BERLINER DIALOGUE

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[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

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[page 9 BERLINER DIALOG 2 - 2000 - Michaelis 2000]

The difference between the Alternative Charlemagne
Award and the original Aachen Award

- Bob Minton or Bill Clinton?

by Joe Cisar and Thomas Gandow (return to Articles Listing)

The "Charlemagne Award" was meant to distinguish people
who promote democracy, human rights and the common
values of Europe.

Former prize winners include personalities such as Konrad
Adenauer (Germany), Winston Churchill (Great Britain),
George C. Marshall (USA), Konstantin Karamanlis (Greece),
Henry Kissinger (USA), Francois Mitterand (France), Frère
Roger, Communauté de Taizé (France), Václav Havel (Czech
Republic) and Queen Beatrice of the Netherlands. A list of
the Aachen Charlemagne Award winners can be found at:
http://www.aachen.de/Karlspreis1999/preistraeger_alle.htm

The prize is bestowed yearly "for the most valuable
contribution in the service of the European Union, and for
community work in the service of humanity and world peace.
The award winners were intended by the initiators of the
award to be "role models who evoke imitation."

This year, 2000, the Charlemagne award is to be given to
President Bill Clinton. Unofficial English translation of press
coverage here: www.alt-charlemagne-award.de/000422g.htm and
www.alt-charlemagne-award.de/000422f.htm.

Role model?

Opinions as to whether Bill Clinton is a suitable award winner
vary widely, even in Aachen. Unofficial English translation of
press coverage in the readers' forum of the Aachen
newspaper: www.alt-charlemagne-award.de/000302b.htm.

We believe that there are people who are better suited than
Bill Clinton to be publicly recognized for their
accomplishments in promoting freedom of opinion and a
democratic life style. Because President Clinton has, in some
respects, evoked more controversy and has not held himself
up so much as a role model. From our perspective, his liberal
attitude towards Scientology (SO) is especially controversial.

"It's important we not have [Scientologists like] Tom Cruise
or John Travolta setting foreign policy in this country," federal
House of Representatives member Doug Bereuter
(R-Nebraska) was already saying in 1997.

The first event in a series of correlations between the
Scientology Organization (SO) and Bill Clinton was also the
most effective weapon the Scientology Organization has
produced to date. Scientology was granted tax exemption by
the IRS in the first year of Bill Clinton's presidency - for
"religious" purposes.

Since that time, the Clinton administration's State Department
has continued to fault Germany and other European nations
for their critical dealing with Scientology, despite the
documented human rights abuses of Scientology in the U.S.
and abroad.

- In November 1996, Bill Clinton, President of the
United States of America, contributed to an "exclusive"
article especially for the Scientology magazine,
"Freedom." Clinton afterwards let the article appear
"exclusively" for 'Freiheit,' the Swiss Scientology
magazine, in "Ethique et Liberté" and finally in the
German edition of the Scientology propaganda
magazine under the title of "What we can do about the
drug problem" (in the "Zeit zu entscheiden" / ["Time to
decide"] edition, pp. 48).

- In 1997, Clinton's National Security Adviser, Sandy
Berger, met with actor John Travolta and other
Scientologists to discuss the German government's
attitude towards Scientology.

- According to "George" magazine 3/1998, President
Clinton met personally with Scientologist John
Travolta. Clinton praised the "educational" materials of
Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard: "Your program
sounds great", and "I'd really love to help you with your
issue over in Germany with Scientology," he was
reported to have said in the "George" report.

- Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service reported on
March 21, 1997 that President Clinton honored
Scientologist Tom Cruise's requests by directing his
newly confirmed Secretary of State, Madeleine
Albright, to schedule discussions with German Foreign
Minister Kinkel about Scientology's claims of religious
persecution in Germany.

- In contrast, Secretary Albright visited China that week, but
there was no indication that Clinton asked her to address the
egregious human rights violations and systematic abduction
and execution of Christians in that totalist country.

- In a Dec. 22 1999 letter of "warm greetings," Clinton
expressed gratitude to the Scientologists for "all your
efforts to promote [religious freedom] and to build just
communities united in understanding, compassion and
mutual respect."

President Clinton's public support for Scientology is not
shared by the American people or their congressional
representatives.

[photo: Joe Cisar, Vietnam veteran from Cleveland, Ohio, and publisher and translator for "German Scientology News," reads the text of the award
certificate. photo: Claudia Bartels

Feedback from the press on the Alternative Charlemagne Award (return to Articles Listing)

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 Listing)

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.