(Written by the legal advisor for the Sathya Sai Baba
organization in Sweden. Mailed to the National Coordinator for Sweden, Dr.
Jörgen Möögard. There were only 3 official centers in Sweden but many small
groups, and almost all groups have dissolved. There is only 1 center left, and
that is in the Capitol- Stockholm.)
From :
SWEDEN
Source : A
Regional Meeting.
Subject : LETTER TO MEMBERS ABOUT WINDING UP THE
SAI
ORGANISATION
IN SWEDEN
As you know, some of our young boys have testified
that Sai Baba has molested them sexually. It is a matter of serious sexual
abuse; among other things oral sex.
Furthermore it has turned out, that the
materialisation of vibhuti, rings etc is a bluff. It is only usual magic, built
of sleight of hand.
Largescale economical frauds and misuse of donated
means exists in Prashanthi Nilayam. There are bad conditions in the hospital
and the water project is uncompleted and full of problems.
Statements are supported by serious investigations
and personal testimonies, about which can be read on internet.
Scotland Yard and other police organisations are
making investigations of other crimes. The information about what is going on
is of that kind.
We cannot hide behind the statement ‘we did not
know’. All in the Swedish organization know.
These are hard words, that hurt us all who have Baba
in our hearts. But since in the organisation there have been attempts to cover
up, tone down and lessen what has happened and still happens, we consider it
necessary to be very clear and unambiguous in the formulation.
Naturally everyone is free to keep having Baba as
his/her spiritual guide and personal image of God, in spite of what has come
out. But is it possible for the Sai organisation in Sweden to remain?
Our answer is : For decency’s sake, no.
What can we say to the person who comes to the
organisation to get information about Baba?
What kind of message will the organisation give on
its homesite on internet? Can one continue to sell books, which we know
describe false facts?
What can one tell the person, who has perhaps put his
savings on a journey to Baba, and then comes home telling that Baba has
molested his son, and they have seen things that make them doubt the
authenticity of the materialisations, and they have heard rumours of economical
irregularities?
Do we answer with “Well, we already knew. It has been
known for years”???
He, who
through ‘advertising’ Baba, entices others into going there or donating money,
might have made himself guilty of the crime of encouraging criminality.
So what will the leaders of the organisation say on
the day, when the press or police ring the door bell and want to know?
Do they say “Of course we knew, but since we have not
personally had anything but good experiences of Baba, we did not feel that we
needed to bother”???
No dear friends, let us instead, through a forceful
dissasociation, send the message through the Sai heirarchy to Sai Baba himself.
-This is what
we have learnt and we cannot accept it! Stop the sexual violations immediately,
give up the bluff materialisations and get competent and honest persons to run
the activities.
If the unsatisfactory state of things stops through
voluntary action, it may be possible to save the good parts. Otherwise the
activity will sooner or later be broken down more violently through other
measures from international police, press, international service organisations
etc. Then all the good which exists will disappear along with the evil. And in
such a scandal, India as a nation could be damaged.
Through winding up the Sai organisation in Sweden and
spreading information about that through a statement to all central
coordinators and to other appropriate key persons, we take our responsibility
for the persons who have been abused and cheated, and for those who run the
risk to be abused and cheated.
This action will likely result in other people in
other countries start acting, and taking their responsibility.
We the undersigned, and many more of us, hereby
demand that the president of the Sathya Sai Organisation in Sweden calls an
extra annual meeting at once, where the decision to discontinue the association
can be made in a correct way.
If the meeting comes to the decision that the
association should not be discontinued, a restructuring and complementary
elections to the coordinating committee has to be made, since some of the
members will leave the organisation and whole centres will discontinue.
Likewise a new treasurer and a new auditor has to be elected.
This is a tragic process for everybody. But the work
on our spiritual growth does not stop with Baba, and some of us have already
discussed the forms for continued meetings for ex-devotees, where meditation
and study circles, retreats and summer celebrations can be held.
So with, or without Baba, together or in different
groups : Life goes on.
Signed,
Conny Larsson (see his website HERE)
Ingvar Sjögerås (Coordinator of the center of Gusum,
Sweden)
Britt Danielsson (Legal advisor for the Sathya Sai
Baba organization in Sweden)