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Kenja Communication,[1] or simply Kenja, is an Australian company founded in 1982 by Kenneth Dyers and his partner, Jan Hamilton. It has gained public attention through court trials involving various members of the group, the leader Ken Dyers, his ultimate suicide and the group's alleged involvement in the Cornelia Rau case.

About Kenja Communication

The word Kenja was derived from the first letters of the names of the two founders, Ken Dyers and Jan Hamilton. They later discovered it means "wise man" (although "wise person" is probably closer) in Japanese. Kenja has offices in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. They are the; Personal Evolvement Centre; Melbourne Centre for Effective Communication; Human Communication Centre. The Parramatta Centre for Effective Communication has closed.

Kenja describes its purpose as "to increase understanding of the spiritual nature of man and our relation to the human spirit, coupled with practical training in the basics of effective communication – time, space and energy." The site also states that Kenja Communication is "neither political nor religious". Kenja describes itself as being an advocate for the empowerment of the individual to assist them to be in charge of their own destiny.

A former Liberal Party parliamentarian Stephen Mutch described Kenja as "a sinister organisation designed to fill the pockets and stroke the egos"[2][3] under Parliamentary Privilege in the New South Wales Legislative Council in 1993.

About Energy Conversion

The Kenja training focuses on a form of meditation called 'Energy Conversion', which is described as a way to "permanently eliminate the suppressed emotion, thought or energy that can divert us from what we want to achieve",[1] though neither Dyers nor Hamilton are qualified and this practice is not recognised by professionals. Energy Conversion Sessions consist of two people sitting opposite each other and looking into each other's eyes for a period of time, and costs about $130.[2]

Theatre Documentary - Guilty Until Proven Innocent

For 5 years, the Kenja group has produced, in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, a Theatre Documentary called 'Guilty Until Proven Innocent'[4]

The documentary purports to expose 'a 15 year-long attack on the reputation of Ken Dyers'.[5] And concludes the perceived attack on Dyers is part of a much wider attack on the spiritual liberty of the general public. [2]

Mr Dyers was found not guilty in front of a jury for 10 of 11 charges when they came to trial. For the last charge, Mr Dyers was given a 12 months jail sentence that he served at the Long Bay Correctional Centre, and then on a good behaviour bond. The charge was later quashed with a retrial being ordered in 2002 by the High Court of Australia. The DPP decided not to proceed with a retrial as Dyers had served his sentence. The High Court hearing lead to the 'Dyers Direction [3]

The 2005 charges committed to trial had not been heard at the time of his suicide, subsequently Mr Dyers has no conviction against his name.

The 'Sydney Morning Herald' has reviewed the theatre documentary in the following articles; Abuse Case: Staff asked to Lie [4]; Campaign to clear cult Leader [5];

In the Downing Centre Local Court, on Tuesday 26 August 2008, Magistrate R Clisdell made the following observation in his summary:: 'I find the lecture series to be a continuation of that harassment, in that a reasonable person in the position of (victim's name) could be harassed and intimidated by that performance'[6]

The City of Melbourne cancelled the booking for the venue of the 2009 Kenja Eisteddfod. It created some controversy as Kenja claimed it was probably connected with the theatre documentary scheduled after the event [7].

The theatre documentary continues in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney.

Classification as a cult or sect

Kenja Communications has been widely reported as a cult or a sect in the High Court of Australia,[6] the NSW Parliament,[7] The Fairfax and News Limited Media, by Robert Manne, an eminent Professor of Politics at La Trobe University.[8], and on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.[8]

Both Ken Dyers and Jan Hamilton use the defence that the word cult is pejorative, and is used in the context of a witch hunt when arguing against allegations of sexual misconduct and in relation to the Cornelia Rau incident. [9][10]. [citation needed]

Kenja and mental illness

Cornelia Rau

In 2005, a mentally ill former member, Cornelia Rau, gained widespread media attention in Australia due to being unlawfully detained for a period of 10 months by the Australian government. Before this, she had disappeared, and later turned up in North Queensland where Aborigines alerted the police after being concerned about her behaviour. She told them she was Anna Brotmeyer (and later Anna Schmidt) from Germany. Immigration officials assumed she was an illegal immigrant, and failed to diagnose her schizophrenia, leading to her detention.

Her family accused Kenja of contributing to her declining mental health.[9] A claim has been made that she had developed schizophrenia while a member of the group.[10][11]

Hamilton denied any wrongdoing, saying: "We are not responsible for Cornelia's condition ... we are not a cult. It's a witch-hunt." The sister and family of Rau, as well as several members of Kenja present at the time formed a different opinion while observing Rau's involvement in the group.[9][12] Hamilton also claimed, retrospectively, Rau was "scattered, disassociated" as a member of the group, and that she was asked to leave because she needed help and the group "couldn't help her".[13] However, witnesses quoted in the media say she was humiliated and expelled.[11][14] The claim has been made that Rau was driven to the airport on the night of the Melbourne Eistedfod and put on an aeroplane to Sydney and she was told never to return to the group. Three days later she was picked up by NSW Police driving on the wrong side of the road.

Rau was incarcerated in the German psychiatric system following a trip on 'medication vacation' in October 2008. In February 2009 Rau was arrested and imprisoned in Jordan after behaving erratically and refusing to pay bills.

Richard Leape

A man named Richard Leape who was being treated for schizophrenia disappeared while a member of Kenja and has not been seen since around 1993. His sister, Annette, says she found him in the street "totally paranoid and irrational, saying Nazis were going to get him". She was concerned that many other people had "developed very serious mental illnesses" from time in Kenja, and said she was "appalled" to know Kenja still exists.[9]

Michael Beaver

A young man who was a Kenja member of 2 years, Michael Beaver, was also diagnosed with and hospitalised for chronic schizophrenia. He blamed Kenja, and said he had heard of four other people who had severe problems since leaving Kenja. Beaver later killed himself, writing that Kenja was "partly to blame" in his suicide note.[3]

Beyond our Ken

Beyond Our Ken – directed by Luke Walker and Melissa Maclean.

A film exploring the Kenja group nominated for Best Documentary 2008 by the Australian Film Institute and Film Critics Circle Australia.

"Beyond Our Ken" was voted 3rd most popular documentary at Melbourne International Film Festival.

The international premiere of "Beyond Our Ken" at Toronto's Hot Docs Film Festival generated controversy when Kenja flew from Australia to protest at the screenings.

Apprehended Violence Orders

Two Apprehended Violence Order related court cases involving senior Kenja members have come before the courts.

Case Number One

Senior members of Kenja Communication were cross-examined in a court case involving a father and his daughter who made serious charges of sexual molestation against Dyers.[15] The Kenja members claim to have been assaulted by the father was rejected by the court and the charges against the man were dropped.

Jan Hamilton: Jan Dyers

Jan Hamilton, (or Jan Dyers) was cross-examined in a court case involving an alleged attempt to threaten a young girl who had made serious sexual allegations against her husband, Kenneth Dyers, prior to him shooting himself.[16]

On 26 August 2008 the young lady, formerly a member of the Kenja group successfully secured an AVO against the co-founder of the group. Jan Hamilton was ordered not to stalk, harass or intimidate the woman as part of a two-year apprehended violence order.[17] The magistrate has forwarded details of the trial to the Attorney General requesting an investigation on criminal grounds for perverting the course of justice. Transcript of finding by Magistrate R Clisdel [11]

Ms Hamilton (or Dyers) vigorously denied these allegations and indicated she would appeal the decision however no appeal was made to the AVO and Ms Hamilton was ordered to pay legal costs totaling $37,500 to the victim.

Department of Defence

Channel Ten News has reported a Defence Department spokesperson making the following statement in relation to the yearly advertisements placed in the Fairfax Press newspapers. "The Army will contact Kenja Communications shortly to issue a notice to cease and desist using the Army's Rising Sun Badge".

Returned Service League (RSL) Australia

− David McLaughlin, President of the RSL, has described the use of the Rising Sun badge in the yearly advertisement as an 'insult' to the logo, or symbol.

Beyond our Ken

Beyond Our Ken directed by Luke Walker and Melissa Maclean.

The international premiere of "Beyond Our Ken" at Toronto's Hot Docs Film Festival generated controversy when Kenja flew from Australia to protest at the screenings.

References

  1. ^ a b "Kenja Communication". Kenja Trust. Cite error: The named reference "kenja" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Robert Manne. "The Unknown Story of Cornelia Rau".
  3. ^ a b "Legislative Council Hansard". Parliament of New South Wales. 22 April 1993. Retrieved 22 January 2007.
  4. ^ "'Guilty Until Proven Innocent' Theatre Documentary". Kenja Trust.
  5. ^ "Kenja Attacked: The attack on spiritual freedom". Kenja Trust.
  6. ^ http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/high_ct/2002/45.html
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ "The Psychology of Cults". ABC Radio National. 2 December 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  9. ^ a b c Davies, Lisa (10 February 2005). "This is the face behind a cult". the Daily Telegraph (Australia). {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  10. ^ Davies, Lisa (8 February 2005). "Cult linked to Cornelia". Herald Sun. p. 7. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  11. ^ a b Naughton, Kevin (13 February 2005). "Rau angry at sister's visit – but family sees hopeful signs". The Sunday Mail. p. 8. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  12. ^ Daniel Ziffer (8 February 2005). "Rau's sister blames cult". Immigration features. Melbourne: The Age.
  13. ^ Wainwright, Robert (12 February 2005). "Dance photos reminder of a troubled trainee". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 4. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  14. ^ Davies, Lisa (11 February 2005). "The humiliation of Cornelia Rau". The Daily Telegraph. p. 9.
  15. ^ Davies, Lisa (6 December 2007). "Cult strikes back - Kenja critic assault a lie: court told". The Daily Telegraph. p. 35.
  16. ^ Kaye, Byron (26 June 2008). "Woman's fake beard was 'bogus'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 September 2008.
  17. ^ "Cult founder warned off after 'bizarre' audition ploy". Sydney Morning Herald. 27 August 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2008.
  • Jones, Cindy. "Kenja group 'destructive' and 'sinister' claims MP." Sun-Herald 13 December 1992 p. 7
  • Mostyn, Suzanne. "MPs told of cult leader's sexual and mental abuse." Sydney Morning Herald 27 April 1993 p. 6
  • Papadopoulos, Nick. "Founder of Kenja to seek no-bill after partial acquittal on sex charges." Sydney Morning Herald 16 April 1996 p. 10
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