freedom of conscience

MIVILUDE’s last report reveals that on July 15, 2009, M. Fenech invited a delegation of the Chinese embassy at MIVILUDES’s quarters.

It is not the first time that French « anti-cult » politics stirs the interest of Chinese authorities. Indeed, we recall M. Alain Vivien’s trip to China, at the time he presided the now defunct Mils.

In November 2000, A. Vivien and his wife attended a symposium organized by the Chinese government in Beijing on the subject of « destructive cults ». At the time, Alain Vivien’s wife, Patricia Casano, was heading the Center against Mental Manipulations (CCMM), an « anti cult » group formerly presided by A. Vivien himself. Shortly after their trip to China, a CCMM’s bulletin explained that in China «France is often quoted as an example by reason of the magnitude and coherence of its measures against “cult menace ». The bulletin featured 2 pages of Chinese governmental propaganda against Falun Gong. ******

At the same time, French government deputy Catherine Picard, declared on CBN News having met the Chinese responsible on religious matters. He was studying the possibilities of enacting a similar law, based on the French model.

The Anti Falun-Gong campaign led by CCMM in November 2000 produced results: in 2004, the Mairie of Paris drew a  “Map of  cults », on which Falun Gong figured.

II – China’s repression of Falun Gong

Since 1999, the Chinese government ceaselessly persecutes members of Falun Gong, a Chinese  movement of Buddhist and Taoists inspiration. Despite international protest, a most gruesome repression continues to be exerted on its members.

- In 2002, `Reporters without frontiers denounced these abuse as well as the internment of a Chinese Internet surfer for having downloaded documents from a Falun Gong Website

- In 2005, a report of the Economic and Social Council at the United Nations denounced the persecutions endured by members of Falun Gong.

-In March 2006, Adam Ereli, spokesmen for the US State Department, demanded that China investigate Falun Gong’s allegations that Chinese government would have sold organs of deceased members that were held in a sort of concentration camp. In answer to an interrogation on April 5 at a regular press conference, Liu Jianchao, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that it was a « rumor spread by the illegal cult Falun gong ».

- In January, 2010, David Kilgour, former prosecutor to the Crown and ex –Asian –Pacific State Secretary, held a Press conference at the Capitol Hill of Ottawa, on the occasion of the presentation of Bloody Harvest, a new book, that denounces forced organs removal on conscientious prisoners of Falun Gong in China. M. Kilgour co – authored this book with lawyer David Matas.

- On March 16, 2010, with 412 votes against 1, the American Chamber of Representatives adopted a resolution condemning the persecutions endured by Falun Gong adepts. The text called upon the government of Popular China « to immediately cease its campaign of persecution, intimidation, imprisonment, and torture on  practitioners of the movement.

Why is it that  in spite of all these condemnations, M. Fenech, president of MIVILUDES, invited a delegation of the Chinese Embassy ?

Was it to remind the Chinese government of the existence of Human Rights?

Has M. Fenech become the spokesman of the French members of Parliament that questioned the government about the fate awaiting Falun Gong members?

Of course, we do not have any answer to these questions. It is however interesting to bring to light a few facts showing  that, via its policy, French Government spreads an ambiguous message on the subject of the respect of Human Rights.

III - MIVILUDES and the European anti-cult lobby

According to Mivilude’s last report, on July 2 2009, M. Fenech had a meeting with the president of FECRIS.

What are the links between MIVILUDES and FECRIS ? Both are financed by French taxpayers via the budget of the Prime Minister. FECRIS is a federation grouping « anti-cults » associations at European level. Its main associations are :

- Unadfi, whose president, Mrs Catherine Picard, belongs to the Orientation Council of MIVILUDES, is financed by French taxpayers.

- CCMM’s president Jacques Miquel, a member of the Orientation Council of MIVILUDES, is also financed by French taxpayers;

- GEMPPI, (Group for the Study of Movements of thought for the Protection of Individuals) an association established in Marseilles whose president is Didier Pachoud.  Pachoud is as well the treasurer of FECRIS. The association is substantially financed by the General Council of Bouches-du-Rhône and by the Mairie of Marseille. In 2007, GEMPPI’s vice-president was Jacky Cordonnier who is today a member of the Orientation Council of MIVILUDES. To top it all, GEMPPI and FECRIS share the same address in Marseilles.

IV FECRIS a peculiar NGO

Since 2005, FECRIS holds a Non Governmental Organization status (NGO), a participative status to the European Council, and, since 2009, it enjoys a Special Consultative Status at the Economical and Social Council of the United Nations.

However, this association is financed at 90% by the Prime Minister, while the main French associations in the federation are funded at 90% by the French administration.

How is it that FECRIS holds a non-governmental status ?

In a letter sent by CAP Liberté de Conscience at the UN, this association stressed the following point regarding ONGs :

“The most difficult question regarding ONGs is to determine how much they depend on governmental influence. At times, various governments have tried to influence a particular sector by establishing their own ONGs in order to promote their politics.

This is observed by the frequent utilization of the acronym GONGO (Government-operated Non-governmental organization) to label an ONG that is organized by a government. Furthermore, in more authoritarian societies, ONGs may have difficulties to act freely, and it happens that they cannot obtain recognition from other political actors, even when they act in an independent manner.

Beyond these exceptional situations there exist a common distrust: governmental financing leading to control by the government. In the realm of Human rights it would be detrimental to an ONG to be perceived in that fashion, thus Amnesty International has strict rules, one of these is to refuse direct financing from a government for normal activities.

On June 6, 2006, eleven major ONGs have adopted a Charter compelling them to display theirs accounts in order to preserve their legitimacy and the transparency of their actions. They invited other international ONGs to make the same commitment.

The signers of the charter explain that they are independent and non profit organizations engaged in the following : We are very fond of our political and financial independence. Our administration, programs and policies are impartial and independent of any and all government, political parties, and/or business circles.

According to these international standards, an ONG seemingly acting for Human Rights should be politically and financially independent »

V - FECRIS and Falun Gong

On the 13 and 14 of October 2008, FECRIS’s president Friedrich Griess, participated at a conference organized in Kiev (Ukraine) on the theme « Truth and lies about the Cult of Falun Gong ».

The event was organized by The Institute of Social and Political Psychology of the Academy of Science and Education of Ukraine and by the Ukrainian anti cult associations « Superstition and Society », « Protection of the Family and the Individual » as well as « Dialogue » of Dniepropetrovsk.

According to Chinese media, Griess commented that cults are different from religions, are totalitarian in nature, force their will upon others to the detriment of personal values and violate Human rights. He would have added: « There is evidence that certain  principles of Falun bear these characteristics. ».

On May 16 and 17 2009, FECRIS organized its annual conference in St Petersburg. It was organized in collaboration with a Russian “anti cult” association called Religious and Cultic Studies Centers. Founded in 1993, the Center received the benediction of His Holiness Patriarch Alexis II. RCS is as well a member of FECRIS.

At the same time, a report of MIVILUDES revealed that on May 13 and 25, M. Fenech had a meeting with a representative of the Russian Academy of Public Function. MIVILUDES’s president was as well present at the conference of FECRIS in Saint Petersburg.

On the occasion of this conference, the president of this Russian association, Alexander Dvorking, became Vice-president of FECRIS. He is a very controversed person and is well known by hundreds of minority groups in Oriental Europe - Alexander Dvorkin has been elected president of the Commission for the undertaking of an expertise by the State on the subject of Religious Sciences  at the Justice Department.

His targets are not only Jehovah’s witnesses, Scientology, the Hare Krishna community, Falun Gong or the Unification Church. Alexander Dvorkin is known for his attacks against Christian groups such as the Baptists, Pentecotists as well as many other Christian Churches that have known an impressive development during the last two decennia in the post communist era.

Alexander Dvorking is the expert  to Chinese authorities on questions concerning Falun Gong.

On May 13, 2008 the Daily China commented on the declarations of M. Dvorking about Falun Gong, accusing it to destroy families.

On the Web site of FECRIS’s president, one can read a speech made by M. Dvorkin in 2007, in which he attacks Falun Gong, accusing it to be a dangerous movement.

VI – Conclusion

France is used as a caution for Russian politics as regard new religious movements, whereas it is controlled by the Russian Orthodox Church. As well, it is used as a caution by China against Falun Gong movement. FECRIS, who should be non politic and non religious, by reason of its ONG status, is financed by the French government and has for Vice – president a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Members of French associations in FECRIS, either in their Charters or in their statuses,  claims their independence in the face of religions or political parties. These pretensions are cut to ribbons by their belonging to FECRIS and their financing by the State.