From mallen@nwu.edu Tue May  9 11:34:51 BST 1995

I am fortunate that the university library at NU has an extensive collection
of books and documents from Africa.  Today, while I was checking out copies
of Dianetics, Madman or Messiah and Religion, Inc., I also got a copy of the
Commission of Enquiry into Scientology Report published by the South African
Congress.

The book contains a wealth of interesting first hand testimonies and other
investigative facts about the operation of the South African branches of the
cult.  One of the more disturbing things I read was about how some $cienos
had tried to indoctrinate their children.  The account goes like this:

(account begins at page 190, chapter 12, paragraph 18)

	Mr. Michael McAll is the son of a man who was formerly a senior
South African public servant and who is presently a full-time scientologist
attached to one of the overseas organizations.  Michael describes in
evidence (Record of Evidence, Vol. 30(b), pp. 80-108) how at the age of
thirteen or fourteen he received processing at the hands of his father and
one Mr. Bester.  First he was subjected to questioning with the aid of an
E-Meter for about three-quarters of an hour to an hour.  Thereafter in a
locked room he was forcibly subjected to the CCH process referred to in
paragraph 12.14 (above) for a period of five and a quarter hours.  A command
"Give me your hand" is given by the auditor.  The subject is then expected
to lift his hand to the auditor who takes the hand saying, "Thank you."  The
process continues.  Michael stated that, during part of the time, he
resisted.  Eventually a fight supervened, Mr. Bester received bodily injury,
Michael's resistance was overcome and the process was resumed. 
Notwithstaning complaints by neighbours and threats to call the Police the
treatment did not cease.  That, in the words of Michael happened only "when I
was on the point of collaspe."  Mr. McAll's former wife is Michael's
step-mother.  She, having found HCO Information Letter of March 6, 1964
(refered to in paragraph 12.14) among her husband's possessions whilst
divorce proceedings were pending, stated the following in evidence in regard
to the processing administered to Michael:

	"It certainly had an effect on the boy, because I gather Bester
ended up sitting on his stomach and he was forced to continue giving his
hand, and this command was repeated over and over and over again.  The boy
became so upset that my brother, who lives next door, threatened to call the
Police, and certainly, he bit his father and the bite mark lasted for a
period of about two or three months - in order to extricate himself from
this mental torture, I would put it.  As I say, the tragedy of the situation
is that I am quite certain that my husband did it in good faith and this is
what he had been taught to do and this is the danger of Scientology, that
these unqualified people are permitted and encouraged. indeed, to do this
sort of thing to people."  (Record of Evidence, Vol. 30(a), p. 31)

. . . . The Commission observed that at the date of the evidence Michael
clearly remained resentful of the experience and, paying due regard to all
the circumstances concludes that he was subjected to an experience which. . .
caused him serious psychological harm.