More than thirty temple presidents, and a handful of Governing Body Commissioners, representing North American chapters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) gathered here on May 17 to kick off a three-day regional meeting. Organizers of the meeting hope to bring together the two facets of ISKCON's leadership in order to foster greater accountability and cooperation, and explicitly address the need for a balance of power.

Enthusiasm seemed to float on the air—along with the yellow clay dust of the western world's most famous Hindu pilgrimage site—as devotees arrived by the car- and busload for a three-day weekend of Krishna conscious education, enlightenment, and good times.

Another thirteen community houses are under the threat of being demolished and the Supreme Court ruling makes it possible for the authorities to confiscate the 116 acres of land at any moment.

The IHF and HRWF urge the Kazakh authorities to strictly abide by the international human rights standards the country has committed itself to and to take all available measures to solve the case of the Hare Krishna community in a peaceful, fair and unbiased manner.