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Patron Meritorious
Translation of two French articles posted on January 17, 2013 on the website of the Belgian daily newspaper La Dernière Heure:
La Scientologie infiltre les milieux belgo-congolais
Scientologie: Mampaka dément formellement !
La Scientologie infiltre les milieux belgo-congolais
Scientology infiltrating Congolese Belgian circles
by Antoine Clevers
January 17, 2013
BRUSSELS - According to a recent Belgium State Security Service report obtained by La Dernière Heure, the Church of Scientology is seeking to expand its activities on the African continent, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
To accomplish this, Scientology has strengthened its presence in Belgium to reach out to Belgium's Congolese community. With great success! One source quoted in the report described Brussels as a place "from which everything is possible," so much so that the Church has transferred its activities in connection with the Democratic Republic of the Congo from Paris to Brussels (these Scientology officials are mostly French) ...
Bertin Mampaka, Vice-President of the Brussels Regional Parliament, and Brussels city councilor Justine Kasa-Vubu, daughter of former Congolese President Joseph Kasa-Vubu are said to be involved! According to the report, these two persons are "choice recruits." However, their "conversion" is being "kept secret" to avoid compromising their credibility vis-à-vis the public and authorities.
The church allegedly wishes to promote Mr. Mampaka's "political ascension" and to encourage Ms. Kasa-Vubu's "return" to the Congolese political scene and is providing them financial, human, and technical resources. The Kasa-Vubu Foundation is reportedly serving as the receptacle for all of this support.
The report adds that the Church has "relations" with Brussels Regional Parliament member Gisèle Mandaila and "has attempted to get close to" Pierre Migisha, also a member of the Brussels Regional Parliament.
The Belgium State Security Service submitted its report in mid-December to Justice Minister Annemie Turtelboom, Foreign Affairs Minister Didier Reynders, Belgium's Ambassador to the Congo Michel Lastchenko, as well as to the president, security chief and Africa director of Belgium's Foreign Affairs Federal Public Service.
The State Security Service outlined the Church of Scientology's reasoning. The number of immigrants is increasing in Belgium, especially in Brussels, and, logically, their numbers are also increasing in key public and private positions. They are "more receptive" to Scientology's message and are therefore important intermediaries who can play a lobbying role - the report speaks of lines of communication - with Belgian, European, and Congolese authorities.
The State Security Service says that Scientology has placed the Congo at the center of its expansion strategy in Africa and wishes to extend into Zambia and Angola.
A more worrying development is the support that this religious movement wants to provide to the M23 rebel group which is backed by Rwanda and has caused serious destabilization in eastern Congo.
The report asserts that Scientology is already well established in Rwanda and has a special relationship with the highest circles of power, including Rwandan President Paul Kagame!
Scientology's officials in Brussels (who are of French nationality) have had contacts with Rwandan personalities whose mission is to convince influential Congolese Belgians to "promote" M23's cause.
Scientologie: Mampaka dément formellement !
Scientology: Mampaka issues categorical denial!
by Antoine Clevers
January 17, 2013
BRUSSELS - In an exclusive published on Thursday, La Dernière Heure revealed that the Church of Scientology is aiming to expand its activities in the Congo using Brussels as a base.
According to a Belgium State Security Service report, the church wants to promote the "political ascension" of Bertin Mampaka, Vice-President of the Brussels Regional Parliament, and to encourage the "return" of Brussels city councilor Justine Kasa-Vubu, daughter of former Congolese President Joseph Kasa-Vubu, to the Congolese political scene.
Bertin Mampaka blasted the report: "I categorically deny the content of the report. I do not know anyone who belongs to Scientology. If a public figure like myself, whose ass hairs have been counted a hundred times, is cited in a Security Service report, this means that the Security Service must be reformed and needs to be monitored! I demand an audit of this institution. It has already been manipulated by Congolese or Belgian adversaries to blacken the reputation of asylum seekers."
Pierre Migisha also surprised by this report
"I am stunned ... Honestly, I've never had any contact with anyone about Scientology. The only times I've ever hear about it are with Tom Cruise or when the public prosecutor opens an investigation ... Maybe I was approached without realizing it? In any case, if ever I were to have contact with them, I can tell you that they would quickly be turned away!"
