12 December 2005 by Roland Planchar
Read original here.
Universal Energy guru stands trial in Brussels on charges of fraud and illegal medical practice.
Policemen are attentively observing the public attending the 61st correctional chamber of Brussels hearing on this Thursday, December the 8th. "It's for witness protection", admits to us one of them. After all, it's a sect-related matter. An international movement, known in 30 countries under the name of "Universal Energy" or ''Spiritual Human Yoga'' (SHY), but with the same guru ''Master Dang''.
True name of this Vietnamese American, Minh Luong Dang, is less pompous. But his followers «find it natural» to use the word «Master», explains the first witness. Like a few others making appearance at this first hearing (next one planned for January 12), it is a medical doctor. These witnesses do not dread the wrath of the sect: they were named by the defence and have come to explain how «Master Dang» knows better than anyone else how to «open chakras». To restart these seven pseudo centres of body energy that is, the disharmony of which, so to speak, is the cause of diseases and... natural disasters!
In short, a simple soul has to study Dang's teachings to deliver itself from the problem of «chakras» or upon attending more expensive seminars (at a cost of hundreds or even thousands of dollars) - to help others to be delivered thereof. Something inspired by the 19th century Sinhalese therapy... A juicy business, according to prosecution that filed charges with the judge Anne-Françoise de Laminne de Bex for putting an end to the acts of fraud and illegal medical practice committed by «Cerehu» centre of SHY in Etterbeek at the end of 1990s, and to the «conferences» like the one held in 1995 at the Brussels Palace of Congresses with participation of 1200 Europeans.
Mr. Minh Luong Dang, aged 63, and SHY treasurer for Belgium Mrs. Thi Minh Vo, aged 53, will have to respond thereto. She is absent, but Dang showed up as detained. Not because of 1999 Brussels arrest - he was freed under the bail of 1.25 million Euros. He was put behind the bars upon his showing up in Belgium due to international arrest warrant issued by France. Frail, graying, though calm and smiling, he disputes the charges and denies sectarian nature of his movement. Despite everything, statements of the German doctor witnessing at the request of the «movement» and affirming that SHY helps him to chose therapies for his patients for better «transferring universal energy», raise some questions.
To be continued.
