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Tantra Yoga in Romania

To: alt.magick.tantra
From: catherine yronwode 
Subject: Tantra Yoga in Romania
Date: Mon, 06 May 2002 07:50:59 GMT

Dieter Dambiec posts here as "dharmadeva" to tell us how Ananda Marga
teaches Tantra Yoga. This article gives more information about the
Ananda Marga approach to Tantra in Romania. 

http://www.theonet.net/spirituality/spirit96-9/samoila.html

"Amurt Romania"

- Raising Potential Ananda Marga Missionaries 
for Activities Abroad?

by Gheorghe Samoila (Romania)

After the fall of Communism, in 1989, the media made known
to the world the economic and social disaster the Romanians
had experienced for the previous 15 years of the Communist
totalitarian regime. Only then did the world (including most
Romanians) realise what a terrible life the thousands of
orphans and abandoned children had been living in the public
orphanages and other institutions of that kind.

Beginning in December 1989 many foreign charity
organizations offered their help to improve the lives of
these poor children, and all such organizations, without
discrimination, were officially accepted and registered as
legal "Aid-for-the-Children" organizations.

Among these was "AMURT Schweiz" (Ananda Marga Universal
Relief Team), who received approval to function as an
humanitarian help organization for the Romanian abandoned
children on 24th July, 1990, through the Bucharest Court
decision No.1920 as "AMURT Romania". According to an
official letter (dated 10th May, 1994) the Romanian Health
Department declared that "AMURT Romania" was in charge of
two schools (including dormitories) - one in the village of
Domnesti, not far from Bucharest, and the other at Panatau
(Buzau country) in a mountain area. They were also given
responsibility for two kindergartens in Bucharest, one being
called "The Dawn".l

In December of 1993, The Romanian League for Defending the
Rights of Children (LDCR) revealed that Iosif Mina, a
chronically ill child with hepatitis, had been a victim of
serious child abuse. He was the patient of a Public Health
Care Hospital in Iasi and was transferred to "AMURT"
orphanage in Panatau village. The transfer was unlawfully
carried out by the Romanian members of "Ananda Marga" in the
name of AMURT using counterfeited official papers and by
bribing some officials.

LDCR sent complaints regarding this situation to those
involved and began researching the case of Iosif Mina, and
the activities of AMURT.2 Soon it was discovered that the
normal medical treatment for Iosif Mina had been canceled by
his new tutors and had been replaced by holistic medical
treatment, mainly homeopathy and a strict vegetarian diet.
Along with this "new medicine" he had to participate in
Tantric Meditation Seances in " The Dawn" kindergarten in
Bucharest.3

More information about AMURT was requested from Zurich,
Switzerland, where they were raising funds for the Romanian
children. This information was obtained from the Regional
Police in Zurich, the Theological Faculty in Zurich, and of
course from "Dialog Centers" around the world. The
information we received confirmed that AMURT is a branch of
Ananda Marga, a dangerous cult accused of international
terrorism.4 We especially thank the Dialog Center
International (Aarhus) for information concerning this cult.

Amongst the main features of Ananda Marga relating to
children there is a 'spiritual baptism" for newborn
children, by sprinkling purifying water and invoking Brahman
on the baby. At the age of five, the children have to start
a meditation programme.5 This was confirmed by an
unannounced visit of some members of LDCR to "The Dawn"
kindergarten. We found about 25 children (under the age of
seven) at a meditation lesson. They were sitting in a circle
in a Yoga posture, staring at the flame of a candle and
constantly repeating a specific Hindu mantra. When he was
contacted in private, Iosif Mina admitted that he was forced
to repeat "some verses in a strange language that he didn't
understand". Unfortunately, now after 18 months, Iosif was
completely integrated into Ananda Marga and made obedient to
their cultic precepts. On the other hand, in an attempt to
hide their real intentions, they pretend to bring up the
children according to the Romanian Eastem Orthodox tradition
by bringing them to the local church services on Sundays.
Some of the children are even baptized by the Orthodox
priest. In the local and national newspapers, a campaign was
started to unmask the activities of Ananda Marga in
Romania.6 As a result their development was hindered, but
not without some problems for us. RODCOR informed some
international organizations such as UNICEF; the Council of
Europe; the United Nations Committee for Human Rights,
Geneva; Defende des Enfants International, Geneva, etc. 7,
about the abuse of Romanian children by Ananda Marga. In all
cases we referred to Article 14, points 1 and 2, of the
"United Nations Convention Concerning Children's Rights": "
All States will respect the children' s right concerning
freedom of thought, of conscience and religion, etc."

In many articles published in Romanian newspapers, many
incidents of "swindling" by Ananda Marga were exposed. For
example, some posters were discovered which were used in
Switzerland and Germany to raise funds in a bank account of
the Swiss branch of AMURT. These posters didn't mention that
they belonged to AMURT, but to another association, "Leben
f*ºr Alle", which, in fact, doesn't exist. The posters
referred to the project of the AMURT's orphanage in Panatau
and reproduced Iosif Mina's picture.8

It was subsequently found that the land on which the Panatau
orphanage was built was unlawfully obtained. There were also
complaints about the proselytizing activities of AMURT among
the school children of that village.9

On the 11th March, 1995, the national television company
made an interesting announcement on behalf of the police,
showing the photograph of a Romanian member of AMURT who was
accused of swindling many people. The commentator added:
"AMURT is a branch of a dangerous cult accused of
international terrorism".

Obviously irritated by the many disclosures in the press,
and the damage being done to their work in Romania, Mr Bhola
Sha, the leader of AMURT in Switzerland, held a
press-conference in Romania. He tried to show that AMURT was
not a cult but he was ridiculed by the reporters present.l0
As a result the "charitable" AMURT changed it's tactics by
sending slanderous letters to the newspapers, some
organizations and to the police, concerning so-called abuses
carried out by LDCR.11 In June, 1994, AMURT sued LDCR for
libel claiming moral damages of about USD 3,000 (which is a
huge sum, knowing that the average monthly salary in Romania
is about USD 60-80). The lawsuit is still proceeding.

AMURT .are doing their best to prove that all their
activities in Romania are legal, and there are a lot of
concrete things done for the Romanian orphanages among which
are alternative healing courses (included in universities).
etc.12 They showed some thank-you letters received for their
charitable activities from officials in Somalia, South
Africa, Croatia, Russia, Romania, etc. One such letter,
received from South Africa, is signed by the president
- Nelson Mandela.

In their defence, AMURT claims the children' s rights are
not being infringed. In a strange and shrewd way they use
the same arguments as LDCR to make their point. Knowing that
they have big financial support, and are able to bribe
almost anyone in a poor country like Romania, it is simple
to figure out that it isn't at all easy to confront them,
despite all the tactics described above. In Romania there is
no "Dialog Center" who could give support to organizations
such as LDCR in confronting the increasing activity of the
NRMs, and no financial possibility to oppose them. There is
no literature available and no experience in such a ministry
.We sent a lot of letters asking help in our struggle with
Ananda Marga to specialized institutions in the West which
might help us (even by sending information) - but we got few
replies). Their silence is inexplicable. The result is that,
for the moment, cults like Ananda Marga are spreading
rapidly in Romania. We desperately need the help of
organizations from abroad who are experienced in this area.
The dangers which the future holds cannot be ignored. One
day the young missionaries trained by Ananda Marga in
Romania will "visit" the western countries of the "United
Europe" and do what they were taught to do in the Romanian
training camps of Panatau and Domnesti. It is no wonder that
Ananda Marga are searching especially for abandoned
children, as they can be easily manipulated by their new
tutors. This may sound too ominous, but remember Ananda
Marga's former deeds in India, New Zealand, Australia, etc.

May God help us to "fight the good fight" as long as it is
possible! Thank you for your concern.


Notes:

1. Letter No. 207-80110.05.1994 of the Romanian Hea1th
Department, "Mother and Child Assistance Committee", to LDCR
Iasi - P.O. Box 184,6600 Romania.

2. "Evenimentul", Iasi, 11.04.1994, p.4.

3. "Monitorul", Iasi ,05.05. 1994, p.l; Ibid. 11.-12.06.
1994, p. 4; Ibid. 27.28.08. 1994, p. 1; "Romania libera",
Bucharest, 31.08. 1994, p.9.

4. Lexikon der Sekten, Sondergruppen und Weltanschaungen,
Herder Verlag, Freiburg im Breisgau, 1990, p.42; Handbuch
der Religi**sen Gemeinschaften Gutersloher Verlagshaus,
1993, p. 676-685; "The illustrated Weekly of India", 23.05.
1982, p. 12-13; Ibid. 27.10. 1985: "India Today",
31.05.1982, p. 108-111.

5. The founder of Ananda Marga, p .R. Sarkar, declares: " A
branch of Ananda Marga is the Education Relief and Welfare
Section (ERAWS) founded in April 1970. AMURT is created by
Ananda Marga for administrating aids and holding them at the
disposal of disaster victims in countries other than India.
(Ananda Marga and Progressive Utilisation Theory, German
edition, p.233). Also: "By its social service system Ananda
Marga is recruiting new adherents..." (ibid., p.239)

6. "Opinia", Iasi, 23.09.1994, p.l; Ibid. 07. I I .1994, p.
1; "Romania libera", Bucharest, 07.09.1994, p.16: ,,24 ore",
Iasi , 28.11.1994, p. I.; "Evenimentul zilei", Bucharest.
25.11.1994. p.3; Ibid. 27.11.1994, p. 16.

7. UNICEF Courier, Information Bulletin, Bucharest, No.2-3,
1994, p.10.

8. "Romania libera", Bucharest, 07.09.1994, p.16.

9. "Romania libera", Bucharest, 08.04.1995, p.9; "ziua",
Bucharest, 16.12.1994, p.5.

10. "24 ore", Iasi ,31.10.1994, p.8.

11. "Jurnalul national", Bucharest, 15.11.1991.

12. The Education Department - International Seminar on
Preventive Education for Children and Teenagers - Busteni,
14.17.11.1992, p.64-66; "Realitatea banateana", Timisoara,
29.04.1995, p.5.


Facts about Ananda Marga:

The important principles of the sect Ananda Marga are taken
from Hindu/Buddhist philosophy and religion. There are
certain parallels between the AUM sect and Ananda Marga
which in an international context is considered to be an
extremist terror organisation which has a military division
- as well. It is associated with Moon's "Holy Spirit
Association for the Unification of World Christianity".
In our country (Romania), the sect lives under cover of the
"Association of charitable Help"; "AMURT", which means
"Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team", which is residing at
Bucharest. (Ostensibly taken from a Romanian police report
to be used by the press.)

The main charge of the (Indian) government against Marga
was, that being secret and extremist, it planned to murder
political leaders in order to seize power. In the words of
an observer: "The Indian government eventually came to the
conclusion that Ananda Marga wanted to capture political
power by violence and armed revolution and that it's
so-called Voluntary Social Service (VSS) was really a
paramilitary organisation set up for the purpose of
overthrowing the government."

(The leader of Ananda Marga was sentenced to life
imprisonment in India. But ultimately, the government
lost its case in the High Court.)

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