Government urged to block visit by 'Moonies' founder

The Government is being urged to ban from Ireland the leader of the controversial religious organisation known to its detractors as "the Moonies".

The "Reverend" Sun Myung Moon, the Korean-born founder of the Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace (IIFWP), is due to speak at a "peace" conference in Dublin today on what would be his first visit to Ireland.

The 85-year-old has been banned from travelling to a number of countries in the past, including Britain and Germany, due to concerns about his financial affairs. He was convicted and jailed for tax fraud in the US in 1982.

Rachel Mathews-McKay, a former member of the Unification Church, the IIFWP's predecessor, said the Government should not "turn a blind eye" to Moon's visit.

In a letter to Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern, the 27-year-old Dublin librarian said: "Membership in Ireland may well be low and I hope that it stays that way, but they are still a threat. I appreciate the fact that we are a tolerant nation and religious discrimination is not our code of conduct."

However, she said, Mr Ahern should follow the example of other countries and ban Moon from travelling here.

The IIFWP has admitted that a private function will be held for its members in a Dublin hotel this evening. However, it said Moon's attendance had yet to be confirmed.

Several members of the organisation from around the world have come to Dublin for the expected audience with Moon.

Halvard Iversen, secretary general of the IIFWP's Irish branch, rejected suggestions that the organisation was either corrupt or dangerous.

"IIFWP is an organisation of all faiths working together for the same purpose. Since nobody is asked to change their faith, how can there be any difficulties if anybody wants to pull out?" he said.

However, Ms Mathews-McKay said she had been subjected to "psychological and emotional pressure" when she tried to leave the group.

"They separate you entirely from your previous existence, and sever your family ties," she said, adding that the church had earmarked her for an arranged marriage in November 1997 just before she fled the organisation.

She claimed her mother, who had also been a "Moonie", had sold her house to fund the church, adding that the church's tactics included "brainwashing, mental overload and sleep deprivation".

Mr Iversen said the organisation had once been "evangelizing" young members, but "this was not IIFWP but the old Unification Church". He added that having to live "a very regulated life" was what religion was about.

"You pray and sometimes fast. We dedicate our lives to God and try to develop a better understanding and love for Him. This is little different from the practices in other churches like the Catholic orders or any other serious religious organisation."