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BERLINER DIALOGUE
Volume 2-00 Michaelis 2000 Information and standpoints on religious encounters
Translation by Joe Cisar. Please refer to Cisar's site http://www.cisar.org/ for more information on what is
happening with Scientology in Germany.
I would also be happy to help the people at the top of Scientology ... when Speech by Robert S. Minton in Leipzig, Germany on June 3rd, 2000 for the award of the Alternative Charlemagne Award in Leipzig, Germany at the Old Stock Exchange (return to Articles Index) [photo sub-text: Robert S. Minton on June 3, 2000 in the Old Stock Exchange in Leipzig, photo: Claudia Bartels] Thank you, ladies and gentlemen! Warm thanks to all the members of the committee and to all who made this event possible. Thank you Mrs. Caberta. I am very honored to receive the Alternative Charlemagne Award this morning from my esteemed colleagues of the European American Citizens' Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom. It is very moving to receive this award in Leipzig, where freedom was reborn in the former East Germany. In 1984 I crossed from West Berlin into East Germany through Checkpoint Charlie. The vast difference between my democratic freedoms in the United States and the Communist Stasi-controlled GDR were extremely striking to me, and that moment has had a lasting impact. I well remember walking through the deserted No-Main's Land on the East Berlin side of Checkpoint Charlie after midnight with a heavy suitcase to a waiting State-owned taxi for the short trip to my State-owned hotel for foreigners only. The GDR viewed me then in very much the same way the Scientologists view me now. I was the equivalent of a Suppressive Person, or SP, to the GDR, and it was important for them to keep my thoughts and information from their citizens. Today in Leipzig, we are in the shadows of the famous St. Nikolas Church, where the cry from freedom in East Germany began with a handful of people that grew to hundreds and then hundreds of thousands shouting for freedom in the streets surrounding this very building where we are now gathered. Leipzig is now free, East and West Germany are now reunited as one, and the vast majority of citizens are extremely happy with their new-found freedom.However, not everyone in the former East Germany or in other formerly Communist-controlled Eastern European countries are happy with these new freedoms, just as there are people in the United States and every other country in the world who want someone else to make their decisions for them. The State no longer makes life's major decisions for the citizens in the old Eastern Europe who must now utilize their new freedoms to become self-sufficient and self-determined individuals. It is no accident that in such a vacuum, those individuals who have never been willing to accept the responsibility that freedom brings have allowed themselves to be recruited into organizations like Scientology. Scientology offers a replacement for the former Communist regimes That promises real freedom while in actuality creating an apparatus of coercion that dominates and terrorizes humans from within. Once again, I must reiterate that Scientology is a monster with two heads. - First and foremost, Scientology is an aspiring totalitarian political movement. That is really the End of the Story! - The religious face of Scientology is in reality nothing more than an illusion masking its political agenda and ambitions. However, Scientology uses this religious face as a cover to protect it from scrutiny. This is not the kind of political animal that any democratic society has ever had to deal with before. It has co-opted the U.S. State Department under the guise of religious freedom to condemn Germany and France for religious persecution against Scientology. The American system of government is built on two major counter-balancing principles. - The first is the principle of democracy - the notion that the majority should govern most political decisions made on behalf of the country - and this principle is imbedded in the main body of the Constitution. - The second great principle, which is set forth in the Bill of Rights, is the idea that the power of any group - even the democratic majority itself - must be limited to insure individual rights and liberties. Throughout America's short history, there has never been any time in which groups or even the government itself, while egged on by extremists, hasn't tried to expand their authority and control at the expense of individual rights and liberties. [page 8 BERLINER DIALOG 2 - 2000 - Michaelis 2000] Scientology is just such an extremist group that adamantly refuses to accept the basic principles underlying the Bill of Rights. Their outright attacks on our most fundamental liberties threaten to do permanent damage to the Bill of Rights which is the bedrock of America's traditions of fairness, equality, decency and ultimately, justice. We are all in danger from Scientology's success in cloaking itself in the mantle of religious freedom as a means of focusing government attention away from their human and civil rights abuses as well as their outright manipulation of the legal process. France and Germany have every bit as much respect for religious freedom as the United States does. Make no mistake that Scientologists have a right, which I would protect, to their truly held religious beliefs. However, we all - including France and Germany - have a right as well as a duty to oppose what the organization of Scientology seeks, because what the Church of Scientology seeks is the destruction of the wall that separates church and state. What they seek is government desecration of our basic liberties through policies and law to advance Scientology's political and social agendas. In 1975 Scientology established a major headquarters in Clearwater, Florida, and launched a program called Project Normandy to turn Clearwater into the first Scientology-controlled city. Thus, in deciding where to establish the first office of the Lisa McPherson Trust, it seemed fitting that it should be in Clearwater. We opened our Clearwater office in January of this year, and in the nearly six months since we have been there it has become clear just how vital it is to have such an organization in the United States. Ours is the first organization ever to be established in the United States solely for the purpose of providing education about the abusive and deceptive practices of the Church of Scientology, and we have found that there is a tremendous need amongst Scientology victims and their families for our services. We have also seen that it is vitally important for us to counter the efforts of Scientology in Washington, D.C., and because of this we plan to open another office of the Lisa McPherson Trust in Washington within the next year. The purpose of our D.C. office will be to educate our government about Scientology and get our government working with the governments of Germany, France and other countries who recognize the danger of Scientology. We have also seen that is is crucial for us to coordinate our actions with those of other countries, and for this reason we plan to open offices of the Lisa McPherson Trust in Germany, France and one or two other countries within the next year. For myself, I was born in the United States, a free country. I was fortunate that during my business career I was able to acquire sizable financial resources. I did this by honest hard work, including the work I did for the Nigerian government. Scientology has tried to turn everything I have ever done into something dirty, but the things they say are lies, and I will not let their lies silence me, just as each of you in the audience here today will not be silenced by Scientology's tactics of terror. Never before has Scientology had such an organized resistance. Despite their most vigorous efforts to silence us, we will not be stopped. We have all worked to hard for our freedom. We will never let Scientology take it away. Now I'm going to make this a little difficult for Reverend Gandow [who was translating live] because I'm going to read from the Bible. This (Bible) was given to me last night by a friend and I would like to read a special passage which my friend selected. It is Psalms 71 verse 13. It reads "May my accusers perish in shame. Let those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace." But, God is compassionate; and the people at the top of Scientology who perpetrate this evil are people that all of us would welcome when they leave this organization. I would be happy to help them too. Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for this great honor you have bestowed on me today. It is truly an award for all of us and I shall keep it in trust for everyone who stands up for human rights and religious freedom. [photo sub-text: Ursula Caberta hand the human rights award of the European-American Committee to Bob Minton. photos: Claudia Bartels [page 10 BERLINER DIALOG 2 - 2000 - Michaelis 2000] Scientology's actors and actresses, however, have been appearing repeatedly before the U.S. Congress since 1997 in a concerted effort to worsen German-American relations by adapting the Scientology mind-set. Yet every bill they have had their captive congress people introduce has either been defeated or has quietly died without public discussion. A role model that evokes imitation There is one American who not only does not share President Clinton's predilection for Scientology, but who has distinguished himself in resisting that group's totalitarian tendencies. Among many, who have recognized Scientology's mandated practice of systematic reverse religious discrimination, there is one man who has excelled: - in his support of freedom of speech in accurately reporting the activities of the Scientology Organization (SO) - in assisting the victims of the Scientology Organization, - including Lisa McPherson's relatives in their lawsuit against the SO - in having founded the Lisa McPherson Trust. That is a man by the name of Robert S. Minton. The Alternative Charlemagne Award Therefore the European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA has decided that an alternative Charlemagne Award will be awarded to someone who has definitively furthered the cause of democracy, freedom of opinion and freedom of conscience by reason of his actions. The person deserving of this award is Bob Minton. More to read on Minton's activities: 1. US Millionaire Fights Sect -- Crusade against Scientology www.cisar.org/vid0006e.htm and www.cisar.org/vid0008e.htm 2. Bob Minton, Intrepid Representative of Sect Victims www.cisar.org/trn0330.htm 3. A US Millionaire as a Crusader against Scientology www.cisar.org/trn0318.htm 4. Charlotte Kates' history of Bob Minton www.offlines.org/minton.html 5. Holysmoke's history of Bob Minton www.holysmoke.org/minton/minton.htm color=#800000 SIZE=2 DESIGNTIMESP="28710"> Feedback from the press on the Alternative Charlemagne Award (return to Articles Index) Against all expectations, the Alternative Charlemagne Award received encouraging feedback from the press. Naturally the Scientology Organization, as soon as it got wind of the idea, was on the spot with its Dead Agent Packs, managing here and there to funnel its slanderous info into the news coverage. -- Struggling with the sect Berlin, Germany May 27, 2000 taz U.S. American Robert S. Minton is to be distinguished with the "Alternative Charlemagne Award" for his struggles with the Scientology sect. The 53-year-old man is the chairman of the "Lisa McPherson Trust." The presentation will take place on June 3 in Leipzig's old stock exchange. (epd) -- Badische Neueste Nachrichten Alternative Charlemagne Award for Scientology Critic from the USA Leipzig, Germany May 31, 2000 Badische Neueste Nachrichten (Karlsruhe) by Achim Winkel Karlsruhe/ Leipzig. On Friday in Aachen, U.S. President Clinton will be presented with the Charlemagne Award "for the most worthwhile contribution in the service of the European unification and community work, in the service of humanity and world peace." Another award, however, will be casting long shadows in the forefront of the solemn occasion. On Saturday in Leipzig, the "Alternative Charlemagne Award" will be bestowed - and there is a direct connection to the "original" for Bill Clinton. The recipient of the "Alternative Charlemagne Award" is Robert "Bob" S. Minton, a millionaire banker from the U.S. State of New Hampshire. For years the 53-year-old man has been dedicating himself to the struggle against the controversial Scientology Organization. The arrangers of the "Alternative Charlemagne Award," which consists of noteworthy sect critics called the "European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA" would also like to give Clinton a sign. That he is regarded as expressly friendly to Scientology: one of the first actions which happened in his term was that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) exempted the organization from taxes because the organization allegedly had "religious character." Rumors that the IRS was coerced cannot be quashed. Clinton also received prominent U.S. Scientologists (such as the actors John Travolta and Tom Cruise) and promised them that he would urge that the rights of religious minorities be observed, mainly in Germany. By that was meant Scientology, and Clinton's actions even today still have brought diplomatic friction with them. Bob Minton, in comparison, has been attracting a little attention in the USA. Minton is the Chairman of the "Lisa McPherson Trust": he intends to see that Lisa McPherson's mysterious death is cleared up; she died almost five years ago. In December 1995, a 36-year-old woman was delivered to a hospital in the north of Clearwater, the Scientology stronghold in Florida. However the woman, Lisa McPherson, was already dead - died of dehydration. Her autopsy showed that she had not received water for days. In addition her emaciated body exhibited bruises, insect bites and scrapes - indices of an unnatural death. Circumstances surrounding Lisa McPherson's death are still coming to light - circumstances that indicate considerable complicity on the part of Scientology (Lisa McPherson allegedly wanted out of the organization) and which have cause a rethinking to occur, mainly in the USA. While that is alarming for the organization in Germany, where it is under surveillance by Constitutional Security, over there it is business as usual for them. The "Alternative Charlemagne Award," even if it is being bestowed in Leipzig, can still enliven the discussion about Scientology even in far-off America. [page 11 BERLINER DIALOG 2 - 2000 - Michaelis 2000] Accusation: Scientology is conducting a hate campaign against award winner Opponent of the organization Bob Minton gets Alternative Charlemagne Award Berlin, Germany May 31, 2000 IDEA Nr. 68/2000 (Ev. Nachrichtendienst "Informationsdienst der Ev. Allianz" Deutschland) Berlin (idea) - The American Scientology organization is apparently ready to carry out a hate campaign against the award winner of this year's Alternative Charlemagne Award, Scientology critic and U.S. millionaire Bob Minton. That was told to "idea" on May 31 by the Sects and Weltanschauung Commissioner of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg, Reverend Thomas Gandow. "With incriminating accusations associated with business dealings, the Scientologists are trying to make an anti-Minton campaign out of an anti-Scientology gathering " said Gandow, who is a member of the Award Committee. Minton, who openly opposes the Scientology Organization, is being placed in counter-point to U.S. President Bill Clinton, who receives the "real" Charlemagne Award in Aachen. For instance, Clinton authored an exclusive article for the "Freedom" Scientology magazine and was said to have expressed praise for Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's programs at a meeting with Scientologist John Travolta. In contrast, Minton, who receives the Alternative Charlemagne Award on June 3 in Leipzig, founded the "Lisa McPherson Trust," an organization which opposes Scientology. -- Over Scientology: Criticism of the Charlemagne Award for U.S. President Clinton Hamm, Germany June 1, 2000 neue bildpost, Nr. 23, pg. 1 by Bernd Evers Contention over the presentation of the Aachen Charlemagne Award: this year the valued distinction will go to the President of the United States, Bill Clinton. "It's OK to have a different opinion in regards to Clinton's political accomplishments or his personal conduct," said Reverend Thomas Gandow, Sect Commissioner of the Evangelical Church for Berlin-Brandenburg. As concerns his attitude towards Scientology, however, there is no doubt: "Never before has a government done so much lobbying for Scientology," stressed Gandow. It is not just that the organization received tax exemption in the first year of Clinton's term; Clinton's State Department continually blames Germany and other European states for dealing with Scientology in a critical manner. As a reaction to the presentation of the Charlemagne Award, the European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom will be giving out an Alternative Charlemagne Award: banker Robert Minton, who supports Scientology victims in legal proceedings against the organization, will receive it. -- [photo sub-text: The Leipzig Brass Quartet performed the classical music arrangements of the award ceremony with pieces from Mozart and Beethoven, along with the anthems and the instrumental accompaniment to the assembly's singing of "We shall overcome." -- Dispute involves millionaire Minton A citizens committee squares off with Scientology in Leipzig and gives out the first Alternative Charlemagne Award [*Dresden, Germany June 2, 2000 Sächs. Zeitung Dresden *Dresden is the capitol city of Saxony, where Leipzig is located. Leipzig's population is greater than that of Dresden.] by Thomas Schade Today, U.S. President Bill Clinton receives the Aachen Charlemagne Award. This distinction will also put Leipzig into the limelight a little bit. Because tomorrow at 11 a.m. in the Old Stock Exchange in the City of Fairs [Leipzig] an Alternative Charlemagne Award will be given out for the first time, presented by the "European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA," which has specifically taken on totalitarian groups and sects. Their members include sect commissioner Ursula Caberta from Hamburg and Thomas Gandow from the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg. It is possible there will be a confrontation in Leipzig. That is because the citizens committee, which was previously not well-known, concerns itself with a widely feared sect, with Scientology. The dispute was sparked by the first recipient-to-be of the alternate award, multi-millionaire Robert Minton. The 53-year-old U.S. American will receive the award, because he "had earned it with his involvement, which was directed by courage and civic duty, in society in the USA, which is at risk to the totalitarian Scientology Organization," as the basis read. Minton is regarded as a significant Scientology opponent. He finances victims and former members who disagree with the sect in court. He allegedly has already expended about three million dollars in his campaign. It is said that Minton transferred over 200,000 marks to an attorney's office in Clearwater. The office intends to obtain damages from the sect of $144 million in connection with the death of Scientologist Lisa McPherson. The 36-year-old woman died under conditions which have not been explained. Because Minton openly criticizes the sect, it has formed a front against his award in Leipzig. Top German sect members sent an open letter on May 29 to the bishops of the Evangelical State Churches in Berlin-Brandenburg and Saxony. A demonstration is not out of the question It was demanded of Berlin Bishop Wolfgang Huber that Sect Commissioner Gandow be immediately dismissed. He amounts to the "spiritus rector" of the Leipzig arrangement. The letter said that the Saxon state church should "distance itself from the procedure" and not take part in the award. The sect called Minton "an international con man who caused massive harm ... in Nigeria." It was said that the American became rich when he was deeply involved in the restructuring of debt in developing countries. It was also alleged that 12 billion marks disappeared out of over 200 foreign bank accounts and that Minton was "the main string-puller," as Scientology claimed. The sect has been rather busy trying to obstruct the gathering. Scientology spokesman Georg Stoffel from Munich verified that it had been explained what was planned there for the people responsible for the Old Stock Exchange [site of the award] and for the Auerbachs Keller [site of the reception]. He did not rule out a morning demonstration on Saturday. Thomas Gandow from Berlin reacted calmly to the accusations. He said that, after all, Clinton had received his award in spite of his affair with Monica Lewinsky. -- [photo sub-text: Behind Bob Minton and Stacy Brooks are standing, from left: Gerry Armstrong, Canada; Prof. Alexander Dvorkin, Russia; Andrea Kuepker, Germany; Rod Keller, publisher of "ARS weekin review" photo: Claudia Bartels -- [page 12 BERLINER DIALOG 2 - 2000 - Michaelis 2000] Gandow: No criticism of Clinton's life-style Dresden, Germany June 3, 2000 Sächs. Zeitung Dresden Dresden. Responding to the SZ article "Dispute involves Millionaire Minton" of June 2, page 2, the sect commissioner of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg, Thomas Gandow, said, "The presentation of the 'Alternative Charlemagne Award' concerns civil rights activist and philanthropist Bob Minton and his involvement against Scientology. What we are reacting to is the bestowal of the Aachen Award to U.S. President Bill Clinton, who is being criticized for his support of Scientology. I was not making implications about the life-style of the U.S. President" (SZ) -- The new uprising for Scientology Hamburg, Germany June 2, 2000 Hamburg Abendblatt by Ernst-Gerhardt Scholz What's good enough for Clinton is good enough for Minton. Both have received a Charlemagne Award. Bill the President received the international award and Bob the Banker received the alternative award. The former from the hands of Aachen Mayor Juergen Linden, the latter one day later in Leipzig from Ursula Caberta. To keep things in perspective, this Alternative Charlemagne Award has something to do with Scientology. Not only that, but Caberta is the Director of the Hamburg Interior Agency's work group which is involved exclusively with that controversial organization. At the same time, she is also a prominent member of the "European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA" which is backing this award. And why, of all people, to Robert S. Minton, who people call "Bob"? Answer: because the Scientologists obviously see someone who has grown into an opponent who is to be taken seriously in this U.S. millionaire businessman. From his perspective, Scientology's being a "totalitarian movement," thereby "working against democracy," appears to be less momentous than the fact that he has to carry on his battle against Scientology in the USA himself. Over there virtually limitless tolerance is applied to all possible movements, religious or otherwise. Scientologists have had to live with the resistance from Germany for years. The success of the information campaigns of sect commissioners and - not least of all - Ursula Caberta can be measured not only by the number of people leaving Scientology, but also by the organization's apparently poor financial situation. "They are practically bankrupt and can only keep their heads above water with financial injections from the USA," said Caberta recently at an Interior Agency press conference in which Bob Minton also lambasted the image presented by Scientology of "peace, joy and cupcakes." He said that Scientology was anything but a church, was cynical and would destroy anyone who got in its way. After Minton said that, it rained Scientology press releases and a flood of open letters was directed at the Interior Agency. All with one goal: to discredit Minton and Caberta with him. That is one of the methods which Scientology has for handling discussion. For instance, Minton was accused of being an "unscrupulous money-grubber" who "personally lined his pockets with several tens of millions of dollars under the regime of the former military dictatorship in Nigeria - while the population starved." Kurt Weiland, chief of Scientology's intelligence agency, which they call "Office for Special Affairs (OSA)," did not let the opportunity slip to write Hamburg Interior Senator Hartmuth Wrocklage from Los Angeles and demand that Caberta be dismissed. He said that what she was doing was a "continuation of the Inquisition"; he said she hunted people down, destroyed their existence and was bringing shame, not only upon Hamburg, but upon all of Germany. He said that Caberta, who "gave con-men like Robert Minton the seal of approval from the Hamburg Interior Agency" was "out of place." Minton does not dispute having discretely and for a profit bought back, with a partner, $4.5 billion of foreign debt on commission of the Nigerian administration. Nor that they made a profit with a nominal value of 1 percent ($45 million). [page 13] What he does not agree with are: the numbers being cited far in excess of that, assertions that anything was fraudulent, that he is being investigated in any way, that bank accounts have been closed or that he profited from oil prices which rose during the Gulf War. He will do in Germany what he has already done in France - sue Scientology for slander. All that, however, is only coincidental to the members and supporters of the Alternative Charlemagne Award committee. For them, only one thing counts: Bob Minton is better suited than Bill Clinton for being publicly recognized for supporting freedom of opinion and a democratic life-style. Specifically, they disagree with Clinton's "liberal" attitude towards Scientology. Ursula Caberta also finds that the President, in the twilight of his term, "gives the impression" of being a "Scientology puppet." Bob Minton, on the other hand, was said not to share the President's "strange predilection." Seen that way, the Scientologists' excitement is understandable. -- Alternative Charlemagne Award for sect opponent Leipzig, Germany June 3, 2000 Der Tagesspiegel Jan-Martin Wiarda The way the initiators picture it, it is more honest than the famous original: the "Alternative Charlemagne Award" which will be bestowed today by the "European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA" one day after the official Charlemagne Award. "By holding this ceremony, we intended to give a sign that, in spite of the Clinton administration, there are people in America who think differently and who do not swim with the Scientology tide," said Thomas Gandow, Sect Commissioner of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg and member of the citizens committee. Clinton, who received the official Charlemagne Award in Aachen yesterday for his merits in humanity and world peace, was said to have met with celebrity Scientologist John Travolta in the last few years, and to even have authored an article in a magazine for the controversial community. Therefore the Committee regards the U.S. President as anything but deserving of distinction and now wants to honor the American Scientology opponent and investment banker, Robert Minton, with the "Alternative Charlemagne Award." Scientology went on the offensive and brought serious accusations against Minton: a letter to Berlin Bishop Wolfgang Huber alleged that Minton had been involved in illegal money-laundering deals, "aided and abetted by a former military dictatorship and notorious human rights violators in Nigeria." In this manner, the investment banker was said to have bought back Nigerian debt at cheap prices on the world market on commission from Nigeria and without knowledge of credit bankers, causing damages in the amount of hundreds of millions. Thomas Gandow described Scientology's accusations as false. He said the "Lisa McPherson Trust," of which Minton is the chairman, helps victims of Scientology make their claims in court. He also said that Scientology has been using its accusations for years in a campaign of slander against Minton. The debt transactions were said to have taken place, but it served nothing other than the interest of the Nigerian people. "In no case did Minton profit unduly." Nevertheless, there is doubt about Minton's credibility. "Transparency International," an international organization which fights corruption, confirmed, without naming names, that criminal actions occurred in connection with Nigerian debt transfers. These accusations have also caused upset in the church administration. "We are conducting our own investigations," said Provost Karl-Heinrich Luetcke. "If it should turn out that there is anything to these accusations, then that would be an annoying win on points for Scientology." -- Leipzig (dpa) - The U.S. American Robert Minton received the first Alternative Charlemagne Award in Leipzig. In doing this, the European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA honored Minton's involvement in support of the victims of Scientology. The Committee intended to create an alternative to the bestowal of the Charlemagne Award to U.S. President Bill Clinton. >From the Committee's point of view, Clinton's liberal attitude towards Scientology is controversial. -- Robert S. Minton Frankfurt, Germany June 3, 2000 Frankfurter Rundschau The US American banker will be distinguished this Saturday with the "Alternative Charlemagne Award 2000". Minton is receiving the unremunerated award for his struggle against the Scientology organization, stated the "European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA" in Berlin. Minton is said to have provided Scientology victims with financial and legal assistance. The award was a reaction to the presentation of the Aachen Charlemagne Award to U.S. President Clinton, who allegedly openly supports the Scientology Organization. (kna) -- [page 14 BERLINER DIALOG 2 - 2000 - Michaelis 2000] Alternative Charlemagne Award for Robert Minton Leipzig, Germany June 3, 2000 Leipziger Volkszeitung (pg. 2) Leipzig (dpa). U.S. American Robert Minton received the Alternative Charlemagne Award 2000, which was presented on Saturday in Leipzig for the first time. In doing this, the European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA intends to publicly appreciate Minton's involvement on behalf of the victims of the Scientology Organization. The unremunerated human rights award is in the form of a sculpture of the Leipzig Nikolas Church created by Leipzig artist Ruediger Bartels. The Award is intended to be an alternative to this year's presentation of the Aachen Charlemagne Award to U.S. President Bill Clinton. From the Committee's point of view, there is reason to dispute Clinton's liberal attitude towards Scientology. In advance of the bestowal of the human rights award to Minton, the Scientology Organization has resorted to accusing him of complicity with former military dictators and notorious human rights violators in Nigeria. He was also said to have "defrauded banks in Europe and the USA with illegal money-laundering deals." Minton has rejected these allegations. -- First Alternative Charlemagne Award goes to American Scientology Critic Leipzig, Germany June 5, 2000 Bild U.S. President Bill Clinton received the Charlemagne Award in Aachen on Friday. For his involvement in matters of peace, freedom and democracy. On Saturday the 1st Alternative Charlemagne Award was given out in Leipzig - criticism of Clinton and the USA. Reason: their liberal attitude towards the Scientology sect. Clinton's fellow citizen, Robert Minton, received the (unremunerated) award for his effort on behalf of victims of the sect. It was bestowed by the European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom. The basis of the award stated, "Minton recognized what dangers can arise for people and for liberal democracy through Scientology." The Alternative Charlemagne Award will now be presented annually." -- [pages 15 - 18] page 19 BERLINER DIALOG 2 - 2000 - Michaelis 2000 Study on Brainwashing in the Scientology's penitential RPF camps (return to Articles Index) On October 24, 2000 the Berlin Dialogue Center, together with the European-American Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA, hosted a press conference in the cathedral in Berlin on the topic of: penitential camps and human rights violations in the Scientology Organization. At the conference Prof. Stephen Kent, University of Alberta, Canada, presented his study on Scientology's penitential and re-education camp (RPF: Rehabilitation Project Force). According to Prof. Kent's findings, the totalitarian psycho-organization has private penitential camps in the USA, Great Britain and Denmark. In these camps members who do not keep the standards of the Scientology organization are punished and, according to Prof. Kent's findings, are subjected to regular "brainwashing." The study by the Canadian religion sociologist about human rights violations in Scientology's penitential camps is being printed by the Hamburg State Interior Agency as a booklet. BOX The German-language booklet and the English version is available in pdf format from: http://www.arbeitsgruppe-scientology.de/Brain.pdf or htm from: http://www.innernet.net/joecisar/rpf1000.htm The American Stacy Brooks, herself formerly a member of Scientology and inmate of an RPF camp, reported on her personal experiences which included punitive measures such as heavy physical labor and Hubbard's "study courses." Robert S. Minton, a US millionaire who was distinguished with the "Alternative Charlemagne Award 2000" for his efforts on behalf of the victims of Scientology, reported on the Lisa McPherson Trust which he established and on his goal, together with Dell Liebreich, the aunt of the deceased woman, to explain by means of civil law the death of Lisa McPherson, an American woman who lost her life five years ago under Scientology "care." In addition to that the Lisa McPherson Trust is also concerned about ending the continuing human rights violation of the Scientology Organization. Ursula Caberta y Diaz, director of the Interior Agency's Scientology Task Force of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg pointed out activities by the Scientology organization intended at worsening European-American relationships. In connection with the French government denying the Scientologists permission to march through Paris, she praised France's involvement in the European discussion with the Scientology organization. The spokeswoman for the European-American Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA, Solveig Prass of the Parents Involved Initiative against Psychic Dependency, Sachsen, Inc. announced the Alternative Charlemagne Award would also be presented in 2001. (see below). [image] subtext: Press conference in the cathedral. from left, sitting: Stacy Brooks, LMT Clearwater; Julia Bronder, Cultinfo New York; Prof. Stephen Kent, Canada; Ursula Caberta photo: Ute Gandow Continuing Education for church decision-makers On the afternoon of October 24, 2000 the Berlin Dialogue Center, together with Wichern publishing, hosted a seminar in the Evangelical Center on Georgenkirch Street, the church admin offices of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg , for church staff and decision-makers on the theme of "Scientology - Challenge for Church and State in a new form of Totalitarianism." The reason for the session, staffed with experts and called on short notice': after the most recent Scientology slander campaign against the Berlin sect commissioner, Rev. Thomas Gandow (among other things Scientologists scoured files in the press archive of the Berlin consistory for material incriminating to Gandow and made accusations of corruption against him in the Evangelical Church Diocese office in Hannover), a church leader wrote him in self-critical language, "I can't get over the feeling that we church people in offices do not have enough information about the activities of the Scientology people." Discussion took place under the moderation of Wolfgang Fietkau of Wichern publishing, publisher of the BERLINER DIALOG magazine, and Rev. Thomas Gandow, church commissioner on issues of sects and weltanschauung on the themes: "Churches and political institutions as targets of the SO"; "Experiences with the SO - Infiltration into state agencies and others" [SO: Scientology Organization]; "Human Rights Violations and SO penitential camps"; "Black Propaganda and Dead-Agenting" with - Prof. Dr. Stephen Kent, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada - Stacy Brooks, formerly on staff of OSA, the Scientology intelligence agency, and inmate of a penitential camp, called RPF (Rehabilitation Project Force) by Scientology. - Robert S. Minton, founder of the Lisa McPherson Trust and bearer of the Alternative Charlemagne Award 2000 - Ursula Caberta, director of the Interior Agency's Scientology Task Force of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg - Solveig Prass, business manager of the Parents Involved Initiative, Sachsen, Inc. Also in 2001: European-American Citizens Committee Award This year's human rights award to US citizen Bob Minton, the Alternative Charlemagne Award 2000 from the European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA, has met with great resonance on both sides of the Atlantic. The committee which bestowed the award is concerned with violations, especially those by the Scientology organization, against human rights and religious freedom. Scientology's headquarters is located in the USA. In recent years, the totalitarian Scientology organization has been able to carry out its operations there, presumably with official government support (such as tax exemption and diplomatic activities). The Committee has decided to again bestow this honor as early as 2001 to some deserving individual who has distinguished him- or herself in the trans-Atlantic aspect of the discussion with Scientology about human rights and religious freedom. The committee is currently deliberating recommendations. In January 2001, an award recipient will be selected and announced. [end of page] |
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