Glaswegian

 

From The Glaswegian, Glasgow, 4th May, 2000

EXCLUSIVE

By Wendy Miller

GLASGOW students are being targeted by a Danish cult operating as a charity. Humana People To People lure students into their remote schools in Denmark by offering training to help African refugees.

Humana posters have been found in Hillhead Library and other west end locations and adverts have appeared in two Glasgow newspapers.

Potential recruits were invited to an information meeting due to be held in Glasgow University Student Union on April 25.

But union bosses pulled the plug on the event after an investigation.

The unions honorary secretary Alistair Cassidy said: "The booking was not made under the name Humana. It was down as a charity information meeting. They were looking for volunteers to go to Africa. We cancelled it after getting an email from the university."

Union representatives took advice on the matter from university bosses and a cult helpline.

An Internet search revealed Humanas web site is also that of the Travelling Folk High School, part of the three-school Tvind campus branded a sect by the Danish government.

There students are indoctrinated into a strict new way of life. A typical day consists of communal singing and chanting and hours of fundraising.

Former members have told how their independence was constantly undermined by the movement.

Since Tvind was founded almost 30 years ago a string of horror stories have emerged.

Power

Humana was investigated last year over alleged cash irregularities and effectively closed down as a charity.

Audrey Chaytor, chairperson of the international cult information service Family Action And Information Services, urged Glasgow students to stay away from Humana.

She said: "This group is dangerous. They are all about money and power and I fear for students getting involved with them."

She also confirmed that Tvind and Humana are the same organisation operating under two different names.

The Tvind schools are used to train development workers for tree-planting and health projects in southern Africa.

Students seeking volunteer work are being advised to ditch Humana in favour of reputable organisations such as Oxfam.

Freelance journalist Michael Durham, who has investigated Tvind and Humana, said: "They are a very extreme political movement with very similar qualities to a cult.

"I have spoken to a number of ex-members who have felt psychologically battered."

The head teacher of the Travelling Folk High School, Karin Overgaard said she could not understand why the meeting had been cancelled.

She said: "We will just have to make it in another place. I dont know why they have changed their minds."

She denied Humana was really a cult saying: "Its because we are doing things in a different way. We have all different kinds of religions here and people can have all different kinds of opinions.

Risks

Asked whether any one had been injured while working for Humana she said: "I will not deny that peopie have come to harm. But the volunteers are aware of the risks."

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said it was powerless to stop Humana putting up posters in city libraries.

She said: "We have had no official information stating that this particular group is banned or under investigation.

"In general terms we are not allowed to censor public information provided the group is legally constituted and the information is relevant to the local area.

"But if a member of the public has a complaint we actively encourage them to report it to us and we will investigate the complaint."