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Holland
DUTCH CHARITY BOARD DECISION ON HUMANA HOLLAND IS 'WINDOW DRESSING'
June
7th-8th: The
Dutch charity board CBF has told Humana Holland to stop 'selling used
clothes to itself' - or lose its charity mark. It has
given the Tvind company one year to comply. However,
there are doubts that the action demanded by the CBF will be enough to
end the scandal of Tvind's financial dealings in Holland.
The Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving now appears to accept that Humana in Holland is part of a corporate structure that may have enriched Amdi Petersen and the Teachers Group, instead of directly helping the world's poor. As widely reported in Denmark and Sweden, clothes collected by UFF / Humana charities in Europe have been sold to Tvind companies in Holland, then to Tvind companies in British tax havens, and finally to eastern Europe - allowing Petersen and the Teachers Group to set aside millions. Holland is an important staging post in this financial paper chase.
But the CBF decision means Teachers Group members will remain as directors, and not simply be replaced by responsible managers as happened in the UK (where Humana UK was removed from Tvind control in 1998). Experience shows the financial system will remain. Tvind Alert says: "This is window dressing. Danish directors will stay in charge. The business methods of Humana, selling used clothes to its own companies, can quite easily be continued by Tvind. The CBF shows no signs of holding a real inquiry into Tvind's financial affairs."
Read
more
about the CBF decision
Ten
questions about Humana Holland
The
story of EC Trading
Who's
Who in Tvind, Holland
Tvind
Alert
says
The Dutch justice ministry orders preliminary judicial investigation into Humana Holland
May
2003: The prosecutor in The Hague is investigating whether to
start a judicial investigation into clothes collector Humana
Holland. Dutch Justice Minister Donner announced the move in
a written answer, following questions in parliament.
A former
employee of EC Trading, a Tvind company which sold second hand clothes
for Humana to countries in Eastern Europe, told the newspaper Trouw
about undisclosed financial transactions. The newspaper reported
that the charity for years moved millions of guilders away to
tax havens, such as the British Channel islands.
After the
newspaper report, Minister Donner ordered the prosecutor in The Hague to
start an orientating investigation.
This week (May 1st) the Dutch Central Bureau of Fundraising (CBF), the body that regulates charities, announced that it is withdrawing Humana's 'reliability mark', unless the organisation provides answers to a number of questions about how the millions of guilders raised from clothes collecting are being spent in Africa. This has to be done by independent accountants.
Neither the CBF nor Humana is willing to say exactly what information the CBF is looking for. However according to R. van Baaren, one of the directors of Humana Holland, it is just a matter of 'details'.Ten
questions about Humana HollandThe
story of Textile Transformation EC TradingWho's
Who in Tvind, HollandMemo
from CBF
2002: New Dutch government will investigate Humana - call for Europe-wide inquiry
Dutch TV-1 programmes on Tvind
broadcast on 26th June and 11th July 2002
Humana Holland press conference, July 24th 2002
http://tvindalert.hyperboards.com/index.cgi?
board=general&action=display&num=1027359785
Tvind Alert Holland
contacts:
Erik Schaap, Zaanstad havenstraat75@hotmail.com
tel: 07 56 31 38 19
Tvind assets: Used clothes recycling, clothes shops, big clothes sorting centre, Bunnik. Volunteer recruitment. Many trading companies. Addresses in Amsterdam, Bunnik, Maarssen and Maarn.
Humana is one of four leading charitable organisations commonly given permission by local authorities in Holland to collect and recycle used clothes. But Tvind's business interests in the country are complex. The Foundation Humana is only one of a number of Tvind concerns, which include commercial clothes trading companies as well as supposed charities. Many of them share the same directors, and at least one recently declared itself bankrupt 'owing' hundreds of thousands of guilders - apparently to other Tvind clothes traders and offshore companies. Where did this money really go? The Dutch Central Bureau for Fundraising (Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving, CBF), which oversees charities, agrees there could be a clash of interests in that Humana sells clothes to its own companies in Amsterdam - but it has never properly investigated.
A major new Tvind company, ConMore bv, based in Amsterdam but with an office in Maarssen, now trades in used clothes between the Humana 'charities' of western Europe and sales outlets in eastern Europe, Russia, Africa and Central Asia. ConMore bv is managed by Flemming Gustafsson, a key Danish TG member and Birgit Dinesen-Jensen, also a long time member of the TG..
Humana's Bunnik clothes recycling centre
Address: Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik, Holland
The giant Bunnik recycling plant, in a former
food factory, has more than
a dozen loading bays. Humana lorries line up to export clothes
to
eastern Europe
Tvind companies in Holland
See also : Tvind companies
The story of Textile
Transformation b.v.
Humana Holland's main clothes recycling company, formed from the merger of Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving and Stichting Humana Hergebruik in 2001-2.
Money from Humana Holland is allegedly going to Tvind offshore companies in Jersey, while the clothes disappear to Eastern Europe. In October 2001 a reliable correspondent told Tvind Alert: : "....More than 60 people are employed by the association and they frankly dont care if Humana is corrupted or not as long as they received their wages. Humana creates jobs and have a benefic activity in clothes recycling. What I found not acceptable is that they pretend to be an humanitarian association while they work as a private company. Under the praiseworthy aim of collecting the most clothes they can and donate it to their ADDP programs in Angola and Zambia, they are looking for their own profit. If not why is the money going to Jersey ?.....
"Humana is working with GARSON & SHAW. G&S is a sale agency located in London. From what I heard , there is only a computer there which send faxes to a place in Jersey Islands. They take a commission on the amount of sales. This company is very close to Humana and seems to be the new way of tax evasion since EC Trading closed down (which apparently has closed without real reasons to do it except to mix up the tracks).
"I know something that could easily be proved. For around 1 year now, there is a law in Netherlands coming from the European Union which forbid the sales of waste outside of the community. The most important market of Humana is the sale of non sorted clothes to Russia, Ukraine and others East countries. As they didnt want to loose this market and while waiting to obtain a special license for doing it, they acted outside legality.
During several months, they sent this kind of product through Humana Berlin. On the paper, Humana Bunnik sold the goods to Humana Berlin which sold it after to the Russian customer. In reality, trucks went directly from Netherlands to Russia and get customs papers in a town close to the border. After a few months it become dangerous as Germany started to look over Humana Berlin business. Thus Humana Bunnik used another intermediate : Spaarmann, a German logistics company (www.spaarmann.de).
Well, is everything legal in what I described ? I let you judge. But Im sure there is some wrong in their business. A charity organization can not act like that. I d like to work in the humanitarian field and Im training for it, I can not bear that some people use the status of non-profit organization and trick donators to make money. I dont want Humana to close down in Netherlands, I consider that they are doing a good job : all the clothes they collect would have been thrown away otherwise, development project wouldnt have been financed and Humana brings economic activity in the country. Its just that they should be closely watched. And that the job of authorities and journalists." Dutch concerned.
Despite this and many other known facts on Humana/Tvind, the Central Bureau for Fundraising (CBF) in Holland time after time declares that Humana Holland is a transparant organisation which benefits the poor in the Third World. It more likely looks as the weird world of both Humana and CBF." (Source: The Weird World of Humana in Holland by Han Gommeren
ConMore b.v. Keizersgracht,
1016 EZ Amsterdam
Sales agent for Tvind company Garson & Shaw (London and USA). Manager: Teachers Group member Flemming Gustaffson, director: Teachers Group-member Birgit Dinesen-Jensen. Garson & Shaw trades with Tvind companies in Russia, the Ukraine, Romania, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, Ghana, Benin and India. See: Garson & Shaw Inc
Textile
Transformation bv (EC Trading) (Amsterdam) Bankrupt owing 1.4m
Clothes trading, also run by Flemming
Gustaffson,
Kristen Kristiansen and Poul Jorgensen (born 1958).
Traded with Humana companies in Holland and many other Tvind companies.
Went bankrupt in 2000 owing large sums to many creditors, but mainly to other
Tvind companies. See the
story of Textile Transformation b.v. and reports in Rotterdams
Dagblad and The
Weird World of Humana in Holland
Stichting
Humana Fondsenwerving (Humana Fundraising)
Dissolved 2001-2
Humana Holland - financial
company
Stichting
Humana Hergebruik (Humana Re-use) Dissolved
2001-2
Used clothes collection and trading.
Freightforwarders
Marco Polo b.v. Dissolved
Oudezijds Voorburgwal 266, Amsterdam. Used clothes distribution & trading. Started 1995, dissolved in June 2000
Unicorn Trans
World Trading b.v. Bankrupt
in 1995
Used clothes trading company, c 1995, directors were TG members Jonas Israel, Hans Lautsten and Lars-Malte Hansen The company went bankrupt in 1995 after it was founded in 1994.
Procurement
White Hall Agency Oudezijds
Voorburgwal 266, Amsterdam
In existence c 1993. Was also run by Flemming Gustaffson. See also: Customlong Agencies (UK), another Flemming Gustaffson company in UK
Other Tvind concerns with Holland addresses:
Teachers Group houses, Maarn, near Bunnik
Mercuriushof 4, Maarn, was bought late 2001 for almost 386.000 euro (245,000) by Jytte Nielsen, a leading TG member who is a director of Humana Holland and connected to other Humana companies in Europe. Nielsen, according to Swedish journalists, is the new chairwoman of UFF in Sweden.
Neighbours say one of the people who sold the property told them this house was paid for in cash by the Danes. The money was said to have come from a bank account on Jersey ( which is a well-known tax-paradise for Tvind-companies.) The real-estate man in Maarn doesn't want to confirm this. 'I'm afraid that is a private matter', he says. Jytte Nielsen says she took a morgage on the bank.
The house next door, Mercuriushof 2, was in the same period bought by two Danish women who, like Jytte Nielsen, are known as members of the Teachers Group: Mikala Gottlob and Birgit Dinesen. Dinesen is director of the Tvind-company ConMore BV in Maarssen, the European agent for the second hand clothes company Garson and Shaw in the USA and UK.
ConMore representative Flemming Gustafsson, founder of the now bankrupt Tvind-company Textile Transformation EC Trading BV in which 500.000 guilders from Humana Holland disappeared in 2000, is often seen around and in the two houses in Maarn.
The citizens in the street are not able to get in contact with their new Danish neighbours, who always say 'we're just guests' if someone tries to shake hands to get to know them. The Danes more likely seem to work very hard. 'You can see the colours of the computer-screens and lights shine the whole evening and often at night behind the closed curtains', a neighbour says, who wonders what is going on.
Source: The Weird World of Humana in Holland by Han Gommeren
__________________________
Kirsten Fuglsbjerg - alias Christie Pipps
O Z, Voorlangwal 266, P O Box 503, 1000 Amsterdam
Kirsten Fuglsbjerg, one of Tvind's most senior functionaries, and founder of Faelleseje, gives the following address on business cards: Kirsten Fuglsbjerg, Lawyer, O Z, Voorlangwal 266, P O Box 503, 1000 Amsterdam, [Source: Ekstra Bladet]
Danish-born Kirsten Fuglsberg has been in Tvind since 1971 and has been a key player and signatory in many of Tvind's most important business decisions, including the founding of Faelleseje (1977), the purchase of Facenda Florestadora in Brazil (1994), the founding of the Chinese business Trayton Holdings (1995) and the clothes business in Morocco. She changed her name to Christie Pipps in 1992 and is believed to have become a resident of Great Britain the same year.
This address has been used for many years by many TG members and companies:
_____________________
'Gaia-Movement
Trust Living Earth Green World Action'
PO Box Address at Oudezijds
Voorburgwal 266, Amsterdam.
Swiss-registered company, whose directors are members of the Teachers Group, appears to be the 'environmental foundation' cited on used clothes charity bins of Green World Recycling in the UK and Gaia in the United States. When investigated in December 2000 it proved to be only a rented accommodation address in Geneva, with post forwarded to Tvind's Amsterdam address: Oudezijds Voorburgwal 266, Amsterdam. There is no evidence of any environmental charity work. See investigative article, Independent on Sunday, UK, December 2000. Also see: Green World Recycling (UK) and Gaia Living Earth Movement Green World Action (USA)
Newspaper articles
The weird world of
Humana in Holland By
Han Gommeren, 16th March 2002.
Investigation of Humana companies specially written for Tvind Alert by Han
Gommeren and published on the web for the first time. Not yet
published in a Dutch newspaper. Han Gommeren describes a
web of companies and properties run by the Teachers Group and two new luxury houses bought for
more than a million guilders despite the fact that previous companies crashed
with huge debts.
The secret
empire of Humana in discredit
Het geheime
Deense imperium van Humana
in opspraak. Vodden
als een goudmijn Eindhovens Dagblad, Holland,
19th January 2002 Han Gommeren
Humana accused
of exporting waste
from Eindhovens Dagblad, Holland, December 2001 by Han Gommeren
European Union regulations outlaw the export from EU countries to Eastern Europe
of 'waste' including waste or unsorted clothes. Since
Eindhovens Dagblad began enquiries, Garson and Shaw Inc removed information about
trading in Europe from its website. Tvind Alert has a copy.
Humana makes big money with collected
clothes from Rotterdams Dagblad, Holland, 18th February
1995 by Jolande van der Graaf.
Ace investigative reporter Jolande van der Graaf persisted in her questions and
came up with this report on Humana Holland's international business links.
Tvind being investigated
From the Caymanian Compass, 1991. This mentions that Humana
in Holland was the subject of a two year investigation by Dutch Police Inspector
Henry Ankala.
Town Halls end clothes recycling contracts with Humana
October 2001: Zaanstad The local political party ROSA succeeded, after six years of trying, to end the contract between Humana and the city of Zaanstad (Netherlands). Humana collected clothes in Zaanstad (135.000 inhabitants) during a long period of years. ROSA tried to get rid of Humana because of the 'criminal activities of this multinational'. In October the city council of Zaanstad in majority finally agreed that Humana had to leave the city the moment the contract between Zaanstad and Humana ends, January 2003. Erik Schaap, ROSA secretary, havenstraat75@hotmail.com.
1999: Houten The town hall in Houten decided in 1999 to pay 16.000 guilders in legal expenses to end the commercial relationship with Humana Holland. The clothes collection contract will end at the beginning of 2003. (Source, Han Gommeren. hangommeren@hotmail.com)
Other reports
Tvind appears to have moved large quantities of new and used clothing from its factory in Casablanca and Humana shops elsewhere in Europe, through Rotterdam. Click here to read more in the Belgian NGO report.
Dutch teacher and student in South African police inquiry
September 2001: Several development instructor students testified to the South African police against Tvind's KwaZulu Natal Experimental College in Durban, South Africa over alleged fraud. The school's Dutch principal, Ester Boere, was arrested and held for questioning. In the end charges were dropped for 'lack of evidence'. One of the angry students, Robert Westendorp, is Dutch. See Lazlo's story.
Lack of official action
Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving
'The Dutch government has ordered an investigation into Tvind's activities.' [Copenhagen Post, 1998]
"The Dutch government has ordered an investigation but the Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving (CBF), the countrys equivalent to the Charity Commission, complains that DAPP headquarters have failed to reply to its Inquiries." [Source: The Guardian, 1993]
It is totally unclear to CBF what happens with the profits of the fundraising in the Third World. [Rotterdams Dagblad, 1995]
A correspondent writes (Oct 2001): 'The "Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving" (= Central Bureau for Fundraising) was created almost 80 years ago by Dutch municipalities, in order to screen charities that want to raise funds, before giving them the authorisation to do so. The Bureau became a semi-official body and delivers 'certificates' and 'labels' to hundreds of charities. Including to Humana, even if they are suspicious and have a good knowledge of the problem.
'But, as elsewhere, Humana succeeds to organise and present itself as a 'reliable' organisation, conform to legal prescriptions. The method of 'spliting off' into separate companies or organisations is contributing to this. Thanks to the positive advice from the Bureau, Humana was even able to be part of the coordinating body or textile collecting charities in the Netherlands. But I cannot believe that the other members are not aware of what's behind Humana and dit nothing to exclude them from their coordination.'
A correspondent writes (1998).....
In Holland we have the Humana shops. They're still around,
and I don't know if there has been any formal action or investigation. Most of
the publicity on this movement is several years old ('95/'96).
In a March '96 newspaper article, a Dutch politician said: "Under the
pretense of a Marxist-Lenist philosophy, Tvind creates confusion, drills young
people and operates 'development projects' for its own gain. Compared to Mogens
Peterson, the secretive Tvind-guru, Fidel Castro is a soft-boiled egg."
(Peter van Heemst, De Telegraaf, Holland, Mar 16, 1996)
The article stated that Tvind is a complicated web of organizations,
schools, shops, plantations, factories, a television company, and a
shipping firm. The paper mentioned it did an earlier story on Humana in
1992. [It goes on to say that] many of the former cult members who
left went in hiding for fear of reprisals. The director of a Dutch school stated
that a colleague in Denmark told him Tvind had been a problem for 15 years
already, and that many Danish were afraid of the movement because of its
aggressive tactics.
Like many cults, Tvind hunts for recruits among students, but also
advertises for those interested in becoming aid workers. Recruitment is
usually done under the name Development Aid from People to People (DAPP).
Several names of school pop up, among which the "Travelling Folks
HighSchool" and "The Necessary Teacher Training College."
At the time the article was written, Tvind ran 40 schools.
Reports
Wageningen University Newsletter (1995).
Tvind was found to be trying to recruit students at Wageningen University -
its newsletter warned:
'You may have
seen yellow pamphlets around Wageningen from the Necessary Teacher Training
College (Tvind) in Denmark, which offers a four-year alternative training for
teaching and development work in Africa.
Besides studying, students work a lot during their training, for instance
selling post cards and giving lectures, in order to pay their fees to the
Training College.
'Some Dutch
students who have attended Tvind, say it is a sectarian school, with little
education, hard work and strange rules. "Tvind buys everything for you,
even your toothbrush". Questions have been asked now in the Dutch
Parliament about Tvind, but its director says the private school, which used to
be sponsored by the Danish government, now has to finance itself, but can
account for every penny it receives from the students.
Controversial Groups in Belgium and
Holland Extract from a Dutch-language report posted on the
Internet.
4. De Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) groep.
De groep/sekte met als hoofdzetel Denemarken heeft tal van vertakkingen oa.
Tvind, de tweedehands kledingwinkels Humana en ook scholen, zoals de Necessary
Teacher Training College. De groep is niet zo onschuldig als je wellicht zou
verwachten van een aan 'ontwikkelingswerk' doende organisatie. Kamerlid P. van
Heemst (Pvda): "Tvind schept onder het mom van een
marxistisch-leninistische leer verwarring, drilt jonge mensen en bedrijft 'ontwikkelingswerk'
voor eigen gewin. Vergeleken met Mogens Petersen, de geheimzinnige Tvind-goeroe,
is Fidel Castro een zacht ei!" (bron: Telegraaf van 16.3.96)
De Telegraaf van 16.03.1996 - Nederlandse jongeren voelen zich misleid door
ontwikkelingshulp
De beweging was ook in Wageningen aan het ronselen blijkens een berichtje in het
universiteitsblad van maart 1995
Het volgende komt uit het rapport van de onderzoekscommissie sekten van het
Belgische parlement. Deel -313/8 -95 /96 - pagina 249:
Benaming: HUMANA - Land van herkomst: Denemarken - Stichtingsdatum: 1970 -
Stichter: Amdi Petersen - Soort doctrine: Humanitair - Wijze van werven:
Universiteitscampussen/Opleidingen - Opmerkingen: - DAPP (ontwikkelingshulp van
volk tot volk) / Ophaling van kleding / Federation for the Projects connected
tot the International Humana People to People Movement / Hangt af van TVIND
HUMANA (in Denemarken)
Het Belang van Limburg - 14.07.1995 - Dubieuze Deense groep wil Vlaamse
studenten ronselen
Op de A - Z Index of Cults van Observer Life Magazine, is meer te lezen over
Humana en haar 'ontwikkelingswerk'.
Source: The
Internet http://home.wxs.nl/~mike_gormez/groepwxs.htm
[Source: Danish and Dutch press articles]
Stories
See: the stories
September 2001: Several students testified against Tvind's KwaZulu Natal Experimental College in Durban, South Africa for alleged fraud. In the end charges were dropped. The school's principal, Ester Boere, and one of the students, Robert Westendorp, were Dutch.
HOLLAND
Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving, Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik,
Holland
Tel: +31 30 65 70 009
Fax: +31 30 65 62 804
humana12@wxs.nl
humananl@wxs.nl
http://home.wxs.nl/~humananl/
Humana Holland
DUTCH CHARITY BOARD DECISION ON HUMANA HOLLAND IS 'WINDOW DRESSING'
June
7th-8th: The
Dutch charity board CBF has told Humana Holland to stop 'selling used
clothes to itself' - or lose its charity mark. It has
given the Tvind company one year to comply. However,
there are doubts that the action demanded by the CBF will be enough to
end the scandal of Tvind's financial dealings in Holland.
The Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving now appears to accept that Humana in Holland is part of a corporate structure that may have enriched Amdi Petersen and the Teachers Group, instead of directly helping the world's poor. As widely reported in Denmark and Sweden, clothes collected by UFF / Humana charities in Europe have been sold to Tvind companies in Holland, then to Tvind companies in British tax havens, and finally to eastern Europe - allowing Petersen and the Teachers Group to set aside millions. Holland is an important staging post in this financial paper chase.
But the CBF decision means Teachers Group members will remain as directors, and not simply be replaced by responsible managers as happened in the UK (where Humana UK was removed from Tvind control in 1998). Experience shows the financial system will remain. Tvind Alert says: "This is window dressing. Danish directors will stay in charge. The business methods of Humana, selling used clothes to its own companies, can quite easily be continued by Tvind. The CBF shows no signs of holding a real inquiry into Tvind's financial affairs."
Read
more
about the CBF decision
Ten
questions about Humana Holland
The
story of EC Trading
Who's
Who in Tvind, Holland
Tvind
Alert
says
The Dutch justice ministry orders preliminary judicial investigation into Humana Holland
May
2003: The prosecutor in The Hague is investigating whether to
start a judicial investigation into clothes collector Humana
Holland. Dutch Justice Minister Donner announced the move in
a written answer, following questions in parliament.
A former
employee of EC Trading, a Tvind company which sold second hand clothes
for Humana to countries in Eastern Europe, told the newspaper Trouw
about undisclosed financial transactions. The newspaper reported
that the charity for years moved millions of guilders away to
tax havens, such as the British Channel islands.
After the
newspaper report, Minister Donner ordered the prosecutor in The Hague to
start an orientating investigation.
This week (May 1st) the Dutch Central Bureau of Fundraising (CBF), the body that regulates charities, announced that it is withdrawing Humana's 'reliability mark', unless the organisation provides answers to a number of questions about how the millions of guilders raised from clothes collecting are being spent in Africa. This has to be done by independent accountants.
2002: New Dutch government will investigate Humana - call for Europe-wide inquiry
Dutch TV-1 programmes on Tvind
broadcast on 26th June and 11th July 2002
Humana Holland press conference, July 24th 2002
http://tvindalert.hyperboards.com/index.cgi?
board=general&action=display&num=1027359785
Tvind Alert Holland
contacts:
Erik Schaap, Zaanstad havenstraat75@hotmail.com
tel: 07 56 31 38 19
Tvind assets: Used clothes recycling, clothes shops, big clothes sorting centre, Bunnik. Volunteer recruitment. Many trading companies. Addresses in Amsterdam, Bunnik, Maarssen and Maarn.
Humana is one of four leading charitable organisations commonly given permission by local authorities in Holland to collect and recycle used clothes. But Tvind's business interests in the country are complex. The Foundation Humana is only one of a number of Tvind concerns, which include commercial clothes trading companies as well as supposed charities. Many of them share the same directors, and at least one recently declared itself bankrupt 'owing' hundreds of thousands of guilders - apparently to other Tvind clothes traders and offshore companies. Where did this money really go? The Dutch Central Bureau for Fundraising (Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving, CBF), which oversees charities, agrees there could be a clash of interests in that Humana sells clothes to its own companies in Amsterdam - but it has never properly investigated.
A major new Tvind company, ConMore bv, based in Amsterdam but with an office in Maarssen, now trades in used clothes between the Humana 'charities' of western Europe and sales outlets in eastern Europe, Russia, Africa and Central Asia. ConMore bv is managed by Flemming Gustafsson, a key Danish TG member and Birgit Dinesen-Jensen, also a long time member of the TG..
Address: Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik, Holland
The giant Bunnik recycling plant, in a former
food factory, has more than
a dozen loading bays. Humana lorries line up to export clothes
to
eastern Europe
See also : Tvind companies
The story of Textile
Transformation b.v.
Humana Holland's main clothes recycling company, formed from the merger of Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving and Stichting Humana Hergebruik in 2001-2.
Money from Humana Holland is allegedly going to Tvind offshore companies in Jersey, while the clothes disappear to Eastern Europe. In October 2001 a reliable correspondent told Tvind Alert: : "....More than 60 people are employed by the association and they frankly dont care if Humana is corrupted or not as long as they received their wages. Humana creates jobs and have a benefic activity in clothes recycling. What I found not acceptable is that they pretend to be an humanitarian association while they work as a private company. Under the praiseworthy aim of collecting the most clothes they can and donate it to their ADDP programs in Angola and Zambia, they are looking for their own profit. If not why is the money going to Jersey ?.....
"Humana is working with GARSON & SHAW. G&S is a sale agency located in London. From what I heard , there is only a computer there which send faxes to a place in Jersey Islands. They take a commission on the amount of sales. This company is very close to Humana and seems to be the new way of tax evasion since EC Trading closed down (which apparently has closed without real reasons to do it except to mix up the tracks).
"I know something that could easily be proved. For around 1 year now, there is a law in Netherlands coming from the European Union which forbid the sales of waste outside of the community. The most important market of Humana is the sale of non sorted clothes to Russia, Ukraine and others East countries. As they didnt want to loose this market and while waiting to obtain a special license for doing it, they acted outside legality.
During several months, they sent this kind of product through Humana Berlin. On the paper, Humana Bunnik sold the goods to Humana Berlin which sold it after to the Russian customer. In reality, trucks went directly from Netherlands to Russia and get customs papers in a town close to the border. After a few months it become dangerous as Germany started to look over Humana Berlin business. Thus Humana Bunnik used another intermediate : Spaarmann, a German logistics company (www.spaarmann.de).
Well, is everything legal in what I described ? I let you judge. But Im sure there is some wrong in their business. A charity organization can not act like that. I d like to work in the humanitarian field and Im training for it, I can not bear that some people use the status of non-profit organization and trick donators to make money. I dont want Humana to close down in Netherlands, I consider that they are doing a good job : all the clothes they collect would have been thrown away otherwise, development project wouldnt have been financed and Humana brings economic activity in the country. Its just that they should be closely watched. And that the job of authorities and journalists." Dutch concerned.
Despite this and many other known facts on Humana/Tvind, the Central Bureau for Fundraising (CBF) in Holland time after time declares that Humana Holland is a transparant organisation which benefits the poor in the Third World. It more likely looks as the weird world of both Humana and CBF." (Source: The Weird World of Humana in Holland by Han Gommeren
ConMore b.v. Keizersgracht,
1016 EZ Amsterdam
Sales agent for Tvind company Garson & Shaw (London and USA). Manager: Teachers Group member Flemming Gustaffson, director: Teachers Group-member Birgit Dinesen-Jensen. Garson & Shaw trades with Tvind companies in Russia, the Ukraine, Romania, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, Ghana, Benin and India. See: Garson & Shaw Inc
Textile
Transformation bv (EC Trading) (Amsterdam) Bankrupt owing 1.4m
Clothes trading, also run by Flemming
Gustaffson,
Kristen Kristiansen and Poul Jorgensen (born 1958).
Traded with Humana companies in Holland and many other Tvind companies.
Went bankrupt in 2000 owing large sums to many creditors, but mainly to other
Tvind companies. See the
story of Textile Transformation b.v. and reports in Rotterdams
Dagblad and The
Weird World of Humana in Holland
Stichting
Humana Fondsenwerving (Humana Fundraising)
Dissolved 2001-2
Humana Holland - financial
company
Stichting
Humana Hergebruik (Humana Re-use) Dissolved
2001-2
Used clothes collection and trading.
Freightforwarders
Marco Polo b.v. Dissolved
Oudezijds Voorburgwal 266, Amsterdam. Used clothes distribution & trading. Started 1995, dissolved in June 2000
Unicorn Trans
World Trading b.v. Bankrupt
in 1995
Used clothes trading company, c 1995, directors were TG members Jonas Israel, Hans Lautsten and Lars-Malte Hansen The company went bankrupt in 1995 after it was founded in 1994.
Procurement
White Hall Agency Oudezijds
Voorburgwal 266, Amsterdam
In existence c 1993. Was also run by Flemming Gustaffson. See also: Customlong Agencies (UK), another Flemming Gustaffson company in UK
Teachers Group houses, Maarn, near Bunnik
Mercuriushof 4, Maarn, was bought late 2001 for almost 386.000 euro (245,000) by Jytte Nielsen, a leading TG member who is a director of Humana Holland and connected to other Humana companies in Europe. Nielsen, according to Swedish journalists, is the new chairwoman of UFF in Sweden.
Neighbours say one of the people who sold the property told them this house was paid for in cash by the Danes. The money was said to have come from a bank account on Jersey ( which is a well-known tax-paradise for Tvind-companies.) The real-estate man in Maarn doesn't want to confirm this. 'I'm afraid that is a private matter', he says. Jytte Nielsen says she took a morgage on the bank.
The house next door, Mercuriushof 2, was in the same period bought by two Danish women who, like Jytte Nielsen, are known as members of the Teachers Group: Mikala Gottlob and Birgit Dinesen. Dinesen is director of the Tvind-company ConMore BV in Maarssen, the European agent for the second hand clothes company Garson and Shaw in the USA and UK.
ConMore representative Flemming Gustafsson, founder of the now bankrupt Tvind-company Textile Transformation EC Trading BV in which 500.000 guilders from Humana Holland disappeared in 2000, is often seen around and in the two houses in Maarn.
The citizens in the street are not able to get in contact with their new Danish neighbours, who always say 'we're just guests' if someone tries to shake hands to get to know them. The Danes more likely seem to work very hard. 'You can see the colours of the computer-screens and lights shine the whole evening and often at night behind the closed curtains', a neighbour says, who wonders what is going on.
Source: The Weird World of Humana in Holland by Han Gommeren
__________________________
Kirsten Fuglsbjerg - alias Christie Pipps
O Z, Voorlangwal 266, P O Box 503, 1000 Amsterdam
Kirsten Fuglsbjerg, one of Tvind's most senior functionaries, and founder of Faelleseje, gives the following address on business cards: Kirsten Fuglsbjerg, Lawyer, O Z, Voorlangwal 266, P O Box 503, 1000 Amsterdam, [Source: Ekstra Bladet]
Danish-born Kirsten Fuglsberg has been in Tvind since 1971 and has been a key player and signatory in many of Tvind's most important business decisions, including the founding of Faelleseje (1977), the purchase of Facenda Florestadora in Brazil (1994), the founding of the Chinese business Trayton Holdings (1995) and the clothes business in Morocco. She changed her name to Christie Pipps in 1992 and is believed to have become a resident of Great Britain the same year.
This address has been used for many years by many TG members and companies:
'Gaia-Movement
Trust Living Earth Green World Action'
PO Box Address at Oudezijds
Voorburgwal 266, Amsterdam.
Swiss-registered company, whose directors are members of the Teachers Group, appears to be the 'environmental foundation' cited on used clothes charity bins of Green World Recycling in the UK and Gaia in the United States. When investigated in December 2000 it proved to be only a rented accommodation address in Geneva, with post forwarded to Tvind's Amsterdam address: Oudezijds Voorburgwal 266, Amsterdam. There is no evidence of any environmental charity work. See investigative article, Independent on Sunday, UK, December 2000. Also see: Green World Recycling (UK) and Gaia Living Earth Movement Green World Action (USA)
The weird world of
Humana in Holland By
Han Gommeren, 16th March 2002.
Investigation of Humana companies specially written for Tvind Alert by Han
Gommeren and published on the web for the first time. Not yet
published in a Dutch newspaper. Han Gommeren describes a
web of companies and properties run by the Teachers Group and two new luxury houses bought for
more than a million guilders despite the fact that previous companies crashed
with huge debts.
The secret
empire of Humana in discredit
Het geheime
Deense imperium van Humana
in opspraak. Vodden
als een goudmijn Eindhovens Dagblad, Holland,
19th January 2002 Han Gommeren
Humana accused
of exporting waste
from Eindhovens Dagblad, Holland, December 2001 by Han Gommeren
European Union regulations outlaw the export from EU countries to Eastern Europe
of 'waste' including waste or unsorted clothes. Since
Eindhovens Dagblad began enquiries, Garson and Shaw Inc removed information about
trading in Europe from its website. Tvind Alert has a copy.
Humana makes big money with collected
clothes from Rotterdams Dagblad, Holland, 18th February
1995 by Jolande van der Graaf.
Ace investigative reporter Jolande van der Graaf persisted in her questions and
came up with this report on Humana Holland's international business links.
Tvind being investigated
From the Caymanian Compass, 1991. This mentions that Humana
in Holland was the subject of a two year investigation by Dutch Police Inspector
Henry Ankala.
October 2001: Zaanstad The local political party ROSA succeeded, after six years of trying, to end the contract between Humana and the city of Zaanstad (Netherlands). Humana collected clothes in Zaanstad (135.000 inhabitants) during a long period of years. ROSA tried to get rid of Humana because of the 'criminal activities of this multinational'. In October the city council of Zaanstad in majority finally agreed that Humana had to leave the city the moment the contract between Zaanstad and Humana ends, January 2003. Erik Schaap, ROSA secretary, havenstraat75@hotmail.com.
1999: Houten The town hall in Houten decided in 1999 to pay 16.000 guilders in legal expenses to end the commercial relationship with Humana Holland. The clothes collection contract will end at the beginning of 2003. (Source, Han Gommeren. hangommeren@hotmail.com)
Tvind appears to have moved large quantities of new and used clothing from its factory in Casablanca and Humana shops elsewhere in Europe, through Rotterdam. Click here to read more in the Belgian NGO report.
September 2001: Several development instructor students testified to the South African police against Tvind's KwaZulu Natal Experimental College in Durban, South Africa over alleged fraud. The school's Dutch principal, Ester Boere, was arrested and held for questioning. In the end charges were dropped for 'lack of evidence'. One of the angry students, Robert Westendorp, is Dutch. See Lazlo's story.
Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving
'The Dutch government has ordered an investigation into Tvind's activities.' [Copenhagen Post, 1998]
"The Dutch government has ordered an investigation but the Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving (CBF), the countrys equivalent to the Charity Commission, complains that DAPP headquarters have failed to reply to its Inquiries." [Source: The Guardian, 1993]
It is totally unclear to CBF what happens with the profits of the fundraising in the Third World. [Rotterdams Dagblad, 1995]
A correspondent writes (Oct 2001): 'The "Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving" (= Central Bureau for Fundraising) was created almost 80 years ago by Dutch municipalities, in order to screen charities that want to raise funds, before giving them the authorisation to do so. The Bureau became a semi-official body and delivers 'certificates' and 'labels' to hundreds of charities. Including to Humana, even if they are suspicious and have a good knowledge of the problem.
'But, as elsewhere, Humana succeeds to organise and present itself as a 'reliable' organisation, conform to legal prescriptions. The method of 'spliting off' into separate companies or organisations is contributing to this. Thanks to the positive advice from the Bureau, Humana was even able to be part of the coordinating body or textile collecting charities in the Netherlands. But I cannot believe that the other members are not aware of what's behind Humana and dit nothing to exclude them from their coordination.'
In Holland we have the Humana shops. They're still around,
and I don't know if there has been any formal action or investigation. Most of
the publicity on this movement is several years old ('95/'96).
In a March '96 newspaper article, a Dutch politician said: "Under the
pretense of a Marxist-Lenist philosophy, Tvind creates confusion, drills young
people and operates 'development projects' for its own gain. Compared to Mogens
Peterson, the secretive Tvind-guru, Fidel Castro is a soft-boiled egg."
(Peter van Heemst, De Telegraaf, Holland, Mar 16, 1996)
The article stated that Tvind is a complicated web of organizations,
schools, shops, plantations, factories, a television company, and a
shipping firm. The paper mentioned it did an earlier story on Humana in
1992. [It goes on to say that] many of the former cult members who
left went in hiding for fear of reprisals. The director of a Dutch school stated
that a colleague in Denmark told him Tvind had been a problem for 15 years
already, and that many Danish were afraid of the movement because of its
aggressive tactics.
Like many cults, Tvind hunts for recruits among students, but also
advertises for those interested in becoming aid workers. Recruitment is
usually done under the name Development Aid from People to People (DAPP).
Several names of school pop up, among which the "Travelling Folks
HighSchool" and "The Necessary Teacher Training College."
At the time the article was written, Tvind ran 40 schools.
Reports
Wageningen University Newsletter (1995).
Tvind was found to be trying to recruit students at Wageningen University -
its newsletter warned:
'You may have
seen yellow pamphlets around Wageningen from the Necessary Teacher Training
College (Tvind) in Denmark, which offers a four-year alternative training for
teaching and development work in Africa.
Besides studying, students work a lot during their training, for instance
selling post cards and giving lectures, in order to pay their fees to the
Training College.
'Some Dutch
students who have attended Tvind, say it is a sectarian school, with little
education, hard work and strange rules. "Tvind buys everything for you,
even your toothbrush". Questions have been asked now in the Dutch
Parliament about Tvind, but its director says the private school, which used to
be sponsored by the Danish government, now has to finance itself, but can
account for every penny it receives from the students.
Controversial Groups in Belgium and
Holland Extract from a Dutch-language report posted on the
Internet.
4. De Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) groep.
De groep/sekte met als hoofdzetel Denemarken heeft tal van vertakkingen oa.
Tvind, de tweedehands kledingwinkels Humana en ook scholen, zoals de Necessary
Teacher Training College. De groep is niet zo onschuldig als je wellicht zou
verwachten van een aan 'ontwikkelingswerk' doende organisatie. Kamerlid P. van
Heemst (Pvda): "Tvind schept onder het mom van een
marxistisch-leninistische leer verwarring, drilt jonge mensen en bedrijft 'ontwikkelingswerk'
voor eigen gewin. Vergeleken met Mogens Petersen, de geheimzinnige Tvind-goeroe,
is Fidel Castro een zacht ei!" (bron: Telegraaf van 16.3.96)
De Telegraaf van 16.03.1996 - Nederlandse jongeren voelen zich misleid door
ontwikkelingshulp
De beweging was ook in Wageningen aan het ronselen blijkens een berichtje in het
universiteitsblad van maart 1995
Het volgende komt uit het rapport van de onderzoekscommissie sekten van het
Belgische parlement. Deel -313/8 -95 /96 - pagina 249:
Benaming: HUMANA - Land van herkomst: Denemarken - Stichtingsdatum: 1970 -
Stichter: Amdi Petersen - Soort doctrine: Humanitair - Wijze van werven:
Universiteitscampussen/Opleidingen - Opmerkingen: - DAPP (ontwikkelingshulp van
volk tot volk) / Ophaling van kleding / Federation for the Projects connected
tot the International Humana People to People Movement / Hangt af van TVIND
HUMANA (in Denemarken)
Het Belang van Limburg - 14.07.1995 - Dubieuze Deense groep wil Vlaamse
studenten ronselen
Op de A - Z Index of Cults van Observer Life Magazine, is meer te lezen over
Humana en haar 'ontwikkelingswerk'.
Source: The
Internet http://home.wxs.nl/~mike_gormez/groepwxs.htm
[Source: Danish and Dutch press articles]
Stories
See: the stories
September 2001: Several students testified against Tvind's KwaZulu Natal Experimental College in Durban, South Africa for alleged fraud. In the end charges were dropped. The school's principal, Ester Boere, and one of the students, Robert Westendorp, were Dutch.
HOLLAND
Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving, Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik,
Holland
Tel: +31 30 65 70 009
Fax: +31 30 65 62 804
humana12@wxs.nl
humananl@wxs.nl
http://home.wxs.nl/~humananl/
Humana Holland
'You may have
seen yellow pamphlets around Wageningen from the Necessary Teacher Training
College (Tvind) in Denmark, which offers a four-year alternative training for
teaching and development work in Africa.
Besides studying, students work a lot during their training, for instance
selling post cards and giving lectures, in order to pay their fees to the
Training College.
'Some Dutch
students who have attended Tvind, say it is a sectarian school, with little
education, hard work and strange rules. "Tvind buys everything for you,
even your toothbrush". Questions have been asked now in the Dutch
Parliament about Tvind, but its director says the private school, which used to
be sponsored by the Danish government, now has to finance itself, but can
account for every penny it receives from the students.
Controversial Groups in Belgium and
Holland Extract from a Dutch-language report posted on the
Internet.
4. De Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) groep.
De groep/sekte met als hoofdzetel Denemarken heeft tal van vertakkingen oa.
Tvind, de tweedehands kledingwinkels Humana en ook scholen, zoals de Necessary
Teacher Training College. De groep is niet zo onschuldig als je wellicht zou
verwachten van een aan 'ontwikkelingswerk' doende organisatie. Kamerlid P. van
Heemst (Pvda): "Tvind schept onder het mom van een
marxistisch-leninistische leer verwarring, drilt jonge mensen en bedrijft 'ontwikkelingswerk'
voor eigen gewin. Vergeleken met Mogens Petersen, de geheimzinnige Tvind-goeroe,
is Fidel Castro een zacht ei!" (bron: Telegraaf van 16.3.96)
De Telegraaf van 16.03.1996 - Nederlandse jongeren voelen zich misleid door
ontwikkelingshulp
De beweging was ook in Wageningen aan het ronselen blijkens een berichtje in het
universiteitsblad van maart 1995
Het volgende komt uit het rapport van de onderzoekscommissie sekten van het
Belgische parlement. Deel -313/8 -95 /96 - pagina 249:
Benaming: HUMANA - Land van herkomst: Denemarken - Stichtingsdatum: 1970 -
Stichter: Amdi Petersen - Soort doctrine: Humanitair - Wijze van werven:
Universiteitscampussen/Opleidingen - Opmerkingen: - DAPP (ontwikkelingshulp van
volk tot volk) / Ophaling van kleding / Federation for the Projects connected
tot the International Humana People to People Movement / Hangt af van TVIND
HUMANA (in Denemarken)
Het Belang van Limburg - 14.07.1995 - Dubieuze Deense groep wil Vlaamse
studenten ronselen
Op de A - Z Index of Cults van Observer Life Magazine, is meer te lezen over
Humana en haar 'ontwikkelingswerk'.
Source: The
Internet http://home.wxs.nl/~mike_gormez/groepwxs.htm
[Source: Danish and Dutch press articles]
Stories
See: the stories
September 2001: Several students testified against Tvind's KwaZulu Natal Experimental College in Durban, South Africa for alleged fraud. In the end charges were dropped. The school's principal, Ester Boere, and one of the students, Robert Westendorp, were Dutch.
HOLLAND
Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving, Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik,
Holland
Tel: +31 30 65 70 009
Fax: +31 30 65 62 804
humana12@wxs.nl
humananl@wxs.nl
http://home.wxs.nl/~humananl/
Humana Holland
4. De Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) groep.
De groep/sekte met als hoofdzetel Denemarken heeft tal van vertakkingen oa.
Tvind, de tweedehands kledingwinkels Humana en ook scholen, zoals de Necessary
Teacher Training College. De groep is niet zo onschuldig als je wellicht zou
verwachten van een aan 'ontwikkelingswerk' doende organisatie. Kamerlid P. van
Heemst (Pvda): "Tvind schept onder het mom van een
marxistisch-leninistische leer verwarring, drilt jonge mensen en bedrijft 'ontwikkelingswerk'
voor eigen gewin. Vergeleken met Mogens Petersen, de geheimzinnige Tvind-goeroe,
is Fidel Castro een zacht ei!" (bron: Telegraaf van 16.3.96)
De Telegraaf van 16.03.1996 - Nederlandse jongeren voelen zich misleid door
ontwikkelingshulp
De beweging was ook in Wageningen aan het ronselen blijkens een berichtje in het
universiteitsblad van maart 1995
Het volgende komt uit het rapport van de onderzoekscommissie sekten van het
Belgische parlement. Deel -313/8 -95 /96 - pagina 249:
Benaming: HUMANA - Land van herkomst: Denemarken - Stichtingsdatum: 1970 -
Stichter: Amdi Petersen - Soort doctrine: Humanitair - Wijze van werven:
Universiteitscampussen/Opleidingen - Opmerkingen: - DAPP (ontwikkelingshulp van
volk tot volk) / Ophaling van kleding / Federation for the Projects connected
tot the International Humana People to People Movement / Hangt af van TVIND
HUMANA (in Denemarken)
Het Belang van Limburg - 14.07.1995 - Dubieuze Deense groep wil Vlaamse
studenten ronselen
Op de A - Z Index of Cults van Observer Life Magazine, is meer te lezen over
Humana en haar 'ontwikkelingswerk'.
Source: The
Internet http://home.wxs.nl/~mike_gormez/groepwxs.htm
[Source: Danish and Dutch press articles]
Stories
See: the stories
September 2001: Several students testified against Tvind's KwaZulu Natal Experimental College in Durban, South Africa for alleged fraud. In the end charges were dropped. The school's principal, Ester Boere, and one of the students, Robert Westendorp, were Dutch.
HOLLAND
Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving, Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik,
Holland
Tel: +31 30 65 70 009
Fax: +31 30 65 62 804
humana12@wxs.nl
humananl@wxs.nl
http://home.wxs.nl/~humananl/
Humana Holland
[Source: Danish and Dutch press articles]
See: the stories
September 2001: Several students testified against Tvind's KwaZulu Natal Experimental College in Durban, South Africa for alleged fraud. In the end charges were dropped. The school's principal, Ester Boere, and one of the students, Robert Westendorp, were Dutch.
HOLLAND
Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving, Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik,
Holland
Tel: +31 30 65 70 009
Fax: +31 30 65 62 804
humana12@wxs.nl
humananl@wxs.nl
http://home.wxs.nl/~humananl/
Humana Holland
Copyright
2002, 2003 Tvind Alert, All Rights Reserved
Permission
is granted to reproduce the materials posted here provided that they are
credited as "Source: Tvind Alert (http://www.tvindalert.com)"
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