A/HRC/7/10/Add.1 page 35 Kazakhstan Communication sent on 4 December 2006 140. The Special Rapporteur brought to the attention of the Government information she had received according to which on 21 November 2006 state authorities began bulldozing five Hare Krishna-owned country houses at their commune in Karasai district on the outskirts of Almaty. Concern has been expressed that only houses which are owned by Hare Krishna believers have been targeted for confiscation and destruction. It was reported that Hare Krishna devotees formed the commune after buying a 47.7-hectare piece of land with a farm in 1999. Confiscation of the land allegedly may lead to disintegration of one of the largest communities of Hare Krishna devotees in Central Asia. According to further allegations, the district authorities have also refused to allow the Hare Krishnas to celebrate a religious festival. Response from the Government dated 28 November 2007 141. The Government referred to the findings of the interdepartmental commission for land disputes in the case involving the religious association “Society for Krishna Consciousness”. This decision confirmed the lack of any religious discrimination in this conflict. The commission found that the court proceedings were instituted against specific individuals for violations of current legislation (improper use of plots of land; forgery of titles by unauthorized modification of the indicated purpose of a plot of land; failure to comply with government rules relating to architecture, town planning and construction, as well as fire safety and health) and accordingly decided that there is only a dispute of an economic nature. 142. The commission reported that the “Society for Krishna Consciousness” had not requested the local authorities to grant plots of land for the installation of religious structures. In the cities of Astana and Almaty as well as in six oblasts, a total of 10 communities of the “Society for Krishna Consciousness” have been registered without hindrance and are currently operating. They are playing an active part in activities designed to strengthen inter-confessional concord and there are no conflicts in their relations with State agencies. 143. The leadership and representatives of the “Society for Krishna Consciousness”, who are attributing a religious character to this dispute, have reported the alleged destruction of a Hindu temple and persecution of followers of the Hindu faith. The commission found this to be at variance with the facts and defined the matter as demolition of houses erected without permission and following the improper use of plots of land. None of the houses erected without permission had been registered as a religious structure in accordance with Kazakhstan legislation. The Office of the Procurator-General, which is the highest State supervisory body responsible for ensuring the precise and uniform application of the law, found that all the judicial decisions handed down in this matter are well-founded and lawful. 144. The representatives of the “Society for Krishna Consciousness” accuse the local authorities of withholding consent to the privatization of the plots of the religious association. The commission pointed out that to date the members of the Society lawfully own 19 housing plots in the Eltai rural territory of Karasai district. According to the commission, this demonstrates that the local authorities have no claims against members of the “Society for Krishna Consciousness” whose house-building is in keeping with Kazakhstan legislation relating