RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Conflict over Buddhist monastery in Russia resolved

URALS BUDDHISTS TO LEAVE RELIGIOUS COMPLEX ON MOUNT KACHKANAR

TASS, 2 February 2021

 

The Buddhist community of the only Buddhist monastery in the Urals, "Shedrub Ling," whose buildings are located in the industrial zone of the "Evraz" company on Mount Kachkanar, made the decision to abandon the religious complex. This was reported on the community's VKontakte page.

 

"At yesterday's meeting of the community, a decision was made: on 8 February the guards will leave the religious complex on the mountain. From Monday to Thursday, the site will be under the protection of the Evraz KGOK [Korsunovskii Mining and Processing Company—tr.]," the community reported.

 

In 2016, a court ruled that the buildings of the monastery had been constructed illegally and they must be demolished. The founder of the complex refused to do this. Court bailiffs could not carry out the court's decision because of the lack of funds to do the job, which were estimated at 1.5 million rubles. In October 2019, the authorities in the region agreed with the community on a transfer to a new location by 2020, although later representatives of the community refused to carry it out.

 

The temple complex was built in 1995. It consists of a hall for rituals, buildings for yoga, rooms for seclusion, a teahouse, and a classroom. (tr. by PDS, posted 2 February 2021)

 

URALS BUDDHISTS ANNOUNCE WITHDRAWAL FROM MOUNT KACHKANAR

Rossiiskaia Gazeta, 2 February 2021

 

The "Way of Buddha" Buddhist community has agreed to the conditions for safe operation of the temple on Mount Kachkanar. Everyone who wishes, including members of the community, will be able to visit the religious location only on weekends and Buddhist holidays.

 

Today on their VKontakte page, the Buddhists reported that they decided in a meeting that their guards will leave the religious complex on 8 February.

 

We recall that in October 2019 it was announced that members of the community would move to the village of Kosya, when it was agreed that a place of pilgrimage would remain on the mountain, an access road would be built, and mining work would go on at a safe distance.

 

In October 2020, the Kachkanar mining and processing company and the community signed a document according to which the company would take the monastery property under its protection and representatives of the community would visit it on specific days when no blasting work would be carried out. However, until recently, the agreement has been violated by the community and from Mondays to Thursdays there have been two or three guards on the territory of the temple.

 

Since 2016, it has been desired to demolish the Buddhist Shedrub Ling temple on Mount Kachkanar. Members of the community have tried many times to legalize the structures, but the mining and processing plant and the forestry department have claimed rights to the land.

 

In late September 2020, the metallurgical mining company Evraz reported the start of mining work on the Sobstvenno-Kachkanar deposit of titanium-magnetite iron ores. . . . (tr. by PDS, posted 2 February 2021)

 

URALS BUDDHISTS TO LEAVE MOUNT KACHKANAR BECAUSE OF THREATS TO DEMOLISH MONASTERY

Argumenty i fakty, 2 February 2021

 

The "Shedrub Ling" Buddhist community will leave the religious complex on Mount Kachkanar. Now from Monday to Thursday, the monastery will be under the security of the Evraz company. Representatives of the community reported this on their VKontakte page.

 

We recall that previously the Evraz company began mining on Mount Kachkanar near the structures of the Buddhist community. After this the company warned of the danger for tourists and residents of the community during the time of operations. At that time, Shedrub Link and Evraz signed an agreement for limiting access for visitors to the monastery. But later the Buddists broke this agreement. Finally, the government of Sverdlov oblast issued an ultimatum to members of the community. It threatened to give permission to Evraz to demolish the monastery if they [i.e. the Buddhists—tr.] did not leave the mountain during the time of mining operations.

 

Now, the Urals Buddhists and guests of the complex may return to the mountain only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. (tr. by PDS, posted 2 February 2021)


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