Vauleo-Buryatian gov’t seizes property owned by the Church

[Imperator Azenquor]

BCNA:Vauleo-Buryatian gov’t seizes property owned by the Church

“In a surprise move, the government of Vauleo-Buryatia announced that the government would be seizing several plots of land currently held by the Vaulian Orthodox Church, as well as the Buryatian Association of Buddhists. The announcement came along with a series of new reforms approved by the government. While not all of the properties belonging to the religious groups were seized by the government, several properties are expected to be seized.

For more than 70 years, the Vaulian Orthodox Church has owned thousands of properties across Vaule and Buryatia. These properties have been utilized for several purposes including churches, shelters, community outreach and other initiatives. As donations flowed in, the church expanded and acquired several new properties across the region.

The government has released new documents regarding the properties held by the Vaulean Orthodox Church and the Buryatian Association of Buddhists. In the documents, the government showed that several property acquisitions made under the Khudorozkina government, as well as under the Vaulian Administration, were highly suspicious and violated standard practices. So far the State Prosecutor has shown that in 720 cases properties were sold to the Vaule Orthodox Church for much less than their actual value, in 210 cases the properties were not legally acquired by the Church and in the remaining cases, irregularities were found in the paperwork.

As some of the properties under suspicion were purchased directly from either the Vaulian or Buryatian governments, the government of Vauleo-Buryatia has started proceedings to seize these properties. All properties under suspicion, regardless of the time of purchase, will be brought before the Courts for detailed review. The State Prosecutor sought to assure citizens that the state was not seizing all property from the religious organizations, but was only seizing properties that were acquired outside of appropriate legal practices and those that are held illegally by the organizations.

In each case, the State Prosecutor is required to present sufficient evidence to the Supreme Court to warrant the retaking of the property before the Court authorizes such action to be taken. In the first such case, we had a reporter on the scene as Police Officers arrived to evict the occupants.”-Reporter

***St. Peter’s Children’s Home***

“We are here at St. Peter’s Children’s Home, an organization run by the Vaule Orthodox Church. Today, the administrators of the Children’s home received a formal notice of eviction issued by the government. This has been the second notice delivered to Administrators in several months.

Despite attempts by legal teams to appeal the decision, the government has stood firm and insisted that the property was acquired illegally and will return to government control with immediate effect. The Chief Administrator Father Mikahil Kirov, revealed that the government had offered to rent the property to the Church, but the rent charges were ‘unacceptably high’. Father Kirov expressed his sadness at the developments and has called on the government to work out a compromise with the Church Hierarchy.

Father Kirov has conceded that the property was acquired under the Khudorozkina government, and may have been acquired at less than its true value, but he has said that the transaction took place more than twenty years ago. Father Kirov has called on the government to ‘see reason and compassion rather than kicking us and the children out of our home’. The Patriarch of the Vaule Orthodox Church has condemned the action and has vowed that ‘the Orthodox Church will hold an emergency session to discuss the developments’.

So far, no property belonging to the Buryatian Association of Buddhists has been seized by the government. We will continue to monitor developments as they occur.”-Reporter

[Sir Keshav IV]

"The government supports this move. Land acquired illegally should be sealed whether a charity or not."

[Amyante]

"Though Zargathia disapproves of this action, we should mention that we have no intention of meddling in Vauleo-Buryatian legislature. We would however suggest that the money paid for these acquisitions be returned to the VOC and BAD for properties seized as the voiding of property contracts would automatically negate these transactions. Also, the VOC and BAD are free to set up similar charitable organizations within Zargathia."

[Subtleknifewielder]

"We were preparing our statement, when Zargathia released theirs. It sums up what we wished to say. That is all."

[kitex]

"Troina supports the Vauleo-Buryatian government in its move of seizing land that was illegally acquired or underpaid for by the Church."

[Imperator Azenquor]

BCNA: Central government to regulate religions

“In an expansion of the government’s inquiry into religious affairs, and the relationship that exists between the main religious groups and the government, the Supreme Court announced today that new investigations will be launched into allegations of mismanagement of funds by the Vaule Orthodox Church. The Court stated that ‘significant evidence was presented to us to suggest that in some areas, officials of the Vaule Orthodox Church may have taken actions that would violate their tax exempt status under the law. These actions may have taken place over the last five to seven years and will be investigated in excruciating detail’.

In other news, the Police have arrested the Deputy Leader of the Vaule Orthodox Church on charges of corruption and acquiring property through illegal means. The detailed list of charges includes some acquisitions made as late as last month. The State Prosecutor intends to prove that the Deputy Leader authorized and oversaw the use of charitable donations for the acquisition of several properties, some of which are in the Deputy Leader’s name rather than the name of the Church. In addition, the Deputy Leader is also charged with illegal acquisitions of several individual properties from an unnamed private company for well below actual value. This acquisition is said to have taken place six years ago.

The Deputy Leader’s arrest came as a shock both to the Church and to the people of the nation at large, as all religious officials are usually afforded immunity from prosecution in certain cases. This immunity would allow individual matters to be handled internally if the need arose and trusted that the hierarchy would take the appropriate steps to sanction officials guilty of illegal acts. This matter was addressed early this morning at a special session of the Grand People’s Khural (Legislature). At the session, the Khural moved overwhelmingly in favor of rescinding all immunity granted to most politicians, religious leaders and other non-diplomats. This move was greeted with swift approval from both the Supreme Court and President Trubachev.

It is believed that the approval of this law by the Khural was a key factor in the decision to arrest the Deputy Leader of the Vaule Orthodox Church. The Court has assured the Patriarch that due process will be followed in all cases and not a single bit of evidence will be disregarded. In a much stronger statement, the State Prosecutor vowed to the people that he would:

“…investigate thoroughly each of the cases and ensure that those who are responsible for gross corruption in religious organizations are brought to justice, regardless of if they are simply Priests, or the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church himself.

We will leave no stone unturned in our investigation. This investigation is only the first of many into corruption and mismanagement of assets. It is my intention to greatly expand the scope of this investigation to include politicians as well as business executives.”

In response to the arrest of his Deputy, the Patriarch of the Vaule Orthodox Church has vowed to stage protests against the actions of the government, and has threatened to withdraw the cooperation of church officials in the investigations. This would undoubtedly affect the Court's ability to examine several of the cases, as some vital evidence is held in the Church Archives, which would require the approval of the Patriarch to be accessed. Although a warrant could be obtained to search the Archives, they are a part of the Holy Church of St. James and can not be accessed without the approval of the Patriarch himself.

As several churches prepare to stage protests, rumors are emerging that the State Prosecutor has applied to the Supreme Court to charge the Patriarch himself with obstructing justice if he hinders government access to the Archives."-Reporter

[Comrade]

Molakia warns that interferance in religious affairs only leads to problems.

[Sargun II]

Molakia warns that interferance in religious affairs only leads to problems.

The Church should not be doing illegal activities.

Edited November 4, 2009 by Sargun

[Amyante]

The Church should not be doing illegal activities.

"Whether or not the activities of the Church could be considered illegal was still under investigation, last we checked."

[Vedran]

"The government of Vauleo-Buryatia is to be commended for its firm stance against corruption in religious institutions, and for its intent to expand its inquiries into the areas of business and politics."

[Mergerberger II]

Molakia warns that interferance in religious affairs only leads to problems.

And we all know that Molakia knows so much about world affairs and how to manage nations. Your genius is a rival to Nero's domestic policies.

[Kaiser Martens]

"Religion has nothing to do with tax exceptions and land and buildings. If any, the Government is helping the Religion cleanse itself from people who subvert its beliefs to gain things opposite to the realm of the Spiritual."

[Comrade]

Molakia is only giving a warning that Religious issues have a tedency to get ugly, reguardless of the facts.

[Subtleknifewielder]

Molakia warns that interferance in religious affairs only leads to problems.

The Church should not be doing illegal activities.

"Whether or not the activities of the Church could be considered illegal was still under investigation, last we checked."

"While technically correct, it is also illegal to hinder such investigations as they clearly intend on doing."

And we all know that Molakia knows so much about world affairs and how to manage nations. Your genius is a rival to Nero's domestic policies.

And we all know what you think of Molakia. They are making a statement based on factual observation, not forcing any policies on Vauleo-Buryatia.

"Religion has nothing to do with tax exceptions and land and buildings. If any, the Government is helping the Religion cleanse itself from people who subvert its beliefs to gain things opposite to the realm of the Spiritual."

"For once...we agree with you."

[Imperator Azenquor]

BCNA: Protests led by Vaule Orthodox Church begin

“Tensions have risen significantly in the last few hours. The Supreme People’s Court of Vauleo-Buryatia, after reviewing hundreds of documents and testimony from witnesses, has ruled that the Deputy Leader of the Vaule Orthodox Church will be convicted on all charges. This would mean that the Deputy Leader will spend at least ten years in prison for crimes resulting from his mismanagement of funds.

In response to the conviction of his deputy, the Patriarch of the Vaule Orthodox Church has announced that he will no longer allow the government to access the Archives for additional documents. In the same statement, the Patriarch also warned that he would be organizing several peaceful protests to voice ‘the anger of the Orthodox community over the government’s “witchhunt” of those with different views’. The Patriarch then went even further suggesting that the government investigation was simply an elaborate cover to launch a ‘covert crackdown on the Orthodox Church, in an attempt to restrict or limit the Church’s influence in politics’. This allegation has been flatly denied by the government. The Patriarch also vowed that ‘no member of the clergy accused in the government investigation will be handed over’.

In an additional development, the Supreme Court has issued a formal warrant for the Patriarch’s arrest on charges of obstructing justice. The Court has also ordered the Police to seize the entire contents of the Archives held in the Church of St. James. This has met with stiff resistance from the Church Hierarchy who has vowed to bar the police from ‘trampling the sacred ground of the Church of St. James'. Responding to the calls from the Patriarch, several hundred Nuns and other clergymen have gathered at the Church of St. James, and the Office of the Holy Patriarch. They have formed a human chain around the Church of St. James and have called on believers to assist them in defending against ‘the creeping advance of communism and the subversion of freedom of religion’. At the Patriarch’s Office, a group of supporters have barricaded themselves in his Office and have vowed that they will protect the Patriarch ‘at all costs’.

Rumors have been circulating that the Patriarch will be making a televised address to the nation in which he will 'expose the truth behind the investigations and the witch hunt against Church officials'

"-Reporter

[Amyante]

"While technically correct, it is also illegal to hinder such investigations as they clearly intend on doing."

"Obstruction of justice is indeed an illegal activity, but it was not the one they have initially been accused for. If a government official offers to sell you land for a low price, does it make you a criminal for buying it? No mention of extortion, bribery or intimidation was made in these reports, leading us to believe that for the past 70 years everything was apparently considered perfectly legal with no questions asked."

"Religion has nothing to do with tax exceptions and land and buildings. If any, the Government is helping the Religion cleanse itself from people who subvert its beliefs to gain things opposite to the realm of the Spiritual."

"Our disapproval did not go out to the government putting these religious organizations under investigation, but rather the closure of these facilities as opposed to temporarily continuing their efforts with government workers. We feel a closure and eviction would create a void that would be difficult to compensate for."

[Razgriz 2K9]

We issue no comment on the situation.

[Elrich von Richt]

The SST also holds no comment on this seizing of church property, as we do not follow conventional faith.