Theos-Talk Archives (August 2003 Message tt00159)

Eldon B tucker wrote:
> Here's an response from Pedro Oliveira to Bart's message. Since Pedro isn't
> subscribed, the message bounced to me. I wrote him about it and he said he'd
> like it forwarded to the list.
Thank you, Eldon. I have a couple of early comments, but I want to 
reserve complete comments until I check out a couple of sources that may 
back up Pedro's account. I have met Pedro, and, from my own experience 
and all accounts, find him to be an honorable person. I therefore have 
no reason to doubt his sincerity or honesty. I am therefore assuming his 
information is correct.

> Having worked with Radha Burnier for four and half years (1992-1996)
> at Adyar I would like to set the record straigth regarding numerous
> accusations against her in this forum. She is the constitutionally
> elected President of the Theosophical Society, with International
> Headquarters at Adyar, since 1980, and re-elected ever since by the
> overwhelming majority of members of that Society.
A) Most members of the Society have no idea what is going on 
politically. Any communication between members other than the official 
channels has been strongly discouraged. It is virtually impossible for 
any member opposing the administration to get their objections heard, 
except by a handful.

B) NOBODY here has questioned the legality of what Radha did. The 
International Bylaws clearly give the President the ability to withdraw 
the charter of any section, at any time, for any reason. She can quite 
legally withdraw the charter of a section because she doesn't like the 
color of the President's eyes, if she wants. It doesn't mean that she 
SHOULD.

> CANADA: In December 1991, at the General Council meeting, Radha
> Burnier put before the Council the fact that the then Canadian
> Section of the TS had ammended its Rules and in doing so had
> eliminated each and every reference to the International Headquarters
> at Adyar. The Rules of the TS say that every Section (as well as
> every Lodge/Branch) derives its Charter (and existence) from the
> Parent Society. After examining the question the General Council
> decided that by ignoring the Rules of the TS and eliminating all
> references to the International Headquarters from its rules, the
> Canadian Section had cut itself off from the Parent Society. There
> was no "excommunication".
The Canadian Section was forced to do this by the Canadian Government 
in order to retain their not-for-profit status. According to members of 
the dissolved section with whom I have discussed the issue, there was 
absolutely no attempt by Adyar to work out some sort of solution.

In the cases of Yugoslavia and Denmark, I am curious as to whether or 
not there was evidence that there was gong to be an attempt of transfer 
of property to either New Acropolis, the Arcane School, or the Lucis 
Trust (and if the Danish group's property has been transferred to either 
the Arcane School or the Lucis Trust since. Mort?).

Bart Lidofsky