Buddhist Traditional
Sangha of Russia
St.-Petersburg Buddhist
monastery
Datsan Kunsechoinei
St.-Petersburg, 91 Primorsky Pr.
Phone/fax: +7-812-254-4912 (press secretary: Andrew Zotov)
E-mail: dondup-ch@usa.net
WWW: http://geocities.datacellar.net/Athens/Academy/3528/
Buddhists of St.-Petersburg ask for help.
To all Buddhist organizations, Buddhists, those interested and sympathizing to the Doctrine of Buddha, and to mass media, government and law-enforcement authorities, Russian and international human rights organizations. The conventual prior, talapoin community and parishioners of St.-Petersburg Buddhist temple Datsan "Kunsechoinei" ask for help and protection.
Our temple belongs to Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia - All-Russia Buddhists union, created instead of "ZDUB" union existing in former USSR.
On July 23 1998 at 10:30am 5 men in militia uniform and 10 men in civilian clothes have rushed on territory of a temple. Having presented no documents these people have declared that the territory of the_ temple conventual prior and talapoin community is occupied illegally and is used as storage for illegal drugs. The intruders forcefully confiscated a safe key from conventual prior of Datsan "Kunsechoinei" Badmaev B.B. and forwarded him, together with all monks, living in a temple, and public praying in the temple to one of the rooms. Threat of fire-arms (pistols and automatic weapons) was used to keep people locked in the room till 1pm o'clock.
It was clear from intruders words that they represent 25th militia district "RUVD" of Primorsky area. Militia vehicle was marked as belonging to "Primorsky RUVD" and militia men had tags of the same militia district on their uniform. Business card left by one of the men in civilian cloths reads: "Protection" Corp. Romanenko Vladimir Igorevich, deputy general director of physical security. Address on the card: St.-Petersburg, 8 Sestroretzkaya street. Mr. Efimov provided an identification document as a representative of GUVD.
At 13:00_ the intruders expelled the prior of Datsan "Kunsechoinei", all monks, living in Datsan , and praying public to a street and prevent them from entering the temple until now. Brute force was used again. Private lawyers confirmed that these actions of militia representatives violated number of laws of the Russian Federation. Unconfirmed information was received that legal and financial documents of Datsan "Kunsechoinei" have been destroyed by the intruders. Recently a group of sectarians, not belonging to any official traditional Russian Buddhist association, has occupied the temple. The group which is lead by Tchemitov, N. Agafonova, and U. Krimpatich established a paramilitary security guard check post and proclaimed themselves as the temple "owners" locking the temple doors. The monastery monks and postulants led by the conventual prior, have been left to spend the night in the street.
They remained there in monks attire and have no place to live or funds to live from. All this has taken place immediately after a worship of the pupil of His Holiness Dalai Lama, official mentor of our temple, Tibetan monk Elo Tulku Rimpotche whose arrival has become a holiday for all our city Buddhists.
All the Buddhist community of the city representing the Traditional Sangha of Russia condemned these events and expressed their indignant of the fact that the mob that seized the temple refer to His Holiness, Dalai Lama.
We consider these actions as an act of vandalism and desecration of a sacred place. These actions abuse the believers, break a traditional rhythm of daily worships and rituals, break educational process of the temple's monks and postulants.
Lead by the conventual prior Badmaev B.B. Datsan "Kunsechoinei" has united in its walls believers of all the traditional Buddhist religions: Gelug, Ningma, Kagju, Sakjah, Dzogtchen, Zen, Rimey, the Theravada tradition. Teachers of various Buddhist schools and directions were worshiping in the temple and among them resp. Lama Eshe Lodoy Rimotche, representative of Sakja school Lama Tjamian Lekshe, representatives of Nigma school Lama Kempo Pema Zevang Rimpotche, Lama Dzogtchen Khempo Tchoga Rimpotche, Lama Amdo, Lama Gontchok Zering, representative of Theravada tradition conventual prior of a monastery Amaravati Adjan Virodan (United Kingdom), representative of Zen Kvan Um school Vu Bong, spiritual representative of His Holiness Dalai Lama geshe Chzhampa Tinley, Shaolin monastery conventual prior, Hong Kong Dzen Center abbot, resp. conventual Huan Um Sunim and many others.
The doors of the temple were opened for everyone. But since today both the believers and the monks are kept from entering a temple by the paramilitary security guards representing "Protection" Corp. that is in no way related to the Buddhist community.
Beginning from 1989 when the temple has been reopened for general public never yet its doors have been guarded by armed guards preventing believers to worship Buddhist holydom. The temple was erected in 1913, has been in 1937 and returned to the believers in 1989).
Today the temple doors are closed for everybody. It depends on your help whether they will stay closed forever. Information on the situation in the temple is preliminary and will be updated.
Zotov Andrew (Chamjan Dondup)
Datsan "Kunsechoinei" press
secretary
24.07.98