MIVILUDES

The MIVILUDES (a French acronym for Mission interministérielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les dérives sectaires, i.e. Interministerial Mission of Vigilance and Combat against Sectarian Aberrations) is a French government agency, created by Presidential decree in 2002. It is charged with observing and analyzing the phenomenon of sectarian movements (cults), coordinating the government response, informing the public about the risks arising from sectarian aberrations and facilitating the implementation of actions to aid the victims.[1]

Functions

According to the first article of the Decree N° 2002-1392 of November 28, 2002, the MIVILUDES is charged with:[1]

  1. Observing and analyzing the phenomenon of sectarian movements whose practices are prejudicial to human rights and basic liberties, constitute a menace to public order, or are in conflict with existing laws and regulations;
  2. Favoring, in the respect of public liberties, the coordination of preventive and repressive action by the authorities against such practices;
  3. Developing the exchange of information between public services on administrative practices relating to the combat against sectarian aberrations;
  4. Contributing to the informing and training of public agents in this area;
  5. Informing the public about the risks and, in some cases, the dangers, arising from sectarian aberrations, and facilitating the implementation of actions to aid the victims of such practices;
  6. Participating in activities relating to issues falling within its scope undertaken at the international level by the ministry of foreign affairs.

MIVILUDES provides information related to "cultic deviances" to the media, the French government, and individual members of the public. It recommends contacts and other organizations, and produces and archives documentation and discussion papers on groups considered cults.[2]

History

Background

The French authorities created MIVILUDES as the successor to MILS (Mission interministérielle de lutte contre les sectes; English: "Interministerial Mission in the Fight Against Cults"), which itself functioned from 7 October 1998 as the successor to the Observatoire interministériel sur les sectes established on 9 May 1996. These organisations were in charge of co-ordinating government monitoring of cults.

In February 1998, MILS, headed by Alain Vivien, released its annual report on their monitoring of cults in France. The operations of MILS, and Alain Vivien's background as the head of an anti-cult organization (he had served as President of the Centre Roger Ikor from 1997 to 1998[3]), had occasionally received criticism from several human-rights organizations, such as the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights,[4] as well as the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, a US government agency. (See also About-Picard law#Reactions). In January 1999 Vivien requested and received police protection following threats and the burglary of his home.[5] Vivien resigned in June 2002 under criticism.[6]

MIVILUDES

The MIVILUDES was created by a decree[7] of President Jacques Chirac on 28 November 2002.[8] Jean-Louis Langlais, a senior civil-servant at the Ministry of the Interior, served as its president from 2002 to 2005. Announcing the formation of MIVILUDES, the French government acknowledged the criticism that MILS had received from outside France for certain activities that could be considered in violation of religious freedom. Then this decree repealed the decree of 7 October 1998 establishing MILS.

In an interview in March 2003, Langlais categorised the fight as not against "sects", but against "sectarian deviances". He stated that current French law lacks a definition for a "sect" and, therefore "the law cannot define sectarian deviances". Nevertheless, he portrayed the role of MIVILUDES as contributing to "defining what could simply be an administrative jurisprudence".[9]

A 2004 report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom concluded with an assessment that the restructuring of the main French agency concerned with this issue — referring to MILS being replaced by MIVILUDES — had improved religious freedoms in France.[10]

The prefect Jean-Michel Roulet became president of MIVILUDES in October 2005, followed by the judge Georges Fenech in October 2008 and the physician Serge Blisko in August 2012.[8]

Publications

Each year, the MIVILUDES published a report on its activities and a thematic study. Some of them were translated in English:

See also

References
  1. Report to the Prime Minister, MIVILUDES, 2003.
  2. Mission Interministérielle de VIgilance et de LUtte contre les DÉrives Sectaires Archived 2007-11-01 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Centre de documentation, d'éducation et d'action Contre les Manipulations Mentales". Archived from the original on 2007-01-27.
  4. "Open Letter to Alain Vivien about Religious Freedom in France". June 15, 2000. Archived from the original on May 4, 2005.
  5. L'Humanité, January 14, 1999; "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2005-04-30. Retrieved 2005-09-29.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. Alain Vivien Resigns from President of the French Anti-Cult Mission
  7. (in French) Décret n° 2002-1392 du 28 novembre 2002 instituant une mission interministérielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les dérives sectaires
  8. (in French) Historique | MIVILUDES
  9. 'France and "cults": a new orientation' - Interview with Jean-Louis Langlais, by Willy Fautré. Compass Direct, 15 April 2003.
  10. Annual Report 2004 - United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, p. 53.
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