Editorial
This document that ARIEL Magazine publishes below, has its original written at the end of it: ABSOLUTELY C O N F I D E N C I A L. Do not publish. We have decided to air it today in public light since at present its signatories are not in danger or subject to the jungle of the law, having died. It is done as a PUBLIC COMPLAINT, on behalf of all the refugees without refuge in the world.
STATEMENT
URGENT
The UNIVERSAL SPIRITUAL MISSION has existed in Cuba since 1925, having continued its activities permanently without the least difficulties with the authorities for any reason whatever, under the direction of H.H. Pr. OM Lind.
Since 1950 the administration of this grand Spiritual See was safe-guarded by Dr. Lind as well as his associates Universal Spiritual Missionaries Blanche Ledran, Micheline Héraud, Marie Peurozet, Angel Fernandez, Dr. Eduardo Agüero Vives, Dr. Julio Armandes K, and Prof. Luis Navarrete.
Under the tyranny of Gen. Batista, we began to have some difficulties, because we protested publicly throughout the world against the atrocities of that monstrous regime. Yet we managed to avoid major consequences.
Upon the advent of the Fidel Castro revolutionary process we sympathized with the reforms, which really responded to the social, educational and purely humanistic needs of the people. At the time, of course, there was no inkling whatsoever as to the possibility of a communistic regime. That was a fresh start for Cuba which began of January 1, 1959.
Throughout the months of October, November, December 1959 and January 1960 we held a Grand Assembly of the WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN (Permanent Worldwide Parliament of all the Religions, Faiths, Fraternities and Philosophies), jointly with the SUMMIT SPIRITUAL MEETING, at Habana, having been graciously offered the main Halls of the Capitol for these purposes by the government of Cuba. The motive of these facilities granted to us was obviously the need of Cuba to have and make more Friends, and to obtain a greater influx of tourists from abroad. The Cuban authorities did not partake in any way in this great humanistic, cultural and spiritual endeavor. Unfortunately, some religious and mystical expressions which we made were not entirely in accord with their endeavors, so they indulged in unfriendly activities against us, finally obtaining from the police authorities the armed arrest of Dr. Lind, at a grand public meeting. Fortunately, the incident was closed when it was discovered a few hours later that the accusations were false.
After this incident, however, we all began to realize that Cuba would not be the paradise that it promised and hoped to be. Since the spring of 1960, therefore, we decided to suspend all the activities of our Spiritual Mission, which comprised the WORLD UNIVERSITY OF RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL SCIENCE, the ORTHODOX THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, and the GRAND SPIRITUAL SANCTUARY OF ALL THE RELIGIONS. The “Universal Religious Alliance”, which had been officially registered, however prospered to a certain extent, furthering inter-faith and inter-religious co-operation in all the aspects of daily life. Nevertheless, as usual, characteristically so, we never indulged in politics.
By the end of 1960, however, the revolution began to show signs of unwholesome transformations, becoming rather aggressive toward all forms of religion. So, we applied for the necessary permit to abandon the island of Cuba, but were never answered by the Cuban authorities.
The year 1961 was marked by the ill-fated invasion of Cuba. Thereupon drastic economic measures were taken, and the socialist or communist spirit was officially established. Then we began to suffer all sorts of unkind treatments from the people as well as from government officials. At that time, it became a major crime not to be socialist, or COMMUNIST, and such slogans became quite common: ONLY COMMUNISM CAN SAVE THE WORLD FROM IMPERIALISM. THOSE WHO ARE NOT WITH US ARE FAVORABLE TO IMPERIALISM, and COMMUNISM SHALL SOON RULE THE WHOLE WORLD. It was obvious that we were not to be included among their friends.
In August 1961 a certain law was enacted regulating the possession of money. We were forced to deposit on a Special Account some $10.000 which we had in our possession while trying to abandon the country. $100.00 from this Special Account was granted to us for expenses each month, despite the fact that we had to pay a rent of $102.00 plus telephone, electricity, water and the items of clothing and daily food. We protested, and requested to be granted more, as the legal allowance was definitely not enough, considering the fact that foreigners have a higher standard of living, and also that Dr. Lind was extremely ill and in need of a major surgical operation. We demanded to be permitted to go to America for an immediate operation on Dr. Lind, but the permit was not issued.
We were forced to live on charity for some months, then we began to receive food parcels from abroad, mainly from France, Switzerland, Germany and America, as we were literally starving. The government of Cuba knew well about our plight, as Dr. Lind wrote strong letters to Commander Fidel Castro on the 5th of October and 27th of November 1961, and March 19, 1962. Despite all these facts, the government of Cuba did not pay the least attention to our pleas for exit permits. It was obvious that the revolutionary rulers of Cuba, now full-fledged communists, wanted to force us into a state of captivity and to provoke some sort of favorable expressions on our part in regards to communism. We were approached time and again for the purpose of showing that we could easily improve our lot if we became aligned, that is if we approved communism. Needless to say, we courageously rejected the advances. In order to obtain food, we tried to become members of the Militias, as that was the only recourse, but, fortunately or not, we were rejected. What they wanted from us was complete surrender and subjection, like the rest of the Cubans. They thought they could subdue us through starvation and all sorts of ill treatments.
Somehow, we manage to overcome our tragic conditions, and we preferred this ordeal to complete serfdom. We were decided and ready to die, but never to yield. On March 4th, we decided to call it a dead end, writing to Fidel Castro what we thought of him and the Cuban revolution. If he did not get us before a firing squad then he never would. Our friends throughout Cuba feared much for our personal safety. For many months, we were very cautions and went out of the house only in full day time, and as seldom as possible so as not to be seen too much. We could not leave our Sanctuary alone either, as it could be razed by communist commandoes, led by the official informers known as “Committees for the Defense of the Revolution”.
In the meantime, for several months, we had managed to inform our friends and collaborators abroad that campaign should be started to make it know to the whole world that we were suffering terrible hardships and maltreatments, unutterable duress and excruciating anxiety. This resulted in a series of letters sent to the Cuban government to request our immediate release, and to permit us to travel abroad with all our files and personal belongings. From India, Japan, Germany and America, were launched simultaneously series of protests to the United Nations Secretariat, the UN Human Rights Commission, the Organization of American States, the Human Rights organism throughout the world, and hundreds of different religious, humanist, spiritualist, learned, philosophical and mystical organizations took an active part in this spontaneous expression of revolt against the ignominies of the Cuban revolution, or international COMMUNISM. Our letter or March 4, 1962 was meant to demonstrate that we were not alone in our tragic ordeal, and that a grand awakening of Human Conscience was taking place. We also emphasized the fact the HUMAN RIGHTS could not be indefinitely flouted and trampled upon, or ignored as unextant. The government of Cuba did not react to this outburst of thought on our part. Several days later, however, we sent a cable to friends in New York prompting them to visit Dr. U. Thant, Secretary General of the United Nations. This action had the virtue of provoking the cuban authorities to the extreme, so they sent us special envoys to present the excuse of the revolutionary government for the undue delay in granting us a permit to travel outside Cuba. Two different envoys of the kind visited us with wonderful promises, but without practical results whatever, so that we were still being held up against our will, and denied the necessary travel permits. Naturally, our health was running very low, and our vital reserves were running out altogether, so it made no difference to us if we would be arrested or shot. Anything that could happen to us would be much better than the ordeal we were undergoing.
Meanwhile the government of Cuba was receiving cables by the dozen each week, and letters by the hundreds each month, demanding our release from captivity, as well as a better humane treatment, and more respect for Spiritual Missionaries and religious ministers. The numerous cables and letters sent to the Organization of American States, the United Nations, the UNESCO, etc. were also beginning to be widely known, and some governments showed profound sympathy for our case, offering to assist us somehow. Cuba remained indifferent, however, as though decided to destroy religion and Spiritualdom completely through our individual destruction. Thereupon, on March 17 we were notified by Mr. Luis Sobral, Cuba´s sort of Grand Inquisitor, the man who decides who can leave the country, and who not. He visited us at our Sanctuary, saying the government was deeply interested in granting us all needed guarantees, and to facilitate our exit from Cuba. This seemed too good to be true, so we demanded proofs of earnestness. A boat was leaving within a short time for Amsterdam, so in hardly two days we stacked our files and all our belongings in 17 crates, and prepared to board a plane for that destination on March 19.
On March 4, 1962 we addressed to Commander Fidel Castro a letter explaining our philosophy of life as Universal Spiritual Missionaries, clarifying and emphasizing our stand against the Communism system of Cuba which was unduly detaining us and deliberately causing our tragic predicament. We realized then that the fiendish rulers of Cuba could have eithers imprisoned us for good and ever, and destroyed the Spiritual Sanctuary by means of a new law or a bomb. We knew then also what it meant to live in danger, and we did not mind being further martyrized, or even massacred, because our suffering had by then reached a point beyond human endurance. We also sensed that if the communist authorities of Cuba had dared to build up a case against us, or to vilify and shoot us for some sort of imaginary crime, our Spiritual Mission would have gained considerably in sympathy and dignity throughout the world, and our destruction would have been a fitting holocaust which would have proven in parallel though inverse significance what communism really is, as we always kept the outside world well informed about our tragedy in Cuba.
The Communist regime could have easily destroyed us, of course, had we had the slightest possibility of guilt in one way or another, as its main objective was not so much a four-fold crime or the eradication of self-confessed enemies of the communist economic nightmare and devilish philosophy of violence, as the prime objective was always to either confiscate or inherit the general archives of Spiritualdom and the World Living Museum- History of Man, of which we are the legal custodians since 1945. The government of Cuba was, nevertheless, inhibited, as we were always much ahead of it in all its moves, and when it wanted to lay its hands on us we let it know that we were internationally known Spiritual Missionaries, and any attempt to hurt us would bring universal contempt upon Cuba, and shame on communism. When it sought to take any action against our Spiritual Sanctuary, we invoked the sanctity of Religion and demanded due respect for Human Rights and world opinion. We intended thus to remain the last bulwark of spirituality in Cuba, and we succeeded to a great extent, until we were rescued. We triumphed, in fact, over the brutal militarism of one of the world´s worse bloody tyrannies of all times, without neither deadly weapons nor huge armies, but indeed with our moral courage, our spiritual integrity, and world opinion.
Amsterdam was the only open haven left for our purpose, and we meant to take full advantage of it regardless of consequences.
At the last minute, we were forced to make a gift of our piano and some other important furniture, while the rest had to be abandoned, as according to the law no furniture can be taken out of houses without special permits. As for our Special Bank Account, it was unfrozen, and the government paid our travel tickets with part of it. We were granted $2.000 in American currency, for travel expenses, but this was only a theoretical form, as we were given only $50.00. In reality, our belongings were being confiscated, the which appeared to us very much like a ransom payment which enabled us to enjoy freedom.
Until the last moment difficulties and complications were imposed upon us, to the extreme so that the KLM plane upon which we were to travel was delayed over half an hour for us. We were so to say stacked into the plane, without VISA or HEALTH PAPERS, and we were not even weighed. All was done in a tremendous rush, and we were given a diplomatic treatment, as all our luggage was thrusted into the plane and was sent out without customs inspection. Obviously, we enjoyed a last special diplomatic attention, possibly with the intention of erasing our bad impressions because of the endured ill treatments.
Now, we can say that we knew what is COMMUNISM, having experienced it in our blood and soul.
We were received in a rather friendly way by the Dutch authorities, despite the fact that we lacked proper documents. It was too obvious that we were ESCAPING FROM HELL and seeking refuge among truly decent, cultured and humane people.
Now we have to find a real peace abode, a refuge in the full extent of the word. We thought of going to the United States, as there we have so many friends and organizations of our own. Our case is, naturally, rather special. America will no doubt accept us, we trust, if humanitarian sentiments are allowed to prevail over legalistic intricacies.
We really have nowhere else to go at present. If America rejects us like the communists of Cuba did, we shall be forced to find asylum somewhere else. God only knows what our immediate destiny is. We are Servers of God, Spiritual Truth and Humanity, and we know that in the long run our Missionary spirit shall triumph over worldly confusion and strife, and over inhumanity of man toward man.
As peacemakers, we can only await our destiny in full confidence and without fear whatever. We are certain that we have known the worst when we experienced COMMUNISM.
We have no time to lose. Our funds are running out. We must find an immediate solution to our problem, which is in the interest of all mankind.
Our stand against COMMUNISM in Cuba remains a living example for all mankind. Now we want the whole world to know exactly what is COMMUNISM, so this scourge may be avoided wherever it shows its ugly face.
A few days before our departure from Cuba Com. Fidel Castro spoke at the Radio, answering our letters, saying implicitly that communism was not an enemy of religion, but that all religions must work toward the unification of mankind within the scope of communism. This is a genuine challenge to mankind, and we mean to meet it on its own ground. Now, we know whereof we speak, and having gone through the experience of serfdom we know that we do not want it in any way, and like Patrick Henry, we say: GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH.
Amsterdam the 23rd of March, 1962
Blanche Ledran Dr. OM Lind
Grand Chancellor Grand Patron
Micheline Héraud Marie Peurozet
Secretary General International Public Relations
POST DATA
The terrible inhuman, barbarian treatment inflicted upon us had surely a reason. We cannot think of a better one than our close association with the ill-fated hero Camilo Cienfuegos, who had been our great supporter in all our spiritual endeavors. In fact, it was due to his favorable intervention that we were able to obtain the National Capitol for our WORLD CONGRESS OF MAN and the SPIRITUAL SUMMIT MEETING grand assemblies in 1959. He also favored our plans for a great Spiritual Sanctuary in Cuba, which had already been presented to President Machado in 1925. This plan was approved, in fact, by the revolutionary government in 1959 precisely because it had already been contemplated in 1925, and it comprised a $ 2,000,000.00 credit, plus $1,000,000.00 in cash as donation, besides a large plot of land in Orient Province where all our buildings for the Spiritual World See, the World University, and several hotels, plus of course those of the Living History-Museum of Man, the World Court of World Law, the Universal Theological Seminary, the Universal Spiritual Mission College, a Research Institute for Medicinal Plants, a processing plant for vegetarian food, and canning plants would be erected. There we would also have had enough land to establish co-operative colonies for our own Members where our means of livelihood could have been ensured.
The revolutionary government was also to grant us a large plot of land where we would have erected a Universal Temple, either within Havana or outside, which would have been a real landmark for international tourism. All the promises of the government were, nevertheless, delayed in their effective application.
By or soon after April 1961, as the whole world knows, Cuba proclaimed herself communistic as a reprisal for the Playa Girón invasion. We soon realized that Cuba was no safe place for us to be, and on account of our continued pronouncements and propaganda against communism we feared reprisals. These reprisals were never obvious, or direct, yet we sensed as the days passed that we were not welcome in Cuba, and that our attitude toward religion at large and Spiritualdom in particular was in no way compatible with the new Cuba.
We promptly packed our WORLD LIVING-HISTORY MUSEUM OF MAN, as we sensed that it would soon be confiscated, or perhaps simply destroyed. The mail service also got suddenly complicated and difficult, so we stopped all services of Lessons throughout the world. We had about 9500 registered students, but corresponded with over twenty thousand ex-students and other people. All our activities were brought at a standstill, because we were closely followed everywhere by Gestapo-like informers. We were treated like “super-gusanos”, or pro-American. We were even accused of preferring American art and science to socialist savants and genii. In reality, the World Living History- Museum of Man is a compilation and classification of the most impressive aspects of science, art, mysticism and philosophy throughout the ages. Our collections of photographs and reprints dealing in Ancient civilizations is unquestionably unique in its kind. As Art goes, we have no less than ten to twelve thousand different reproductions of masterpieces from all parts of the world. We also have unique collections of ancient buildings, castles and cathedrals ranging from the Pyramids and the Sphinx of Egypt to the latest scientific advancement in para-psychology and space travels.
When the time came to talk of our exit from Cuba, the Cuban authorities had a cunning attitude, and they offered a special hospital outfit for the transfer of Dr. Lind in a Cuban plane, of course, and through Prague. We promptly realized that all the attentions had a special significance, as it was implicitly requested that we go through Prague. This caused terrible frictions with the Cuban authorities, but Dr. Lind finally showed that if we were sent to Prague, even un transit, the whole world would have associated such a procedure to the kidnapping and murder of a Professor Galindez by the Trujillo regime of Santo Domingo and, also, official Delegations would be waiting to greet us at all the airports on the way and our absence would cause anticuban and anticommunist public manifestations. Of course, we lost no time notifying our friends abroad through diplomatic channels that our life was extremely in danger, and requested them to send radio messages to the United Nations and to the government of Cuba saying that the communist regime of Dr. Fidel Castro would be held responsible for our safety. In the name of Human Rights and of Divine Law, all SPIRITUALDOM arose like a single man, simultaneously, demanding our immediate release as well as guarantees for our personal lives.
Naturally, our ordeal had no limit. We were being morally bruised, mentally battered, and spiritually despised. Yet we remained game, defiant, and undefeated. We refused to be licked and destroyed. This is, in fact, our living message to mankind. We want to make our plight duly know, and how excruciating life can be under the communist regime, even at 90 miles from America. Would that such a tragedy was avoided to all Latin America and to the rest of the world!
Now, we must find a fitting refuge for our enormous work, which is unique in its kind. We must go somewhere. Some country should give us asylum, and grant us facilities to continue our extraordinary task, which is positively the only genuine International, Interfaith and Interreligious co-operative organism for humanistic, cultural and spiritual designs, above whatever form of sectarianism, provincialism, or group, racial or nationalistic exclusivism. We constitute, indeed, the WORLDWIDE BROTHERHOOD-COMMONWEALTH OF MAN, the only unbiased and unlimited group of peaceful and free people throughout the world. Our archives, files, special library and other aspects of travail must be saved in the name of Humanity. Or can they?
ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENTIAL
Not for publication