freedom of conscience

Le FIGARO

20/02/2009

The crusade of Georges Fenech against sectarian drifts
SECURITY

The new president of Miviludes decided to go all over France to understand the phenomenon. And to reprimand it.
Behind the window of a big building, in a room with few lights, seminarist dressed with monk’s robes are around a table for a sober lunch. They just heard the entrance bell and their sights look out in the courtyard. On the entrance, in the night, three persons come to announce the visit. Coming fromParis by the plane of 6.20 AM, they are questioning about if the door of this house of Blagnac (Haute-Garonne) or if they will have to go backtrack.

But few moments later, a Priest appears  up to the stairs and agree to let them to come in… Welcome at the Beatitude Community. An association without any problems born in 1973 during the period of the reborn of the charismatic Catholicism for some people. A structure homing behavior of sectarian drifts for the others.

This is why Georges Fenech, newly appointed President of Miviludes decided, few days ago, to go over there with two deputies.

« I don’t have the intention to do observations from my office of Paris. I would like to know what’s happening into the community from which sectarian drifts alert were given ». He says, willing to give a new politics in his structure he is leading since five months.

For this former judge of Instruction who leaded the first great case about Scientology between 1988 and 1994 at Lyon, observation should fit with action and intentions to do propositions. A style that already created a polemics wit the mention of the creation of a new list on the model of the one created by the Inquiry Commission of 1995. The Ministry of Interior estimates that such initiative is useless. « Only the research of obvious outlaw facts must be counted ». It is said Place Beauvau.From his side, Georges Fenech  want to reassure: « This is not a list but more a reference of sectarian drifts movements and practices mentioned as to be dangerous. » He says, « we only act within the respect of freedom of conscience, there is no witch hunt ».The prime Minister, under which Miviludes is placed, will get the final decision. A meeting will be help in the next few days.

Another tool that the new president would like to setup: A permanent office for intervention. « Together with experts, it would come to help to investigators to better understand the sectarian phenomenon ». A proposition coming straight from his experience of Magistrate but also, without any doubt, linked to attacks done against Miviludes. Beginning 2008, the ship was really in danger whom the efficiency was questioned by the chief of the Sarkozy’s office, Emmanuel Mignon. And then, Georges Fenech, who likes to take decisions, was never a man who want to stay into the shadow, even if he would have prefer to do not see his name in the press amongst the persons charged into the Angolagate case.

No mandate anymore

At last, Miviludes is now going to meet with communities following alerts done on visits done to them. A

At Blagnac, the discussion is done between several responsible of community. In a room looking like old, the ton is gentle but serious. Georges Fenech show documents of a folder put on his knees and denounce various practices. Without being out of their usual calm, the members of the community deny the accusations. End of the talk that will last several hours. Infective blow? Out of the judiciary frame, this close interrogatory has no value. But it is useful for Georges Fenech who, during this same trip, met witness as well as prefects and the archbishop of