2 The struggle and the freedom
• Part 3 Continuing the persecution
• Part 4 Where do we go now?

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The Initial Days
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Moscow seat of Russian civilisation

• A C Bhaktivedanta Swami, Founder of ISKCON
  travels to Russia in 1971
• Russia, at that time is the seat of Communism
• Communism is basically atheistic
• All religious activity was banned

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A C Bhaktivedanta Swami in Moscow
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Five days of compassion

• Bhaktivedanta Swami stayed in Moscow for 5 days
• Discussed philosophy with Soviet Hindu scholar
  Prof. Kotovsky
• Met one educated Russian youth who became the
  Swamis student
• Thousands of Soviet people took up the Hindu
  principles of universal peace and love for all

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The struggle and the freedom
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KGB upset by Hindus

• KGB declares ISKCON one of the greatest threats
  to the Soviet nation in 1980
• A war was declared against Hindu Dharma
• The totalitarian state vs. handful of first
  peace-loving Hindus in Russia

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The KGB persecution
Hundreds of Russian Hindus thrown into prisons,
labor camps and psychiatric hospitals.
Underwent tremendous suffering and tortures,
but kept their strong, unflinching faith in Lord
Krishna and His words in Bhagavad-Gita Their
beads were taken away, they were denied
vegetarian meals They made beads out of cloth,
starved instead of eating meat and refused to
give up the Hindu way of life
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• In one of the 1981 issues of the journal
  Communist published by the Central Committee
  of the Communist Party the then deputy chief of
  KGB Semen Tsvigun wrote an article in which it
  was said
• There are three great threats to a Soviet way
  of life Western culture, rocknroll and
  Krishna.

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Case studies

• Sarkis Ohanjanyan was only 21 when he was
  put in prison. His only guilt was that he
  believed in God, chanted the Hare Krishna mantra
  and refused to eat meat. One and a half years
  later he died in the winter of 1986 in a labor
  camp out of malnutrition and tuberculosis. Before
  his departure he was chanting on the beads made
  from the prison bread, and had applied tilaka on
  his body with the toothpaste.
• Olga Kiselyova was put in prison in 1983 when
  she was pregnant. Her crime was that she helped
  in translating the Bhagavad-Gita into the Russian
  language. After undergoing torture and long,
  arduous interrogation she delivered a baby girl,
  Marika, in prison who died only two months
  later.
• Amala Bhakta Das father of 5, was sentenced for
  5 years of labor camps, and was only released on
  a personal plea of Nancy Reagan.
• These are only a few stories among many. Early
  devotees in Russia sacrificed their health,
  freedom and sometimes even their life for what
  they believed in.

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Freedom at last?

• In 1985, Hindus worldwide started a campaign of
  protest against religious persecution in the USSR
• Song released in Australia
• Nelson Mandela made an appeal
• Reagan spoke to Gorbachev
• Massive protests organised
• In 1988 all Soviet Hare Krishna devotees in
  prison were released by M. Gorbachev
• Era of religious freedom had begun
• Or has it?

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Spiritually starved Russians take up Hinduism in
large numbers

• After being freed, first Russian pilgrims visited
  India in 1988

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First Russian Hindu temple established in
abandoned building (1991)
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beautifully transformed by Russian Hindus
labour of love 100,000 local Russians adopted
the Hindu way of life
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10,000 Russian Hindus based in Moscow alone
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Along with 5000 members of the Indian community
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The only Hindu temple in Moscow
A place where Russian and Indian Hindus
worshipped the presiding Deities Sri Sri Dayal
Nitai Sachi Suta
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Continuing the persecution
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Facts about Russian Hinduism

• 100,000 Hindus in Russia majority were local
  Russians
• 97 registered communities
• 22 monasteries
• 250 home groups
• 20,000 free meals distributed daily
• Largest Hindu literature readership outside of
  India

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Changing enemies

• The freedom was rather short lived
• In 1994 the Bishops Council of Russian Orthodox
  Church made a statement on Pseudo-Christian
  sects, neo-paganism and occultism
• Called the teachings of Bhagavad-gita a false
  religion, which destroys the traditional way of
  life formed under influence of Orthodox Church
• Spoke against Baptist Church, Jehovahs Witnesses
  and other Christians
• All other religions described as
• Threat to the unity of national consciousness and
  cultural identity
• Incompatible with Christianity
• The message was quite clear orthodox Christians
  and the state itself should join forces to save
  the cultural and national identity of its
  citizens
• Pre-revolutionary hostile model of the Church to
  other religions with state as a closest ally was
  re-surfacing after the communist regime fell down

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Oppressive bill passed

• 1997 bill recognises Russian Orthodox Church as
  pre-eminent religion
• Recognises three other traditional Russian
  faiths Judaism, Islam and Buddhism
• All other faiths would face strict curbs on their
  legal rights, missionary work and educational
  activities
• Any religion not established over 15 years in
  Russia cannot publish books or invite spiritual
  leaders

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• We should allow only Orthodoxy
• Vladmir Zhirinovsky, ultra-unionist Member of
  Parliament

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In 2003 the Moscow Government requested the only
Hindu temple to vacate their building. In
exchange the Mayor's office gave a plot of land
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and the old building was immediately demolished
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All the activities are now held in these
temporary facilities
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with the expectation of building a wonderful
temple and Vedic cultural center
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Every week up to 1000 guests gather in thetent
constructed on the plot
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coming together for worship
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enjoying the Sunday feast...
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One can hardly find any other Hindu movement
like ISKCON, so brilliantly different.with its
unique international, intercultural approach to
the propagation of the spiritual message, as well
as its modesty, detachment and
enthusiasm.Sri Atal Bihari VajpayeeFormer
Prime Minister of India
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Hindu leader Sanjeet Jha meeting President Putin
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Opposition to new temple

• The Inter-religious Council of Russia opposed the
  construction of a large Hindu temple in Moscow,
  as it does not conform with the historical and
  cultural tradition of the Russian capital
• Representatives on the Council included the
  Department of External Church Affairs of the
  Moscow Patriarchy, Metropolitan Kirill of
  Smolensk and Kaliningrad acting chairman of the
  Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims of
  Russia, Mufti of Perm Oblast Muhammadgali Khuzin
  and other faith leaders

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Blatant opposition to Hinduism

• Construction of a vast temple of such
  architectural and cultural dominance in Moscow
  would be improper. This does not correspond to
  our cultural tradition and will be
  incomprehensible to the majority of capitol
  residents," said Metropolitan Kirill.
• Mufti Khuzin underscored that "Russia is a
  country that has a thousand year old tradition
  not only of Orthodoxy, but also Islam, Judaism
  and Buddhism, and construction in its capital
  city of a large Hindu temple centre would be, to
  a certain degree, a sacrilege."

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Protests and misinformation against Hindus

• Repeated protest marches held in Moscow against
  the Hindu temple
• At one large march in 2004, Russian Orthodox
  Churches told authorities to stop free food
  programme because it contained cow dung and
  urine!

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More opposition

• Alexander Dvorkin, an Anti-cult leader, told
  Russian media, The extent of the planned temple
  is an indication that the movement is planning a
  massive extension of its missionary work in
  Russia. It's possible that construction could be
  stopped if the residents decide to continue their
  protests against it.
• No words can describe the dangers of this
  project. We hope that the protest actions which
  are about to begin in Moscow will be supported by
  the people of good will throughout the world.
• St. Irinaeus of Lyon Religious Studies
  Centre

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Ultra-unionists beat Hindus in temple - 2004
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Hate crime continues
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30 Hindus, including women and children, beaten
with iron rods
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Mayor does a volte-force

• On 3rd October 2005 Moscow Mayor issues an order
  rescinding the land order
• Land will now be taken back
• Gas, electricity and even water cut off
• If there is no land, there will be no temple
• Full-time residents made homeless
• Hindus will have no place to worship

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War of words

• Archbishop Nikon of the Russian Orthodox Church,
  in reaction to the international campaign against
  human rights abuse against Russian Hindus said
• Lord Krishna is an evil demon the personified
  power of evil opposing God
• It would be an idolatrous disgrace for a temple
  to be erected for the glory of this wicked and
  malicious God Krishna!

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The way forward
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• Russian Orthodoxy and religious persecution have
  won a battle

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.but not the war

• Hindus the world over have united against this
  injustice
• Organisations in India, UK, Australia, America,
  Africa launched the Defend Russian Hindus
  Campaign
• UK campaign has involved
• National Hindu bodies
• Members of Hindu community
• Politicians
• Media
• Youth?

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Strategy

• Three components
• Community Campaign
• Media Campaign
• Political Campaign

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Community campaign

• Newsletters
• Email campaigns
• Sign online petition
• VHP India to start parallel campaign

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Community Campaign - Letters

• Write letters of protest to
• Mayor of Moscow
• President of Russia, Vladmir Putin
• UK Russian Embassy
• Amnesty International
• UN Secretary General, Kofi Anan
• British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw

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Community campaign - Interfaith

• Board of Deputies of British Jewish
• Catholic Church in UK
• Church of England
• World Council of Religions and Peace
• Other communities

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UK Political Campaign

• Contacting local MP
• Official Launch of campaign in House of Commons
• Delegation of MPs to Embassy and FCO
• Put pressure on Indian Government
• Speak to Russia Desk in FCO
• Protest Marches
• The Human Rights angle
• All Party Parliamentary Group for Russia

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Media Campaign

• Stories in National and Ethnic Media
• Letters to Editors
• Speak on topic during other interviews
• Press Conference at campaign launch

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Defend Russian Hindus Committee

• The following organisations have formed a
  Committee to execute the campaign
• Hindu Forum of Britain
• Vishwa Hindu Parishad UK
• National Council of Hindu Temples
• Hindu Council of Brent
• National Hindu Students Forum UK
• Hindu Council of Australia
• Hindu American Foundation
• Hindu Council of Africa
• Many other national and regional Hindu
  organisations

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• Please tell us how you can join the campaign
• Defend Russian Hindus
• Unit 3, Vascroft Estate, 961, Coronation Road
• Park Royal, London, NW10 7PT
• Phone [phone]
• Email info_at_hincom.org