Norwegian Media Coverage Of Scientology Related Suicide Unprecedented
Just saw this on Operation Clambake from Andreas himself about 20-year-old student Kaja Ballo's death:
The media coverage on this in Norway has been unprecedented for any event ever related to CoS. I was on the phone or in studio all day yesterday to help explain what has happened. Had to fly to Oslo to attend several live TV debates. I seriously doubt there is one person left in Norway who has not learned about this tragedy by now.I can't list them all, but some of the press coverage and a few pictures are linked here:
You can see a picture series of the head of CoS in Norway, Matthias Fosse and me here (taken at TV studio between debates yesterday):
http://sesam.no/search/?q=matthias+fosse&x=0&y=0&c=pp
http://sesam.no/search/?c=pp&q=heldal-lundThis is very high profile and the media is working overtime to cover this! The direct connection to the Church of Scientology is unusually clear and her father is a very high profiled and influential politician in Norway. He has been in the Norwegian Parliament since 1997, he studied medicine at University of Würzburg, and has been a doctor. He is a member of the Standing Committee on Justice (!) and the Vice President of the Odelsting (the "lower house" in the Parliament).The Norwegian Minister of Finance and many others attended Kaja's funeral. At the service the priest made a clear and special effort to link her death to the Church of Scientology.
The family has asked that this tragic story is debated publicly and friends of Kaja have been told they should become critics of the Church of Scientology. This is not going away. The close family has said they trust the French police and are awaiting the result of their investigation.
I hope the May 10 picket in Oslo will be an event respectful of her memory and something Norwegians will remember a long time.
I'll try to keep you updated.
Contrary to earlier assumptions Kaja's family has encouraged on-going debate about her tragic death. Norway has a history of being open and accepting of all faiths, for this progressive Scandinavian country which lives in relative peace and equanimity to blatantly point the finger at a "religious" organization is as Andreas points out "unprecedented." As Glosslip has been warning for months, the United States better get with the program or it will be left looking the fool for allowing a dangerous organization to not just operate within its borders, but FLOURISH, all under the protective watch of our First Amendment. I won't even mention the unfair tax break only Scientology gets. Oh wait, I just did.
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