Raelian Guide accused of witchcraft and jailed while on mission to demystify supernatural beliefs
LIBREVILLE, March 7 - Accused of practicing witchcraft and magic, Raelian Guide Jean Rene Ogoula Ale was arrested and jailed on February 27 in Franceville, Gabon.
His accusers are the parents of a 17-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl who showed interest in the Raelian philosophy at a Raelian meeting where Ale presented the Raelian Messages.
The children’s parents are Christians who claim that their daughter has had bad dreams and has been drawing scenes of violence since attending the Raelian meeting.
"That was enough for the judge to accept the accusation of practicing magic and witchcraft on an underage person," said Tai Ehouan, leader of the Raelian Movement in Kama (the precolonial, native name for Africa). "The judge's decision is totally unacceptable."
Ehouan explained that the decision was not only wrong but ironic, since the International Raelian Movement is dedicated to denouncing any belief in supernatural powers.
"It's so ridiculous to associate the practice of witchcraft with the Raelian messages when these messages are based on science," he said. "The messages demystify everything and Raelians are rightly here to denounce any belief in witchcraft or any other mystical practice that inhibits the blossoming of the brain by instilling fear."
According to the lawyer hired by the International Raelian Movement to represent Ale, there is no serious or sufficient evidence to permit Ale's detention.
"He is clearminded, nonviolent and represents no danger to society," Ehouan stated. "And for the more than 20 years that the Raelian Movement has existed in Gabon, the Raelian Messages have been broadcasted frequently on all the media, mostly on Africa N°1."
"Those broadcasts have been very well received by the listeners, particularly by young people who are in synch with the message of peace and nonviolence we bring", said Priest Guide Danielle Mekuid, national responsible of the Raelian Movement in Gabon. "Our mission is to promote absolute nonviolence, as illustrated by our "One Minute for Peace” campaign that has been running all over the continent since last September, including, notably, here in Libreville."
Mekuid said the Raelian mission also includes promoting science and discouraging all beliefs in a supernatural god or in any supernatural force, such as witchcraft.
"Such beliefs are totally false and are the primary cause of deep childhood trauma," Mekuid explained. "We have heartfelt feeling for the young girl who, according to her parents, is showing signs of being traumatized, but we strongly denounce and deny the link her parents have made between her trauma and our profoundly non-violent Raelian messages."
Mekuid said his group also deplores the accusation made against Ale.
"This Raelian Guide has always been a great example of living in harmony and of respecting the Raelian philosophy of absolute nonviolence," she said. "The judge's decision to detain him on the basis of non-valid accusations is a strong violation of human rights."
"The International Raelian Movement requests that the judge who did this put an end to this arbitrary detention of Ale," Ehouan said. "Prophet Rael, founder and spiritual leader of the International Raelian Movement, goes even further. He says that unless Ale is liberated very soon, he will call on all Raelians worldwide to organize peaceful demonstrations in front of all Gabon's embassies and other diplomatic representations, starting on Monday, March 11. And we will also take this case to the human rights justice court to denounce the abuse of power shown by this judge."
His accusers are the parents of a 17-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl who showed interest in the Raelian philosophy at a Raelian meeting where Ale presented the Raelian Messages.
The children’s parents are Christians who claim that their daughter has had bad dreams and has been drawing scenes of violence since attending the Raelian meeting.
"That was enough for the judge to accept the accusation of practicing magic and witchcraft on an underage person," said Tai Ehouan, leader of the Raelian Movement in Kama (the precolonial, native name for Africa). "The judge's decision is totally unacceptable."
Ehouan explained that the decision was not only wrong but ironic, since the International Raelian Movement is dedicated to denouncing any belief in supernatural powers.
"It's so ridiculous to associate the practice of witchcraft with the Raelian messages when these messages are based on science," he said. "The messages demystify everything and Raelians are rightly here to denounce any belief in witchcraft or any other mystical practice that inhibits the blossoming of the brain by instilling fear."
According to the lawyer hired by the International Raelian Movement to represent Ale, there is no serious or sufficient evidence to permit Ale's detention.
"He is clearminded, nonviolent and represents no danger to society," Ehouan stated. "And for the more than 20 years that the Raelian Movement has existed in Gabon, the Raelian Messages have been broadcasted frequently on all the media, mostly on Africa N°1."
"Those broadcasts have been very well received by the listeners, particularly by young people who are in synch with the message of peace and nonviolence we bring", said Priest Guide Danielle Mekuid, national responsible of the Raelian Movement in Gabon. "Our mission is to promote absolute nonviolence, as illustrated by our "One Minute for Peace” campaign that has been running all over the continent since last September, including, notably, here in Libreville."
Mekuid said the Raelian mission also includes promoting science and discouraging all beliefs in a supernatural god or in any supernatural force, such as witchcraft.
"Such beliefs are totally false and are the primary cause of deep childhood trauma," Mekuid explained. "We have heartfelt feeling for the young girl who, according to her parents, is showing signs of being traumatized, but we strongly denounce and deny the link her parents have made between her trauma and our profoundly non-violent Raelian messages."
Mekuid said his group also deplores the accusation made against Ale.
"This Raelian Guide has always been a great example of living in harmony and of respecting the Raelian philosophy of absolute nonviolence," she said. "The judge's decision to detain him on the basis of non-valid accusations is a strong violation of human rights."
"The International Raelian Movement requests that the judge who did this put an end to this arbitrary detention of Ale," Ehouan said. "Prophet Rael, founder and spiritual leader of the International Raelian Movement, goes even further. He says that unless Ale is liberated very soon, he will call on all Raelians worldwide to organize peaceful demonstrations in front of all Gabon's embassies and other diplomatic representations, starting on Monday, March 11. And we will also take this case to the human rights justice court to denounce the abuse of power shown by this judge."