Regarding your last issue, featuring an article about the Citizens Commission on Human Rights and our recent lobotomy protest ('Did "Cult" March on Wrong Hospital?', Ed. #81), there are a couple of points that need to be clarified.
First and foremost, we are not a front group for the Church of Scientology. It is no secret that we were established by the Church and are sponsored by them. In all public statements we make it very clear that this is the case, and indeed, we are proud of the link.
Many of our chapters are operated from within the premises of the Churches, so it is no surprise that your journalist was able to contact CCHR through the Church.
Let me point out that many churches have social reform groups connected to them, and the Church of Scientology is no different in that respect.
However, CCHR is a separately incorporated organisation whose mandate it is to clean up the field of mental health. We do not have a religious agenda and do not refer our clients, people whose human rights have been abused by psychiatrists or other mental health professionals, to the Church.
We have many members who are not Scientologists and we work with many other human rights and support groups to produce reform in the field of mental healing.
Our protest was conducted because we were informed that the Royal Melbourne Hospital, or the psychoneurologists employed there were active in performing lobotomies. We can provide documentation to that effect.
The thousands of people whom we have helped over the past three decades, including the many Chelmsford survivors and victims' families, certainly have no complaints as to our origins. Our achievements speak for themselves, as I'm sure you'd understand if you took a good look at what we are doing.
Lyn Cottee
National Office Spokesperson
The Citizens
Commission on
Human Rights