Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Bigotry from Germany
From: koreenb@jovanet.com (Cory Brennan)
Date: 30 Dec 1995 10:10:21 GMT

Cory

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Conseil Economique et Social

Distr. Generale

E/CN.4/1995/91

Francais
Original: Anglais/Chinois
Francais

Commission des droits de l'homme

Cinqante et unieme session
point 22 de l'ordre du jour provisoire

(English translation)

Application of the Declaration on Eliminating All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Conviction

Report presented by Mr. Abdelfattah Amor, Special Rapporteur in Accordance with Resolution 1994/18 of the Human Rights Commission

27. In a report dated October 20, 1994, addressed to the German government, the Special Reporter transmitted the following information:

"According to information received, the Church of Scientology has been subjected to different forms of discrimination.

This discrimination has especially been the work of political parties.

In December 1991 the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) adopted a resolution forbidding Scientologists from being able to become members; in particular, this led to the exclusion of members from the party because of their religious belief. In addition, in February 1993 the Youth Union, affiliated with the CDU, published a brochure entitled, "InSects: No Thank You" the cover of which depicted insects that were supposed to represent the minority religions in Germany eliminated by a fly swatter. This brochure was distributed during the CDU Federal Party Congress in Fecbruary 1994.

In February 1993 the Social Democrats (SPD), the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), The Free Liberal Party (FLP) and the STAAT Party declared that affiliation with the Church of Scientology was incompatible with the principles of their politial parties.

The Special Rapporteur also was informed of several cases of discrimination:

At Hamburg on March 26, 1992, the Senate notified the Hamburg Church of Scientology that it would refuse to rent it rooms.

In Baden-Wuerttemberg in September of 1992 the government of the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg put into application comprehensive discriminatory measure aimed at the Church of Scientology and its practitioners. These measure required the government:

• To take legal capacity away from Scientology organizations;
• To initiate criminal investigations into the Church;
• To determine if adherence to religion may be similar to a dependence on drugs;
• To increase "enlightenment" campaigns about Scientology in schools, government offices, and among the public at large;
• To collaborate with the Employers' Association and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce to prevent the economic "influence" of Scientology;
• To continue to arouse the support of unions who have agreed to inform their members about the economic influence of Scientology and to thwart this influence through union publications attacking any adherence to Scientology.
• To establish a complete list of other measures aimed at "reducing Scientology activities;"

Identical measures have been adopted in the states of Sarre, North Rhineland, Westphalia, Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

According to information received, persons and organizations associated with Scientology have been put on a blacklisted [sic] and boycotted economically. The following cases have been brought to the Reporter's attention:

In May 1993 Chick Corea, a jazz musician, was invited to participate in a concert during a world athletic championship at Stuttgart. The government of Baden-Wuerttemberg cancelled the concert after it found out that Chick Corea was a Scientologist.

In March 1992 the Administrative director of the state capital of Dusseldorf was given a list mentioning companies that employed Scientologists, in particular, the chief executive officer of the Dusseldorf Fair Ltd. Company. In March 1993 the city of Dusseldorf published an order against the general manager of Kempe Ltd. Real Estate Company and cancelled Mr. and Mrs. Kemp's right to hire trainees to introduce them to the real estate broker profession because of their religion.

In 1993 in the state of Rhineland Palatinate, a businessman, Werner Nolte, was the subject of a media campaign against his company and his family because they belonged to the Church of Scientology. Consequently, his partners cancelled their business relationships with the company.

In June 1993 a German television newcaster, Thomas Gottschalk, was mistakenly accused of being a Scientologist. Because of deceptive publicity accusing him of being a Scientologist, Mr. Gottschalk publicly announced that he was not a Scinetologist, that he had nothing to do with the Church and that he would cease all relationships with his friend who was a Scientologist.

In December 1993 three businessmen bought space in a local daily paper "_Husumer Nachrichten_" to announce that "now and never had they been Scientologists nor had they ever had a relationship with the Scientology movement and its organizations." The managers of the local companies and the local priest signed the article. At the end of the announcemnt there was a notice saying that any person treating these businessmen as Scientologyists or accusing them of being in contact with Scientology or any other sects would be sued for "defamation."

On August 19, 1993, the manager of Volksfursorge (a public assistance service organization) informed a trainee, Oliver Freitag, that he would not be hired because of his adherence to the Church of Scientology.

The Special Rapporteur was also informed that an increase in acts and threats of violence has been noted. The following cases have been reported:

The last two years, bomb threats were directed against almost every Scientology church and mission: Hamburg (3), Hannover (2), Munich (2), Ulm (2), Frankfort and Dusseldorf.

On June 4, 1993 the windows of the building rented to the Hamburg Church of Scientology and some cars in the parking lot were vandalized and covered with paint.

On June 12, 1993, the front of a Scientologist's house was painted with the inscription "Scientologist Pig."

In February 1994 the window of Scientology mission was broken by a rock wrapped in a pamphlet. The editor announced his objective "to annihilate" Scientology.

On March 24, 1994 a Scientologist lawyer, Mr. Wilhelm Bluemel, received a fax saying, "attention, your hour will soon come," as well as anonymous calls.

Scientology children also have suffered discrimination. On March 27, 1994 a Scientologist, Lydia Walker's two children, six and three years old, were victims of acts of discrimination in the local children's park. Because of the intiative of the group entitled "Sect Info Essen," the Board of Directors, demanded very specifically that all contact with Scientologists be avoided. The children were banished by the rest of the school, and their parents were informed that their children would be sent home unless they signed a written contract swearing not to "promote" Scientology verbally, by writing, or in any other way. This contract also said that their children were not "welcome" in the day care center. A sign placed in front of the children's park said, "Scientology is not wanted," and the school announced that it was going to organize an anti-Scientology display with the "Sect Info Essen" group in April 1994.