Press Conferences ~ 03
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| event type | interview |
| date & time | 18 Sep 1985 om ** |
| location | Sanai Grove, Rajneeshpuram |
| language | English |
| audio | Available, duration 2h 41min. Quality: good. |
| online audio |
|
| video | Available, duration 2h 45min. Quality: good, but during Osho arriving his talk with Hasya not audible. |
| online video | |
| see also |
|
| online text | find the PDF of this discourse |
| shorttitle | PRESS03 |
- notes
- Video of this event: quite unique camerawork of Osho walking from his car to Mandir (talking go Hasya) and walking back to his car.
- synopsis
- Interview. Announcements by Ma Prem Isabel : Mike Sugerman, KCBS-Radio (question 1); Bill Crown from The Associated Press (q.2-3); Bill Baxter, NBC Network News (q.4); Dirk Madison, People Magazine (q.5-6); Richard Draper, KOIN-TV from Portland (q.7-8); Mike Housical from The Globe in The United States, The Daily Telegraph in Sydney and The Star in London (q.9-18); Roger Worthington from The Chicago Tribune (q.19-22); (Announcement by Sunshine and two information-questions (q.23-24) from Hasya); Walden Kirsch from KGW-TV in Portland (q.25-33); Sw Anand Videha writing for Panorama and Expresso (q.34-36).
- CD-ROM on this chapter: (see names in context of questions).
- Question 1 : (audio adds: Mike) Sugerman, from KCBS Radio
- I'd appreciate if you could, a short answer to the question... You've indicated that Sheela would be welcome back if she decided to come back, although you've also accused her of some rather serious crimes, including those against your neighbors here. And I was wondering if she came back and was convicted of some of the crimes you've charged her with, how could the local people around here trust you and your people not to do that sort of thing again, if you could live in peaceful coexistence with your neighbors after this incident?
- Question 2 : Bill Crown from the Associated Press, Portland
- Osho, I'm on kind of a tight deadline if you could give me a fairly brief answer I would appreciate it. I'm wondering whether the heavy security can end now, if you can disarm Rajneeshpuram?
- Question 3
- Why not?
- Question 4 : Bill Baxter, NBC Network News
- Would you please assess the damage caused to your community by the revelations over Sheela and also if you could tell me what steps you are taking to insure that something like this does not happen again?
- Question 5 : Dirk Madison, "People" magazine
- Osho, I have two questions and I'd appreciate brief answers, if you can do that. First, have you had any contact with Sheela since she left?
- Question 6
- Secondly, can you tell us how and when you first heard of Sheela's crimes, and your initial emotions when you found out?
- Question 7 : Richard Draper, KOIN TV from Portland
- I'll also seek an abridged short answer if I could. Before she left in news conferences you said that Sheela was not tough enough in her comments to Oregonians, about government. You yourself had some rather strong words of criticism about Oregonians, about judges, politicians. Sheela left and now you're holding your hands out to Oregonians and saying that you love them all, and there should be no reason for hostility. Was Sheela that instrumental in the formation of your opinions about Oregonians and government?
- Question 8
- You said she was told about some grand jury indictments. What was the source of that?
- Question 9 : Mike Housical, The Globe, USA; The Daily Telegraph, Sydney, Australia; and The Star, London, UK
- Would you comment on a report which I got from Zurich this morning that Sheela is spending at the rate of fifty thousand dollars a week on two credit cards owned by the Rajneesh Investment corporation.
- Question 10
- So how many times has she been married then sir, because her first husband was Mark Silverman, I believe.
- Question 11
- Now he died of cancer.
- Question 12
- Then her second husband was John Shelfer, who she married on a jumbo jet going to India.
- Question 13
- But if the first husband was dead, sir, then that wouldn't be bigamy, would it?
- Question 14
- Why did she go to Mexico at the end of July?
- Question 15
- Do you know yet sir from your bookkeepers just how much is missing in money?
- Question 16
- How does that leave the future of the commune financially right now?
- Question 17
- Have many people left because of this incident?
- Question 18
- Do the police anticipate a quick arrest?
- Question 19 : Roger Worthington, Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Illinois
- Osho, it seems Sheela's abuse of power occurred with a weak Rajneesh Foundation board and a weak rubber-stamp city council. Does the greater responsibility you urge Rajneeshpuram include a truly independent, empowered city council that will speak for the city of Rajneeshpuram and represent all the people of Rajneeshpuram and in a true separation of church and state?
- Question 20
- Osho, had the city council been functioning as city councils do in most cities, and had the mayor been functioning as most mayors function, then this alleged abuse of power by Sheela would not have been possible, that she would have been countermanded and called to question by the duly elected bodies of Rajneeshpuram. And that was not the case. I'm wondering when you talk about more responsibility by your followers, whether or not that includes a greater sense of democratic functioning by the duly political bodies of the city?
- Question 21
- It seems that the five thousand people in the community abdicated responsibility for Ma Sheela's decisions; they gave in their consensus of support. And she assumed power over the elected bodies of the city.
- Question 22
- It was also obvious to quite a few of us from the outside that the hotel rooms at hotel Rajneesh, the telephone lines were bugged a year ago at this time. It must have been obvious to some of the people who worked in the area around the switchboard in the hotel. Was that knowledge communicated to you, or other people in power other than those surrounding Ma Sheela?
- Question 23 : Ma Prem Hasya says:
- Dr. Shunyo has sent in a message that Swami Lazarus died within the last hour. Dr. Indivar attended to him. We consider he has AIDS. He probably died of lymphoma cancer.
- Question 24
- Because of the AIDS question, he is being retested and because of the legal enquiries we are in touch with the state medical examiner. Normally we wouldn't.
- Question 25 : Walden Kirsch, KGW TV, Portland
- Osho, I have a medium length question and I hope you will oblige me with a brief response. You have made some very serious charges against your former aides in the past couple days. These charges you know could result in federal indictments or possibly even prison terms. Do you think Sheela's gang as you've referred to her, may turn upon you. Do you think that you may be indicted, and if so would you appear in court?
- Question 26
- Would you personally travel to court?
- Question 27
- Do you see there being a chance that Sheela could in fact turn upon you and testify against you in court.
- Question 28
- Should an indictment be handed down, you're perfectly willing how to travel to Portland or wherever to answer charges?
- Question 29
- You're confident that she will not testify against you, is that what I hear you saying?
- Question 30
- You say that you love her still, do you believe that she loves you at this point?
- Question 31
- How likely do you think it is that Sheela will turn against you in court?
- Question 32
- She can try, can she not?
- Question 33
- Earlier today you spoke of providing your attorneys with some strategy for setting up tents and such. There has been some talk that in fact you may have been more involved in the operation of the commune than you say right now.
- Question 34 : Sw Videha, Panorama and Expresso, Italy
- Hi. Osho, since many people coming from outside have seen something there, not clear, how is possible that you, or the people living here didn't feel the same?
- Question 35
- It seems you teach through experience. This has been a great experience for many sannyasin here. And you also say that people are fast asleep... They need a great shock to be awakened. How the sannyasins at the Ranch were helped to grow by trusting Sheela and her gang; how they have learned; and which are the great experience you will create for them to wake up?
- Question 36
- Your message through this chaos of these days looks more clear. What is impressing the people is your compassion, your innocence and your clarity. This can become part of the understanding of the humanity, or still will be corrupted by power?
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