During the past few years, the French National Assembly has issued prejudicial reports on “sects” that have been described by academics, human rights groups and experts as shockingly unscientific. Widely supported bills, currently pending in the French legislature, call for increasingly severe measures against “sects.” Militant “anti-sect” groups subsidized by the government regularly publish inflammatory tracts. Although the Government of France could be using its considerable influence to promote tolerance and cool the passions of these groups, it has chosen instead, in the words of the 1998 Swedish Commission’s report, to make “common cause” with these extremist groups.
Government Funding of Anti-Religious Groups
In violation of its obligation to protect the rights of religious minorities, the French government provides funds to support private organizations which foment religious intolerance. The main such association is the “Association for the Defense of the Family and the Individual” (Association de Defense de la Famille et de l’Individu – ADFI). CCMM is another French anti-minority religion group financed with public monies. Alain Vivien, President of MILS, is the former president of CCMM.
These two organizations have been extremely active in publishing inflammatory and prejudicial publications and in fueling prejudice and advocating repressive measures against targeted religious minorities.
Before leaving office in the fall of 2000, the Justice Minister publicly expressed her support for legislation which would empower ADFI and CCMM to initiate legal proceedings against targeted religious minorities even though no member of ADFI or CCMM has any direct personal interest or involvement in the alleged torts. The clear objective of such legislation is to provide a means whereby religions not recognized by the state can be denied their free practice of worship and ultimately bankrupted and disbanded through oppressive and state-advocated litigation.
