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From: Hindu Forum Office <info@hinduforum.org>
Date: Jan 27, 2006 11:15 AM
Subject: Britain to discuss Russian Harassment of Hindus at EU summit: Foreign Minister Douglas Alexander
To: info@hinduforum.org
British Parliamentarians have filed an Early Day Motion at the House of Commons to discuss the harassment of Russian Hindus. We urgently need more MPs to sign up and support the Early Day Motion in the British Parliament.
PLEASE THEREFORE WRITE TO YOUR LOCAL MP AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT THIS MULTI-PARTY EDM. You can find out who your local MP is by visiting: http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/clomps.cfm.
You can find email addresses for some MPs from:
http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm
Alternatively, you can write to them at the House of Commons using the following address: House of Commons, Palace of Westminster, London SW1A 0AA.
You can check which MPs have signed up to the EDM by checking: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=29869&SESSION=875
Regards,
Ramesh Kallidai
Secretary General
Hindu Forum of Britain
Britain to discuss Russian Harassment of Hindus at EU summit: Foreign Minister Douglas Alexander
26 January 2006 – While acknowledging that Hindus in Russia face difficulties in practising their faith freely, Foreign Minister Douglas Alexander has assured the House of Commons on 25th January that the inability to establish a permanent place of worship for Hindus will be discussed with Russian officials at the EU as part of Britain's ongoing dialogue with Russia. The Foreign Minister was responding to a written question raised by Conservative MP James Clappison requesting the Foreign Secretary's assessment of the treatment of Hindus in Russia and the effect on the community of the loss of the Hindu temple in Moscow
In response, Foreign Minister Douglas Alexander had responded by saying, "The Hindu community, like a number of other religious communities have faced difficulties freely practicing their faith in Russia . These include the inability to establish a permanent place of worship in Moscow since the demolition of the Hindu temple in 2004. We raise the issue of religious freedom during regular EU and bilateral contact with the Russian Government. We will continue to monitor this and other religious freedom issues in Russia and raise them as appropriate in the course of our ongoing dialogue."
Earlier, a multi-party Early Day Motion led by Labour MP Ashok Kumar expressed Parliamentary support for the Defend Russian Hindus campaign and regretted the intolerance shown towards Russian Hindus manifest as denial to establish a place of worship.
The Hindu Forum of Britain has urged MPs from all political parties to support the Early Day Motion in response to the Defend Russian Hindus Campaign launched by Hindu organisations from UK, America, Canada , Africa , India and Australia. The campaign was launched on 18th January by parliamentarians Ashok Kumar MP, James Clappison MP and Lord Dholakia to highlight the plight of Russian Hindus.
"The crux to the issue", said Lord Dholakia, "is that Russian Hindus were given a temple which was demolished to make way for a commercial complex and were then promised a piece of land to build another temple. This has now been taken back and Hindus in Russia have no place to worship."
"Some members of the Russian Orthodox Church had orchestrated mass protests and started a misinformation campaign against Hindus in the Russian media," explained Ramesh Kallidai, secretary general of the Hindu Forum of Britain. "Many Hindus have and still are being victimised, threatened, bullied and even beaten and subjected to violence."
Last month Archbishop Nikon of the Orthodox Church had described Lord Krishna as an "evil demon, the personified power of hell, opposing God", and sparked worldwide condemnation. The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone had also shown his concern for the harassment of Russian Hindus by discussing the matter with the visiting Mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov on 15 th January, when he handed over letters of protest from the Hindu Forum of Britain and other organizations.
British Parliamentarians will be seeking a meeting with the Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to discuss the issues faced by Russian Hindus and lead a delegation to meet the Russian Ambassador in the UK. On 18th January, members of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Muslim Council of Britain, and the Catholic Bishops Conference had joined hands with Hindu organizations to unanimously call for more respect and tolerance to allow Russian Hindus the same right to a place of worship as other communities.
Ends
For more information contact Ramesh Kallidai on 07915 383 103 or 07867 837 241 or Sanjay Mistry on 07810 368 772
Editor's Notes:
1. Full text of the EDM put before the House by Ashok Kumar MP: That this House notes with concern the denial of a place of worship for the Hindu community in Moscow as a result of the retraction by the Moscow City Government of an offer of land which was to be made available for the construction of a new temple; further notes the intolerance shown towards Hinduism in certain quarters in Russia; regrets the effect of this on individual Hindus wishing to peacefully follow their faith and the wider implications for religious toleration in Russia; and expresses its support for the Defend Russian Hindus campaign.
2. Full text of the White Order Paper on 23 January 2006 by James Clappison MP: 190 MR James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of (A) treatment of the Hindu community in Russia and (b) the effect on the community of the loss of the Hindu temple in Moscow (45227).
3. Date Answered: 25 January 2006 by Mr Alexander: The Hindu community, like a number of other religious communities have faced difficulties freely practicing their faith in Russia. These include the inability to establish a permanent place of worship in Moscow since the demolition of the Hindu temple in 2004. We raise the issue of religious freedom during regular EU and bilateral contact with the Russian Government. We will continue to monitor this and other religious freedom issues in Russia and raise them as appropriate in the course of our ongoing dialogue.
4. The Defend Russian Hindus Campaign is supported by the Hindu Forum of Britain, the National Council of Hindu Temples UK, the Hindu Council UK, Vishwa Hindu Parishad UK, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, the Hindu Council of Australia, the Hindu American Foundation and the Hindu Conference Canada .
5. The Hindu Forum of Britain is the representative umbrella body for British Hindus with formal membership of over 250 Hindu organisations from different regions and cultural backgrounds in Britain . The Hindu Forum of Britain has conducted some of the largest community consultation activities on behalf of the Hindu community to influence Government policy and runs a number of projects for Hindu youth, women, community safety and temples. For more information visit the HFB Website: www.hinduforum.org.
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