Bolivia expels Nityananda’s Kailasa members over trying to seize land

Sucre/ Bolivia: Authorities in Bolivia deported 20 members of preacher Nityananda’s fictional country Kailasa for attempting to seize land of indigenous communities.

The central South American country’s Immigration Director Katherine Calderón told a press conference that ‘They are no longer in our national territory.’

Nithyananda, who fled India after being accused of rape, claimed to be living in the country he set up called the United States of Kailasa.

However, there are no details about exactly where the country is, it is believed to be an island off the coast of Ecuador.

‘This sect has arrived in our country and has attempted to violate the good faith of our indigenous population and also their rights, trying to deceive them into using their native lands,’ Calderón reportedly said.

Bolivian newspaper El Deber reported on March 16 that the country’s three indigenous groups-- the Baure, the Cayubaba and Esse Ejja—entered an agreement with the members of Kailasa between September and November for nearly 4.8 lakh hectares of public land.

The agreement would have allowed the group to use the land for a ‘thousand years’ in exchange of annual rent.

The Bolivian foreign ministry, as reported by La República, said that Kailasa had no international recognition.

The ministry made it clear that nevertheless indigenous communities could manage their lands, managing relations with other countries is ‘exclusive responsibility of the national government’.

Yamil Flores, the minister of rural development and lands reportedly said: ‘The government has never endorsed, nor will it ever endorse, these types of hidden contracts.’

Flores said that investigation was underway to look into the contracts between indigenous leaders and Kailasa members.

Immigration Director Katherine Calderón on Tuesday said three of those expelled were taken to Viru Viru Airport in Santa Cruz after they were found in the municipality of Exaltación.

The remaining 17 persons were notified of their expulsion after they were found in Santa Cruz.

‘The people found in the various operations in both cities are no longer in our territory,’ Calderón reportedly said adding that the final mandatory orders issued to them prevented them from re-entering the country.

India cancelled Nithyananda’s passport in 2019 alongside rejecting his application for a new one.

It is reported that Nithyananda allegedly abducted children and used to raise money for his ashram.