Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT691
2009-06-04 12:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:  

TURKMENISTAN: DESPITE REGISTRATION, KRISHNA

Tags:  KIRF PGOV SOCI TX 
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DE RUEHAH #0691/01 1551246
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 041246Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2908
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
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RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3591
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000691 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN; DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2019
TAGS: KIRF PGOV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: DESPITE REGISTRATION, KRISHNA
SOCIETY HINDERED BY RESTRICTIONS

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Richard M. Miles.
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000691

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN; DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2019
TAGS: KIRF PGOV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: DESPITE REGISTRATION, KRISHNA
SOCIETY HINDERED BY RESTRICTIONS

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Richard M. Miles.
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY. Two leaders of the Society for Krishna
Consciousness described the registered religous group's
situation in generally positive terms, but mentioned many
restrictions and uncertainties that hinder the group from
attracting new members and becoming better established.
Members are able to travel abroad without hindrance, but the
group has not been able to invite foreign Krishna officials
to Turkmenistan. Religious literature is available, but in
restricted quantities that do not allow for outreach. The
group rents space for its temple in the home of a member, but
does not think it would be possible to own its own facility.
Within the bounds of its authorized activities, the Ashgabat
group faces no difficulties, but outside Ashgabat, Krishna
Society members face greater obstacles. Even a question as
basic as the validity of the group's registration in
provinces is a point of contention among different government
officials. Although the group is registered and its members
meet without hindrance, the various restrictions force the
Krishna Society to maintain an extremely low profile.
Krishna leaders expressed willingness to be patient and to
pursue a gradual approach to expanding their outreach. END
SUMMARY.

THE KRISHNA TEMPLE: OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND


2. (C) On June 2, poloff met with two leaders of the
Turkmenistan branch of the Society for Krishna Consciousness,
Ashgabat-based Yazdurdy Sahedov and Mary-based Vitaliy
Efremovtsev, aka Varshana das. The meeting took place at the
Krishna Society's Ashgabat temple. The large room, sparsely
furnished with a few shrines, is located in the home of one
of its members in an older quarter of Ashgabat, at the end of
a maze-like pattern of narrow streets. There was nothing on
the outside of the house to indicate that it was a temple.
The Krishna Society has rented the premises since 1998.


3. (C) The group has been registered since 2004, following
failed attempts to obtain registration in 1993 and 1998. By
2000, the group could not conduct any activities. Its temple

was raided and all the contents were seized. In Ashgabat,
the group has not encountered any problems for the past five
years. Efremovtsev said there is social pressure on some
members to the point that they are "secret believers" who
conceal their beliefs and do not come to the temple. If
their beliefs become known at the workplace, for instance,
they are subject to subtle pressure in the form of
discussions.


4. (C) Concerning ownership of a temple property, Efremovtsev
said it was his understanding that they could not buy land
for a temple. The group was not even trying. Nevertheless,
he said they need their own land and building, "they cannot
stay in their rented space forever." The group is only
allowed to gather for worship at its temple and at designated
times. Officially, only group members are allowed to attend
the group's gatherings. However, Efremovtsev said
non-members also attend, with the knowledge of government
officials who turn a blind eye to the violation. They are
mostly friends of current members. While Krishna Society
members cannot proselytize on the street, Efremovtsev said
they have not felt pressure from the government since 2004.
He suggested that it was better for the group to expand its
activities gradually so that the government is comfortable
with what they are doing. He travels freely to different
cities, but only meets with individuals, not with big groups.


5. (C) It has not been possible for the group to invite
foreign guests. They tried twice without success to invite
Krishna Society officials based in the United States who
cover Central Asia, but could not obtain approval from the
government. The group's members have no obstacles in
traveling abroad. This year ten have already traveled to

ASHGABAT 00000691 002 OF 003


India.

LIMITS ON QUANTITY OF LITERATURE RESTRICT OUTREACH


6. (C) In 2004, when the group was registered, the national
Council for Religious Affairs (CRA) reviewed and approved the
group's literature, although Efremovtsev doubted that anyone
at the CRA had actually read the materials. The quantity of
printed materials that they were allowed to import was based
on the number of members. Efremovtsev said it is hard to
attract new members when there is no material to give them.
He recounted that in 2006, when a group of six returned from
India, all 45 books that they brought back with them were
seized at the airport. During the past year, however, the
luggage of group members coming individually from India was
not checked closely at the airport and they were able to
bring materials with them. Four Krishna writings have been
translated into Turkmen and another 15 are available in
Russian. Prior to 2000, the group distributed literature,
but since then has not been able to obtain copies to hand
out.


7. (C) In dealing with government officials, Efremovtsev
indicated that they show the Krishna members some respect and
"treat them like people," in contrast with the past. At the
same time, he thought officials do not want "too much
dialogue." On May 8, representatives from the local level
CRA in Ashgabat accepted an invitation to come to the Krishna
temple to celebrate a holiday.

SIZABLE MARY GROUP LACKS A TEMPLE


8. (C) Krishna believers outside Ashgabat face more
obstacles. The Krishna Society has filials in Mary and
Turkmenabat. The Mary group is the largest in Turkmenistan
with 60 regular participants, followed by Ashgabat's 50
members. Still, the Mary group has not been able to obtain
permission from local authorities to rent a worship space.
The group currently meets in private homes, but space
constraints make that inconvenient. Initially, Mary's deputy
mayor told Efremovtsev that the Society's registration was
not valid in Mary. Efremovtsev confirmed with Ministry of
Justice (MOJ) officials that the registration was valid
nationally, not just in Ashgabat. Subsequently, when
Efremovtsev brought a lease to the mayor's office for
approval, the deputy mayor said they need a certificate
showing that the group is registered. The MOJ refused to
issue a certificate, saying the mayor's office should send a
written inquiry to the MOJ. Efremovtsev is waiting for word
from the Mary mayor's office that the documentation was
obtained. Despite the run-around and difficulties, he
expected that the group will have a place to meet in Mary
within six months. He said the problem with the local
registration "requirement" is that there is no protocol or
procedure. The MOJ takes the position that only national
registration is necessary for a group to gather anywhere in
the country. He joked that, when the officials at the
mayor's office see him coming, "they close the doors and run."

RELIGIOUS GROUPS: STRENGTH IN UNITY


9. (C) In order to improve the situation of minority
religious groups, Efremovtsov suggested that the groups could
form an informal coalition that would cooperate and present
issues of common concern, such as property ownership or local
registration requirements. He proposed that they could send
joint letters to the president, noting that if the groups
could get beyond competition and unite, "they would not be
minorities, but rather a force." He thought the chance of a
successful roundtable including government officials was
slim. They would only attend if they had permission from the
top, which he thought would be unlikely. In dealing with
government officials, "if the top level does not give
approval, nothing gets done." He said officials are not free
to decide such matters for themselves.

ASHGABAT 00000691 003 OF 003




10. (C) COMMENT: As is clearly demonstrated by the
experiences of the Krishna Society (and other registered
minority religious groups),the restrictions imposed by the
government limit their scope of activity and force them to
maintain a low profile. In that sense, registration for
these groups, while an important step that allows them to
meet together legally, is still only one hurdle on the path
to obtaining freedom to practice their religious beliefs.
The current system still allows arbitrary review of groups'
activities with no certainty about what is allowed. This
reinforces the belief among many religious leaders that, in
fact, any request, for example, to import literature, to host
foreign religious leaders, to own church property, to hold
special meetings, etc., would be denied. The challenge is
how to encourage the government to tolerate a more permissive
environment that would allow these groups to operate more
freely. END COMMENT.


MILES