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10.26 Cult Information and
Family Support Inc (CIFS) is an organisation whose members 'have seen
and experienced the abuse' of freedom of religion and belief by cults
in Australia.
10.27 CIFS drew attention to a
group whose members are encouraged by their leaders to send their
children from the age of six years to a boarding school in northern
India. These children are cut off from their parents, family and
friends, and learn nothing of their Australian heritage. CIFS believes
that the teachings of a group should not take precedence over the right
of Australian children to be brought up as Australians.
10.28 CIFS also noted the terms
of Article 5.5 of the UN Religion Declaration:
Practices of a religion or belief in
which a child is brought up must not be injurious to his physical or
mental health or to his full development
10.29 CIFS believed that the
withholding of life-saving medicines and blood transfusions from sick
children because of parental beliefs was covered by this Article. It
said that this raises the issue of the rights of such children.
10.30 CIFS stated that the
immunity it believed was granted to some groups under s. 116 of the
Australian Constitution should only extend to their beliefs. It did
not accept that the actions of such groups should have the same
immunity, especially actions that restricted the fundamental rights of
others. Some members of groups were subject to coercive treatment
which, CIFS believed, was contrary to Article 18.2 of the ICCPR:
No one shall be subject to coercion which
would impair his freedom to have or adopt a religion or belief of his
choice.
10.31 The submission from CIFS
made a number of suggestions, including maintenance of a register of
all cults in Australia, with a requirement to disclose information
comparable to that in Australian company law. According to this
proposal, the background of the founder/leader would be required. An
outline would also be required of the aims, beliefs and practices set
out in the Articles and Memoranda of Association for each organisation.
Annual returns would have to be submitted, setting out the financial
arrangements of the group.
10.32 CIFS' submission suggested
that recruiters should have to wear identification badges, showing
their name and that of the organisation and, as appropriate, the name
of any parent organisation. Prospective members should also be
informed of any special dietary restrictions. Finally, information
should be available about the daily routine of any group, such as the
repetitive chanting that can lead to hypnotism and mind control.
10.33 CIFS concluded that, if
adopted, there were breaches of any of these suggested measures or a
group member complained, the group should be liable to
investigation/prosecution by a statutory authority.
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