Saturday, November 05, 2005

Fraud Rampant Around Hurricane Katrina Disaster Areas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10-SEP-2005

The National Coalition of Human Rights Activists has received a secret internal email from the Scientology corporation that asks Scientology staff and customers to use a popular on-line payment service to send money to the business so that the business may send more salespeople to the Gulf States flood disaster areas. Though the appeal might appear by some readers to imply that the money goes to victim relief, the email states the money goes to Scientology Inc. and not to hurricane victims. [0]

The Scientology business has already sent as many as 40 salespeople into the disaster areas to sell products under the pretense of "grief counseling," calling themselves "ministers." While in the area they re-victimize the victims, touching victims with what the business calls "touch assists," sell victims Scientology books, and take photographs of themselves to be put on their web pages and propaganda magazines.

"It is repulsive behavior in the extreme" said Mississippi NCHRA media liaison Timothy Bower. "The Scientology corporation has a written policy, drummed into every Scientologist, that one may not help another unless on receives equal or greater compensation for that help. [1] What we see here in the hurricane disaster areas are Scientologists turning a brutal natural disaster into a sales event." Helping people without being paid is called "Out-Exchange" by the Scientology business.

Approximately 20 Scientologists were sent by the business into the World Trade Center Tower crime scene ("Ground Zero") to take photographs of themselves under the pretense of helping victims; they were promptly thrown out by legitimate emergency response teams. In Sri Lanka the Scientology business sent in a half-dozen salespeople under the pretense of being "ministers," and the Sri Lanka government ejected them from the tsunami disaster area. [2]

"These Scientology vultures and parasites are a striking example of social evil," said Mr. Bower. "Unfortunately they are not the only ones preying upon victims of the hurricane." [3]

If one wishes to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, one may send donations to the American Read Cross or Salvation Army. The NCHRA strongly urges people to triple-check who they are giving money and other donations to charities to make sure the solicitors are legitimate representatives of well-known charities and relief organizations.

Victims of the Scientology corporation may write to the National Coalition of Human Rights Activists at NCHRA@hotmail.com to share their stories.


[0] Message-ID: <1651-431E308F-1296@storefull-3336.bay.webtv.net>

[1] http://home.snafu.de/tilman/mystory/index.html

[2] http://www.holysmoke.org/cos/crime-syndicate-sri-lanka-predators.htm
and also http://www.asiantribune.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=60

[3] http://uk.news.yahoo.com/06092005/140/storm-survivors-told-expose-themselves.html