Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, dear Minister Vivien,
I am very happy to be with you here today in Leipzig.
It is a great honor for me today to be able to give the laudatio for Minister
Vivien on the occasion of his receiving the "Human Rights Award of the
European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom
in the USA."
This human rights award is now given out for the third
time here in Leipzig. It was no coincidence that the Committee decided
upon Leipzig for the first award in the year 2000. People associate
the citizens of the City of Leipzig with the discussion about totalitarian
organization and regimes.
[Leipzig]
More than ten years ago, the citizens of the City of Leipzig
no longer found themselves content with a totalitarian state. They
resisted the Stasi state that voided the freedom of the individual, and
they took to the streets for human rights and freedom of belief.
I myself still remember the very impressive events, the
Monday demonstrations in November and December 1989. I have to admit
these demonstrations, for me, are not only unforgotten, but unforgettable,
when thousands and thousands of people, using wholly peaceable means, namely,
the right to demonstrate, spontaneously took to the streets to advocate
and fight for a change.
When we today say in Constitutional law that the freedom
to assemble and the right to demonstrate are the "freedom of press for
the little man," then that, I believe, is a reality in Leipzig such as
has never elsewhere been realized in Germany to this extent.
I also remember very well that at the time I was the state
secretary in Bavaria, responsible for police issues, how I met up with
the police in Leipzig in this very active and moving era -- when they were
talking about their reaction plan by which it could be seen that they were
nervous about whether everything would remain peaceful.
Looking back on it, one has to say "Yes, thank God!"
It was a great signal coming from Leipzig, at least for all of Germany,
no, coming from all of Europe. And also for this reason, Leipzig
is the right place for this award to be given, otherwise I wouldn't be
saying this. If a Bavarian ever admits that somewhere outside of
Bavaria is a much more appropriate place, then that is probably saying
something very special.
(Applause)
I hope, as the applause shows, that this offhand remark
is understood in the right way, and not as an expression of excessive [Bavarian]
pride.
Like the men and women of Leipzig, the European-American
Citizens Committee does not intend to resign itself to totalitarian systems.
It is particularly involved with new totalitarian organizations, with the
Scientology organization in particular, and is engaged worldwide on behalf
of human rights and religious freedom.
[Minister Vivien]
This year, too, the Committee has found a worthy recipient
for its human rights award. Minister Vivien, an outstanding person
in French politics and a man of extraordinary dedication and courage, is
receiving this award. I find it both really good and interesting
when a member of the Christian Social Union, when someone who is slotted
as the person responsible for "internal security" for Edmund Stoiber's
campaign in the 2002 federal elections, when somebody such as this expresses
appreciation for a socialist minister.
Because this demonstrates that when we are talking about
the really essential issues, then the question of party alignment is not
our first priority. The deciding factor is that people, in elementary
issues, are in agreement across the boundaries of democratic parties.
And I would like this appreciation of a conservative union man for a socialist
minister to be regarded in exactly this sense, as an expression of commonality
in fundamental issues, in the battle against totalitarianism.
(Applause)
[Totalitarian Movements and Organizations]
For many years, Minister Vivien, you have been speaking
out, in spite of intense hostility, tirelessly for the exposure of the
risks that emanate from new totalitarian movements, just as you have for
the appropriate preventive measures by the state.
As early as 1983 you were one of the first politicians
to become involved with cults, totalitarian movements, and with the problems
associated with them. You were commissioned by Prime Minister Pierre
Mauroy to produce the first situation report on this problematic area for
the French National Assembly.
[MILS]
In 1983, you worked on the first French Enquete report
on cults and totalitarian organizations. Since November 1998, you,
as president, have directed the "Mission Interminsterielle pour la lutte
contre les sectes" (Interministerial Group to Combat Cults, MILS) and have
been presenting annual reports. Very early on you recognized the
multi-dimensionality of the problem. In your basic analysis, you
pointed out the threat to the freedom of the individual, as well as the
threat to free society on the whole from new totalitarian movements and
organizations.
[Scientology Organization]
As no other has done before you, you have publicly taken
a position on the Scientology organization in a unambiguous way.
You categorized the Scientology organization as a "totalitarian" and "extremely
dangerous cult" that should be prohibited in France.
[MILS report on Scientology]
The January 2000 MILS report also arrives at an unambiguous
assessment of the Scientology organization. It says the propagation
of religious goals is only a mask for the organization with a totalitarian
structure. It is not up to the state to make findings about the content
of religions and ideologies. Nevertheless the state has to be very
vigilant when it comes to the law bring broken and when the word "religious"
is being used only as camouflage. The report emphasizes that Scientology
belongs to that category of "cults" that continually attempts - and with
great success, too - to infiltrate democratic institutions, official international
organizations and non-governmental organizations. In addition, Scientology
operates outside the realm of democracy; its machinations clash with the
public system and assail human dignity. It is becoming clear that
the Scientology organization threatens human rights and social equilibrium.
I cannot emphasize strongly enough that you, in your work,
are a pioneer in the dispute with Scientology in Europe and in the entire
world.
(Applause)
We know that takes courage. The easy way would be
to keep a low profile and dodge the issues. I have respect for a
man who does not streamline himself in such a way as to set his sails so
that he will never travel into a headwind, for one who takes his own responsibility
seriously. That also means responsibility to individual people, especially
the young, but also the elderly, so not only to the individual people,
but also responsibility to the entire state and public presences.
I believe that, in fact, you have gotten involved in a
specially diligent way in all these phenomena. In any case, I'm speaking
for the staff in the proper department in my ministry when I say that you
have been involved with the material you and your people produce on an
extraordinarily intensive basis, and that we have learned much from you.
(Applause)
And I want to clearly underline what you, too, have placed
at the center of attention, that we, of course, have no comment on the
content of religions or the content of ideologies.
As a French politician you are indeed much less assailable
for having connections with any religious structures. I, personally,
am a member of the Evangelical State Synod myself, and I profess my convictions
to a party that is Christian by virtue of its name. It is very tempting
for third parties to say that my actions are intended to shut out a competing
organization. I've read that from Scientology many times when they
bother to write about me. That sort of thing would never happen to
a French socialist politician; everybody knows that there is a strong separation
of church and state in France.
So, in a way, that is the case for you in France, where
things are much stricter than for us in Germany, for instance. The
possibility that you are not just trying to disparage a competing religion
can be demonstrated with greater credibility than with us. The issue
at hand is to make an example of and prevent the misuse of the word "religion"
for totalitarian purposes.
And that is what you have shown on a wide scale: that
requirements and regulations for psychological and psychic services need
to be implemented. We have also come to this conclusion. This
is not the place to go into details, but there is something I want to note.
The Bavarian state government commissioned the University of Munich to
produce an expert opinion, which the scientists then presented, and this
demonstrated the risks posed by Scientology, I believe, in a clear and
impressive manner.
People have fallen into the clutches of Scientology and
have, in their essence, been influenced to a great degree by the structures
and elements of Scientology's treatment - in a special way you put up these
dangers, which were the real background for your work, where they could
be seen and from where people could take heed, and for this I thank you
in the name of many citizens.
(Applause)
In your dealings with cults and totalitarian cultures,
you also brought the attention of political opinion leaders to this phenomenon,
thereby motivating critical discussion om the topic. I would surely
not betray a secret when I say former Minister Bluem called me up several
weeks ago and told me, "So, I hear Minister Vivien will be receiving this
award in Leipzig," and, in true Bluemian style, he continued in high spirits,
"Beckstein, you have to go, they need someone who knows how to give a laudatio
(applause) for the man who was the first one to wake up the slumbering
politicians in many other countries."
[Threats to Human Rights]
That is another thing that quite clearly goes to your
credit, that you have brought this phenomenon to the attention of many
political opinion leaders and have thereby stimulated a critical discussion
about it. The French state, based on its history is counted as one
of the first human rights states, has not only recognized these new threats
to human rights because of your informational efforts, it has also taken
special preventive measures to protect the freedom of the individual and
has motivated society's democratic system to defend itself against totalitarian
abuse such as is utilized by organizations like Scientology. In that
respect, you, Minister Vivien, are the trailblazer for political, structural
and legislative assurance of human rights for those afflicted by these
destructive cults. The creation of a legal framework to protect the
victims of Scientology and other similar organizations by the French parliament
is to your credit. With this award, the committee appreciates your
engagement in a society at risk to the totalitarian Scientology organization,
and your involvement with those who have left Scientology only to be attacked
and prosecuted, to sum up, your extensive efforts for human rights.
[Meaning of Human Rights]
The idea and the implementation of human rights in the
current of time does not need justification. Human rights are an
essential component of diverse value systems. In the Federal Republic
of Germany, human rights are anchored in the Constitution, and it is now
one of the most interesting tasks in current politics to seek consolidation
of the Basic Rights Charter that was proclaimed in the government conference
of Nizza into the European agreements.
Our Christian-Occidental understanding of human rights
is marked with the concept of a human being as self-accountable creature.
In this regard, the universally valid restriction applies that the rights
of one person reach their limits at the rights of another person.
No culture and no religion can claim privilege in this perception.
They are part of every culture. Neither may we forget this when we
are confronted by attacks on human rights by terrorist or extremist quarters.
[Human Rights violations]
Our experiences of the past century, or even just our
recent past, show that the mere recognition of human rights is not enough
if the readiness to defend them under any and all conditions is lacking.
Human worth and human rights have been and continue to be violated in the
worst manner. However, we may not accept violations of human rights.
Even if the awareness about the significance of human rights has grown
worldwide in recent decades, much more is still to be done to get them
put in place, and, especially in view of the current threat to human rights
in our European society and in the USA, my dear Minister Vivien, you have
made an extraordinary contribution.
[Thanks]
For your efforts made on behalf of the freedom of all
people we most respectfully thank you. We wish you much strength
and courage to continue. But appreciation is also due for the successful,
important and dedicated work of all staff at MILS and to the French National
Assembly, which, through its legislation, worked across all party lines
to defend human rights from the new totalitarian threat. And I might
add here, although it might perhaps be unrealistic, that this is a challenge
we in Germany need to address and to cooperate on across all party lines
in order to be able to seriously counter the dangers at hand.
(Applause)
[Closing words]
The public discussion you have carried on with personal
dedication and expert knowledge about the new totalitarianism of the Scientology
organization is all the more deserving of recognition in that you have
been exposed to not only massive internal, but also external, political
pressure, in addition to which the Scientology organization has targeted
you personally as a "suppressive person." I have to add to that,
though, that I see this sort of attack as a special form of modern nobility;
you can tell you are doing the right thing when you are attacked by the
right side.
(Applause)
May we never lose sight of our common goal, working for
a peaceful and freedom-inducing cooperation for all people. That
includes the support of human rights and that also includes courageously
confronting threats from totalitarianism. It is important, especially
for us in Germany, for us to deal with totalitarianism from rightwing extremists,
and I ask your indulgence if I also include leftwing extremists.
But of course, it is also necessary that we confront the totalitarianism
of Scientology, which abuses religion as a word to, in reality, pursue
such completely different goals as making money. And for this reason
I also thank everyone who has come here today to advance this cause a little
further.
Heartfelt appreciation for your attention.
(Applause) |