|
Main Index
|
| |
| |
|
| |
THE STRONGEST OF THESE CHAINS, THOUGH ITS LINKS GLITTER IN THE SUN AND DAZZLE YOUR EYES.
It happened in Uruguay: The president had been reading my books, listening to my tapes, and he was very happy to welcome me to become a permanent resident in Uruguay. All the forms were ready. He had given me a one year's permanent residency card, so that all the bureaucratic procedure was fulfilled, and nobody could say that I had been favored. And he said, "Then I would like to give you three years' permanent residency, which will turn automatically into your citizenship."
Uruguay is a small country, but very beautiful. I asked him, "Why are you interested in me? -- because all the governments are passing orders that I should not enter their country. Not only that, my airplane cannot land at their airports.
He said, "They don't understand you."
The day the president was going to sign the forms, the American ambassador was continually watching, and the American government dogs of the CIA and FBI were following me everywhere. Their plane was either ahead of me or behind me. When they saw that he was going to sign for a permanent residency, which would turn automatically into citizenship, they immediately informed Ronald Reagan.
Ronald Reagan phoned the president of Uruguay, and said, "My message is not big, it is small: either force Osho to be deported within thirty-six hours from your country, or I will cancel all the loans for the future that we have agreed on" -- which amounted to billions of dollars -- "and I will demand back all the dollars that we have given to you as loans in the past. If you cannot pay, then their interest rate will be doubled. You are perfectly free to choose."
I have never seen such a soft-hearted person. With tears in his eyes, he said, "Osho, I am utterly helpless. For the first time, your coming to Uruguay has made us aware that we are not free. Our country is economically a slave. Our sovereignty, our freedom is just fake. These are the alternatives given to me.
"I asked Ronald Reagan, `What is the need to deport Osho? I can simply ask him to leave -- because for deportation, when he has a one year
|
|
|
|
| |