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Persecution of nonapostolic religious organisations in Armenia. Part 4
The following is a transcription of a newspaperarticle that was published in the russian
speaking Armenian paper Golos Armenyi.
Lilliputians in the country Hullivers?,
Golos Armenyi (Voice of Armenia), April 27th.1995.
...On the 18th of April about 3 o'clock in the afternoon there was an
assault on Krishna's temple in Yerevan. More than twenty armed men in
military form arrived to the temple, which is situated in the private
residence, on three cars (yellow ERAZ with registered number 56-78ADC,
blue VAZ-09 and GAZ-31 without registered numbers). They burst inside,
rudely kicked out women and children in the yard and locked seven men
in separate room. Then they started methodically and cruelly beat
those men using metal sticks (scrap, pieces of armature). One girl was
also beaten up, because in the turmoil they took her to be a boy and
she was among those men. They threatened one invalid, who showed his
invalid card, that they will "cure" him by beating him up.
Simultaneously they started pogrom: they ruined the altar, teared the
paintings, broke the windows. They took away all valuable things:
videos, computer, video camera, TVs, 3 thousand dollars. They also
took as a "booty" personal things and money of the Krishnas.
The intruders introduced themselves as defenders of the Armenian
church and motivated their assault by saying that Krishnas promote to
the schism of Armenian church by the very fact of their presence in
the country. Bandits easily went away and injured people with wounds
came to the nearest clinic, where they received necessary medical
treatment. In some cases the seams were necessary. The doctors
followed their oath, but in Arabkir police station, where assaulted
people went, asking for help, they were even refused to register the
fact of attack. The only thing have to be added, that this the third
assault on temple of Krishna for the last six months.
This is shortly the essence of distributed press release of the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness in Armenia. And I have
no reason to doubt this facts, especially judging by their appearance,
my interlocutors were "treated" with terrifying knowledge...
It seems that in our society there is a group of absolutely
defenseless people, who can be terrorized and beaten constantly. I
don't see any difference between terroristic acts against journalists
last year and nowadays against religious communities. Especially these
April terroristic acts were performed against other religious groups.
We had to gather information by pieces. One person, a former
dissident, now occupying an important post in the MVD (ministry of
police), specified that Arabkir office of public prosecutor(?)
instituted proceedings and began investigations even from 20th of
April. I am calling Arabkir office of public prosecutor and Chief of
the office N. Hachatryan says for sure that no criminal case was
instituted by regional office of public prosecutor on this matter.
In the case with community of Evangelical Christian Baptists in
Yerevan, which occurred on 28th of April, 15 unknown men rushed into the
temple, separated women from men and tried to provoke fighting with the
last. They took with them young men. In five hours they let them out.
Authorized information says that attacks with force or without were
performed against the communities of Harismats, Bahayas, 7th Day
Adventists (in Ararat) and Pentecostal Church. In other words, we are
dealing with a case with planned beforehand, wide attack. It is
interesting that chiefs of AOD(?) are seriously disturbed with this
actions.
It is important to note, that in all these cases we are dealing with
officially registered in Armenia organizations, guided by the Law of
the freedom of worship. In other words they have the same rights as
Apostle church, communists, monarchists, "Aikanduhts" etc. And any
violence against them is as much dangerous as in case with other
socially-politic organizations, the law must persecute and punish
violators for the crime. It doesn't matter whether we like them or
not. This is a personal thing.
I beg my readers to forgive me for the instructive tone of this
article, but I it was induced by one question, which was
constantly asked during the preparation of the material: "Are you
a supporter of the sects?" No, I am the son of Apostle church
(Armenian church) and I am not very happy either with the spreading of
different religious communities in Armenia. But if a person gives up
his church this is a tragedy for the whole cherch, not for a
particular member of it. After all, God is one and man will
continue to believe in God, no matter how he calls Him. And we
shouldn't forget that any dissension, religious as well, will be a
straight way to Fascism.
"I regret very much, for the first time I hear about such a sorrowful
act," - said the leader of Ararat eparchy archbishop Garegin Nersisian to
a correspondent of "Noyan tapan" agency, when he was asked about assault
of Krishna's temple in Yerevan on 18th of April.
"I want to address my appeal and instruction to the sons of our nation,
to be careful, not to be entangled in such kind of problems and not to
discredit our church, behavior and authority of our believers.
Armenian church does not encourage this kind of methods. Armenian
church has one method of keeping it's members under it's roof --
education and enlightenment in the Gospel's light, to love one's
neighbour, and this is the only basis of our success" - said in
conclusion archbishop Garegin Nersisian.
Beautiful and virtuous words of a spiritual pastor. But I was amazed
that so highly elevated dignitary also tried to promote different
versions of what has happened: "It is not for sure that the incident
wasn't provoked by the followers of the sects themselves. Probably,
the goal of unknown persons, who are standing behind these acts, was
to create similar situations, compromising our motherland, the law
about the freedom of worship and the Armenian church." And even more
strange are the words from the lips of His holiness about "sectarians
in Armenia, who are very aggressive. During the similar incident one
year ago, krishnaits were the first ones who attacked our sons"
(although krishnaits say the opposite). According to him on the 13th
of April during the night about 100 sectarians attacked neighbours,
who expressed their discontent regarding the disturbance created by
the chanting of the devotees. If everything was like the archbishop
said, (although we should hear the other side of the story also), then
why this indignant fact wasn't socially declared and what measures
were taken to keep the law and order? After all, we should not allow
that the only guardians of the order in our country were .... (a word
in Armenian, probably refered to some kind of wild nationalistic
group) Even if "sectarians are aggressive" (although it sounds more
like a verdict), then their actions should get legal regulation by the
representatives of the law. But now we should admit, that we deal with
an action of lawlessness and arbitrariness.
The conclusion - a few words about the importance of compassion, and
that violence will not bring about anything good.
Vagen Sarkisyan.
