RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS|
|
|
Links
to Useful
Information |
Religious Jews intend to picket diplomatic representations of Belarus in New York and Washington and also the Belarus embassy in Israel as a sign of protest against the construction of a football stadium on the site of an ancient Jewish cemetery in Grodno (provincial center in western Belarus). This was reported to Interfax by the president of the Jewish Religious Association in Belarus (IROB), Yury Dorn.
He said that Jews in Belarus and international Jewish organizations "have expressed extreme concern with regard to the continuing construction of an athletic facility on the site of an ancient Jewish cemetery, where around 14,000 persons, including a number of famous rabbis, are buried."
He also reported that the chief rabbi of Belarus, Sender Uritsky, conducted "negotiations with representatives of the Belarussian embassy in Israel, during which were discussed questions of a meeting with the leadership of the foreign policy department of Belarus on the question of stopping construction of the athletic facility in the cemetery."
Dorn also stated that in IROB "construction of the foundation of a football stadium out of the grave stones and using the land from the cemetery in which bones are located for construction purposes are considered impermissible." He expressed concern that "conversations regarding stopping construction of the football stadium on the site of the cemetery, in which the leadership of Grodno province and the chief rabbi of Belarus, Sender Uritsky, participated have not produced positive results."
Dorn noted that "the absence of understanding on the part of the initiators of the construction of a football stadium toward the problem of preserving religious and historic sacred places is the reason that a number of international Jewish organizations have sent to FIFA and UEFA demands for boycotting Belarussian football players on the international level."
He also said that "at the present time a decision has been made at the level of a number of congressional representatives of USA who are members of a commission on preservation of American population abroad to appeal to the International Olympic Committee for a boycott of Belarus at the next Olympic Games if constructions of the athletic facility on the site of ancient Jewish graves is not stopped."
He also said that last week religious Jews and activists of international Jewish organizations conducted demonstrations outside buildings of Belarussian diplomatic missions in a number of countries of western Europe. (tr. by PDS, posted 15 August 2003)
Russia Religion News Current News Items
The government of Armenia yesterday introduced changes into the law on individual codes, which proposed assigning an individual and unchangeable number to every citizen of the republic, Regnum.ru reports. The Armenian Apostolic church had spoken out strongly against this law, considering the enumeration of citizens to be impermissible. On orders of the catholicos of all Armenians, Garegin II, a special commission was created that comprised all of the upper hierarchy of the Armenian church.
As the minister of social security of the republic of Armenia, Agvan Vardanian, told reporters, as a result of discussions including the president, Garegin II, and the prime minister of the republic, the government included a number of changes in the above-mentioned law. In particular, from now on the law will be called "On individual social cards" and it will provide for an unchangeable number not for the citizens themselves but for their social cards. This system will become effective as of 1 July 2004.
The government also fulfilled one other request of the church according to which there will be no citizen in Armenia with a social card numbered 666. (tr. by PDS, posted 15 August 2003)
Russia Religion News Current News Items
Although only fifteen years ago there were around 50,000 Molokans in Armenia, fewer than 5,000 remain in the country, the "Pliusy&minusy" magazine reports. 500 of them live in the village of Fioletovo, located two hours from Erevan. This is the only Molokan village in Armenia, where they have lived together for 170 years without mixing with the local population or losing their language.
They do not forbid televisions, but they do not recommend them and nevertheless they are in the homes, although "hidden" in large cabinets. They beat their butter in churns and bake their bread in Russian stoves; modern sewing machines stand next to ancient spinning wheels. And as in the past, the Molokans specialize in growing cabbages for sale, made into sauerkraut according to ancient recipes. In the past they sent their cabbage not only to Russia and Ukraine but also to Turkmenia. Now they mainly trade in Erevan and Tbilisi. However there are families who have successfully opened businesses for the trade in sauerkraut "Molokan-style" in Krasnodar and Stavropol territories where they even buy the cabbage and barrels. "We do not require anyone to do anything; faith is not commanded," says Presbyter Ivan Zadorkin, who heads one of four village congregations.
Molokans belong to the movement of Spiritual Christians that was begun in the end of the eighteenth century in Tambov province by Semen Uklein. They do not acknowledge temples made by hand and they reject veneration of icons and the cross. They are guided by the gospel, supplemented by the book, "Spirit and Life," proclaiming the achievement of social ideals of nonviolence, equality, cooperative economy, and spiritual perfection. Because of their rejection of the official church and armed military service they were resettled to the Caucasus in the 1830s. Molokans began leaving Armenia in the 1990s when the Krasnoselski district [of Armenia] across the border from Azerbaijan became an arena of military actions in the battles for Karabakh. (tr. by PDS, posted 15 August 2003)
Russia Religion News Current News Items
Vladimir Putin will help Russian Muslims "feel themselves a part of the Muslim world." Yesterday he announced that Russia will join of Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). In October Russia will already be present at a summit of OIC in observer status. And this despite OIC's protests against the war in Chechnia.
The first conversations regarding the possibility of Russia's joining OIC began ten days ago when Putin was in Malaysia. It is in this country that the summit of this organization will be held in October. And yesterday Putin announced that Russia will participate in the summit. For now in the capacity of an observer.
"Almost 20 million Muslims living in Russia have the full right to feel themselves part of the Muslim world," the president declared yesterday after inviting to the Kremlin the Russian ambassador for relations with international Islamic organizations, Veniamin Popov. Putin stated that our Muslims "view Russia as the only homeland they have," and thus "we should do everything possible so that they will feel themselves a part of the Muslim world." On instructions from the president, Popov will travel in the near future to member countries of OIC, "for explaining Russia's position."
Vladimir Putin announced that Russia will pay all necessary expenses for joining this organization. According to Popov, the budget itself of the general secretariat of OIC is only 11 million dollars a year. At first, being an observer, Russia will not pay any fees. To be sure, it will be necessary to pay a certain amount for support and formation of Muslim organizations in Russia in order to comply with the requirements of OIC. How much it is still difficult for MID to answer.
It is known that OIC is an organization that helps Islamic peoples fight
for independence. During recent events in Iraq its leaders came out harshly
against the actions of USA. Yet earlier OIC protested against the war in
Chechnia. Russia's present entry into this Islamic organization, in the
opinion of Gazeta's diplomatic sources, is a kind of demonstration that
Russia's position on Iraq remains unchanged and that it has better mutual
relations with the Islamic world than does, say, USA. (tr. by PDS, posted
15 August 2003)
PUTIN; RUSSIAN MUSLIMS HAVE RIGHT TO FEEL THEMSELVES A PART OF MUSLIM
WORLD
Mir religii, 14
August 2003
The prospects for Russia's entry into the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) was discussed today by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian ambassador for relations with this and other international Islamic organizations, Veniamin Popov, Interfax reports.
V. Popov also is the director of a group of ministries of foreign affairs regarding the Islamic factor in international peace work.
V. Putin stressed that "almost 20 million Muslims living in Russia have the complete right to feel themselves a part of the Muslim world." Russia's initiative for entry into OIC, "in the capacity of an observer for the first stage," was discussed during a visit to Malaysia by Russian President V. Putin. The head of state declared that "there is no need for a fuss or haste" in resolving this question.
In Russia, in contrast to many other countries, Muslims are not immigrants; they "view Russia as the only motherland they have," the Russian president stated. "We should do everything possible so that they feel themselves a part of the Muslim world," the Russian president noted.
Putin also noted that Russia is ready to take upon itself obligations of a financial nature that are necessary for entry into OIC. In this organization "there are obligations of a financial nature, including for maintaining religious activity," the president stressed.
The head of state is interested in how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country views the work of Russia's entry into OIC. According to Putin, "the movement in this direction is completely justified."
V. Popov informed the Russian president that "responses are already coming and they are extremely positive in the Islamic world." Popov stated that in countries of CIS, six of which already are members of OIC, there is a positive attitude toward Russia's initiative. There is also a positive reaction in other Muslim countries.
At the first stage, upon Russia's entry into OIC in the capacity of an observer, "no financial obligations or fees are foreseen," Popov declared. He said that the budget of the general secretariat of OIC is only 11 million dollars per year. The main significance in Russia's entry into this organization is the psychological factor. "This is a step of enormous importance for our Muslims," Popov stated.
Russia intends to participate as an observer in the summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference that will take place in October of this year in Malaysia, the ambassador declared. He said that last year the general secretary of OIC was in Russia for a working visit. Popov added that Russia's contacts with OIC have developed. In particular, in the near future a number of visits by Popov to various Muslim countries "for explaining Russia's position" are planned. (tr. by PDS, posted 15 August 2003)
Russia Religion News Current News Items
On 4 August the chairman of the ecclesiastical board of Muslims of Karelia, Mufti Visam Ali Bardvil, visited the city of Kondopoga where commandos taking a professional holiday have for several days already "been attacking people of non-Slavic appearance with fists, axes, and knives. There are wounded victims." The city police have not responded to the actions of the drunken brawls.
The mufti of Karelia met with local Muslims and then conducted a series of meetings with the mayor of Kondopoga and agents of MVD and FSB. Government workers affirmed their desire to stop the pogroms. The leadership of the Ecclesiastical Board of Muslims of Karelia intends to send complaints to various ministries and departments and to conduct a demonstration at the building of the local MVD, whose agents have not fulfilled their direct duty for protection of citizens.
On 14 August the minister of internal affairs of the republic of Karelia and other representatives of MVD of the republic met with representatives of the Muslim community. Policemen acknowledged crude violations in maintenance of public order during the holidays of the paratroopers and promised to take necessary measures for preventing such incidents in the future. At the meeting a question also was raised about the impermissibility of mentioning national identity of criminals in news summaries.
Mufti Visam Ali Bardvil thanked those present for their readiness to cooperate with Muslim organizations and reported that the planned demonstration of protest against the inaction of law enforcement agencies of the city of Kondopoga will not be held since the goal of that event had been achieved in the course of the conversations that were conducted. (tr. by PDS, posted 15 August 2003)
Russia
Religion News Current News Items
The Ministry of Education published an order "On granting to religious organizations by state and municipal educational institutions the possibility of teaching children religion outside the framework of the educational curriculum." The order, signed by Minister of Education Vladimir Filippov confirms the principle of voluntariness and the issue of responsibility in this matter.
Every new legislative act on matters of religious education evokes a mass of disputes. Public opinion has been extremely heated up by the long discussion of the possibility of teaching the Law of God in the schools. And this in various directions. Some fear the expansion of Orthodoxy and its claims to occupy the position of a state religion, seeing in this a violation of religious freedom in a multiconfessional country. Orthodox believers, by contrast, are upset over attacks on religious education, finding in this a continuation of the atheistic persecutions of the soviet period. Secularized education, in their opinion, also violates the principle of individual spiritual and religious freedom.
By its new order, the Ministry of Education permits religious teaching outside of the framework of the educational curricula, but it is trying to be cautious in this matter. "The teaching can be conducted only with the consent of the children and at the request of their parents," a consultant for the department of educational curricula and standards of professional education of the Ministry of Education, Liubov Garmash, explained. "It is recommended that the request be drawn up in the form of a written statement. The possibility for religious teaching should be agreed to by the school or the district department of public education. All materials used in teaching should be clearly marked with the full official name of the religious organization."
"This order does not put an end to the long discussion of teaching the Law of God in schools," Liubov Garmash stressed. "We are not even talking in this case about elective classes but only making available the premises of schools and day care centers for religious teaching at the initiative of parents, pupils, and public organizations. All of this will take place extracurricularly. Those wishing to will simply get together and ask the school: please provide the space if possible. Actually there now are very many of such requests to schools and so it was necessary to establish some kind of procedure. The Ministry of Education put out a letter with a recommendation on this topic. But questions arose in the Ministry of Justice; it recommended that the letter by recalled. It was replaced by a new letter that had more the character of a recommendation. A subsequent letter had a stricter requirement: there must be a statement from the parents, and the like. We are afraid of incorrect and tendentious interpretations of such decisions," Liubov Garmash said. "A storm of outraged letters came upon the ministry. It is also possible to understand the school's position. It does not want to be the spoiler of public initiatives, which are always valuable, and thus it tries to accommodate them. But there is a danger of becoming a promoter of sectarianism and thereby getting into a legal battle. Therefore the responsibility is shared with the parents and there is concern for identifying marks on the resources and the legal preference for traditional religions." (tr. by PDS, posted 14 August 2003)
Russia
Religion News Current News Items
The Vasily Chuikov Red Banner Military Institute of Rocket Troops in Perm has come to an end. In June the last graduation was held here and a ceremony of farewell to the emblem of the educational institution, the red banner, was held. By the end of August the main building of the institute is supposed to be turned over to the Perm diocese, which will locate an ecclesiastical seminary in it. The first admission of seminarians will be conducted in September.
Until recently the Perm military institute was one of three Russian institutions of higher education where rocket troops were trained. The history of the educational institution began in 1930. Thirty years later they began training here personnel for what was at the time a young form of armed forces, strategic rocket troops. In 1962 the educational institution received the status of an advanced command engineering school, and in 1998 it became a military institute of rocket troops.
By rights, the institute was considered one of the intellectual centers of the armed forces. The teachers included 56 doctors of sciences and 140 kandidats of sciences and a full scientific curriculum was created. Among the most famous graduates of this school were the legendary soviet pilot Alexander Pokryshkin, the former head of the presidential administration Nikolai Bordiuzha, and the present commander of space forces of Russia, General Anatoly Perminov. The well known Dmitry Yakubovsky also managed to study for one year here.
In 2000 the Russian Ministry of Defense made the decision to close the institute in accordance with the federal program for reforming military education which is planned to go on until 2010. The Perm military institute was the first of six military institutions of the Ministry of Defense to be liquidated.
The last 342 rocket officer graduates of this year have been assigned to military bases and the remaining cadets will complete their studies in Serpukhov and Rostov military institutes. The banner of the liquidated institute was sent to the Central Museum of Armed Forces for exhibition.
It is still unclear who will be the new owner of the complex of buildings and objects belonging to the institute. It is known only that the main building of the former military institution has been turned over to the Perm diocese. It is planned to transform the seminary into the Perm Ecclesiastical Academy in the future. (tr. by PDS, posted 14 August 2003)
GOVERNOR OF PERM PROVINCE SUPPORTS DIOCESE IN CONFLICT WITH MINISTRY
OF DEFENSE
Religiia
v svetskom obshchestve, 8 April 2003 (updated 14 August 2003)
On uproar has erupted in Perm province over property of the Ministry of Defense. The local institute of rocket troops has been dissolved and a question over future ownership of the building has arisen. From the texto f a report from the "Novyi region--Perm" news agency it is unclear what plans the military has for the building that has been vacated by the institute. However it is known that representatives of RPTs have made claims on it, hoping to locate there an ecclesiastical school.
In April the governor of the province, Yury Trutnev, intervened in the conflict between the military and RPTs. On sent an inquiry to the military prosecutor's office requesting that the legality of the actions of the Ministry of Defense with regard to the institute's building be ascertained since, in his opinion, in some of the actions of the military attempts to "dispose of the property in opaque ways" were visible. At the same time the governor informed the minister of education about the situation regarding the building.
In August it was announced that a part of the building will be turned over to the diocese. It is planned to organize here an ecclesiastical seminary with a possible subsequent transformation into an ecclesiastical school. However unclarity still remains as to the entire complex of the dissolved institutions of higher education.
The history of the matter of the use of the buildings of the Perm institute of rocket troops has dragged on for more than a year now. In February 2002 the Ministry of Defense decided to dissolve the institute by 1 December 2003. At the same time it was not announced where its material, technological base would be transferred. After the announcement of this decision by the ministry, the governor of the province, Yu. Trutnev, immediately took up the initiative to create a military institution of higher education of a different type on the base of the rocket troop institute. However this decision was not supported by the military. Then the province put forward the suggesting of moving the collection of the Perm Art Gallery (one of the most interesting and extensive provincial art collection in Russia) to the grounds of the institute. The gallery is now located in a building where the church administration of the Perm diocese had been located before 1917 and the local Orthodox hierarchy has laid claim to this building.
However there have been no further suggestions in this direction and RPTs began making claims on the building of the institute. At the same time, according to a report in the "Novyi kompanon" newspaper, organizational actions for creating an ecclesiastical school have still not been completed, but no more than 25, or at best 50, persons will be recruited for the first class of the school.
At the same time the ownership of the building itself remains unclear. In April 2002 the provincial administration announced the possibility of itself taking ownership of it, although this would require a special decision of the Russian government, which still had not been made in April 2003. (tr. by PDS, posted 14 August 2003)
Russia
Religion News Current News Items
In the night of 12 August an attack was made on the Orthodox Children's Center at the church of St. Nicholas (Avtozavod district) of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese. The perpetrators broke into the center, stole technology equipment from the office of the center's director, Archpriest Ioann, and set fire to the building in order to cover the traces of the robbery.
Watchmen spotted the fire. The blaze was extinguished by their efforts and those of the fire fighting team that was summoned. Three persons were saved out of the building, watchmen and a janitor who were spending the night in the center and who were in the stairwell during the fire.
According to preliminary reports, the cause of the outbreak was careless handling of fire, although soon police officers in the same district arrested two young people carrying a computer for which they did not have any documents. According to a report from NTA Provozhie, they admitted attacking the center. (tr. by PDS, posted 14 August 2003)
Russia Religion News Current News Items
On granting to religious organizations by state and municipal educational institutions the possibility of teaching children religion outside the framework of the educational curriculum
Registered in Ministry of Justice of RF, 5 August 2003
Registration No. 4955
In order to guarantee observance of the standards of international acts regarding human rights concerning the necessity of governments' cooperating with religious associations in their implementation of socially significant cultural and educational programs and events, based on the principle of the secular character of the Russian state and education in state and municipal educational institution, and taking into account that no religion or ideology may be established in the capacity of a state or obligatory religion and no one may be compelled to join any association or to attend one (part 2, article 13, part 1, article 14, part 2, article 30 of the constitution of the Russian federation) and that no one may be subjected to compulsion in determining his relationship with religion, or confession, or in rejecting the confession of religion, or to compulsion to participate or not participate in divine services, or other religious rituals, ceremonies and holiday, or in activity of religious associations, or in the study of religion (point 5, article 3 of federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations"), and that it is forbidden to involve children in religious associations and the study of their religion against their will and without the consent of their parents or guardians (part 3, article 13 of International Pact on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 16 December 1966; point 4 article 18 of International Pact on Civil and Political Rights of 16 December 1966; point 5, article 3 of the federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations" ) and in addition in order to create favorable conditions for the exercise of citizens' right to freedom of conscience in accordance with principles of state policy in the area of education, in accordance with point 4 of article 5 and point 3 of article 18 of the federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations," I order
1. Administrations of state and municipal educational institutions,
in providing religious organizations the opportunity of teaching children
religion outside the framework of the educational curriculum, should take
into account the following:
1.1 Teaching children religion in state and municipal educational institutions
by religious organizations may be done only with the consent of the children
who are studying in educational institutions and upon the request of their
parents (legal representatives). It is recommended that the request be
made in the form of a written declaration directed to the administration
of the educational institution.
1.2 Granting religious organizations the opportunity of teaching
children religion in state and municipal educational institutions is done
in agreement with relevant offices of local administration.
1.3 The religious literature and academic and methodological resources
used in the process of teaching religion, including audio and video materials,
should have trademarks with the full official designation of the given
religious organization.*
1.4 Religious organizations that have the right of legal entity
on condition of their annual reregistration, accompanied by issuance of
temporary certification of state registration, in accordance with point
3 of article 27 of the federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious
associations," do not enjoy the rights provided by point
4 of article 5 of the aforesaid federal law.
2. Supervision over the execution of this order is the responsibility of Deputy Minister L.S. Grebnev.
Minister V. Filippov
______
*Taking into account the provisions of point 3, article 17 of the federal
law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations."
(tr. by PDS, posted 13 August 2003)
Published in "Rossiiskaia gazeta" on 13 August 2003
[Notes: Articles from the law "On freedom of conscience and relgious associations" cited in decree:
Point 5, Article 3 No one is obliged to provide information about personal religious affiliation, nor can be subjected to duress for determining religious affiliation or confession or rejection of religious confession, or for participation or nonparticipation in religious services, or other religious rites and ceremonies or the activity of religious associations or religious education. Enticement of minors into religious associations is forbidden, as well as the teaching of religion to minors against their will and without the consent of their parents or guardians
Point 4, Article 5. Upon the request of parents or guardians, with the consent of children who are enrolled in state and municipal educational institutions, the administration of said institutions, with the permission of appropriate agencies of local administration, affords a religious organization the possibility of teaching religion apart from the general curriculum.
Point 3, Article 18 The state cooperates with and supports the charitable activity of religious organizations and their achievement of socially significant cultural-educational programs and celebrations.
Point 3, Article 27 Charters and other foundational documents of religious associations that were created before the present federal law becomes effective are effective only to the extent that they do not violate the present federal law. Reregistration of religious organizations for which there exist bases for their liquidation or prohibition on their activity stated in point 2 of article 14 of the present federal law will not be carried out. Upon refusal of reregistration in accordance with the indicated bases, the registering agency transmits materials to the court. Religious organizations that do not have documents that confirm their existence in the respective territory for at least fifteen years enjoy the rights of juridical person provided they reregister annually until the achievement of the said fifteen-year period. During the said period such religious organizations do not have the rights stipulated in point 4 of article 3, points 3 and 4 of article 5, point 5 of article 13, point of article 16, points 1 and 2 of article 17, point 2 of article 18 (pertaining to educational institutions and mass media), article 19 and point 2 of article 20 of the present federal law. ]
Russia Religion News Current News Items