Scientology Critical Information Directory

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Tonja Burden

Former scientologist, spent five years in scientology as a teenager.


«Tonja Burden. Filed a $16 million suit in April 1980 alleging that she was used as slave labour by Hubbard in the CMO and was kidnapped after she escaped. This was the case which forced Hubbard to go into hiding from Gilman in 1980. The requested damages rose in 1985 to $45 million. — Lamont.»

[Source: "Who's Who in Scientology" by Martin Hunt]


Affidavit of Tonja Burden (25 January 1980)

«Scientology placed me in the Cadet Organization, and my parents in the American Saint Hill Organization (ASHO).  The Cadet Organization, headed by Dorothy Jefferson, at 811 Beacon Street, Los Angeles, California, consisted of two three-story buildings that housed approximately 400 children.  The Cadet Organization was designed to teach children about Scientology.  My duties were to care, clean and feed the children.  Myself and another girl my age were the two oldest children at the Cadet Organization.  The living conditions were squalid. Glass from broken windows lay strewn over the floors.  Live electrical wires were exposed in areas where young children played.  We received little food.  On several occasions spoiled milk with maggots was served to children.  The maggots were removed by hand before the milk was served.  In addition to caring for the children, I cleaned toilets daily.  I wrote to L. Ron Hubbard explaining the conditions, but nothing improved.»

«On rainy days I ironed the clothes dry.  This required ironing during the evening hours and into the morning hours.  On many occasions I ironed through the night, finishing at 6:00 am.  I then started washing the next morning's clothing.  On occasion I worked three or four days without sleep.  I fell asleep at the ironing board with a hot iron in my hand.  My senior, 'Doreen' Gilliam, 'caught' me sleeping and yanked my head off the board.  She ordered me to run laps and assigned me a condition of 'Doubt.'  A condition of 'Doubt' required 15 hours of 'amends work'.  This additional work had to be performed during my sleep and meal time.  Until I completed my amends work, I was ordered not to communicate with anyone.  I ate lunch alone.  Finally, I spoke up, telling them I had enough.  I was sent to the Commanding messenger, and she assigned me one month in the galley, washing pots and pans.  I washed pots and pans for one month and went back into the EPF.»

«While on the Apollo, I observed numerous punishments meted out for many minor infractions or mistakes made in connection with Hubbard's very strict and bizarre policies.  On a number of occasions, I saw people placed in the 'chain lockers' of the boat on direct orders of Hubbard.  These lockers were small, smelly holes, covered by grates where the chain for the anchor was stored.  I saw one boy held in there for 30 nights, crying and begging to be released.  He was only allowed out to clean the bilges where the sewer and refuse of the ship collected.  I believe his 'crimes' were taking or using a musical instrument, I believe a flute, of someone else without permission.  I also saw a young boy and a young girl thrown in the chain lockers at separate times because of romantic involvements they had with other people.  Hubbard fanatically prohibited involvement between the sexes, or out-2D, as it is called in Scientology.  Married persons were allowed to see each other but it was strictly controlled.»

«Approximately two weeks after I returned to Las Vegas, two of Hubbards's agents came to my house and told me that Hubbard wanted to see me.  I told them I would never return.  They then asked if I would go for a cup of coffee with them.  After a short while I agreed to have coffee.  I got in the car, in the front seat, and sat between the two agents.  After driving a few minutes, I noticed we were driving to the highway, and I asked where we were going.  They told me I was being taken to Los Angeles to see Hubbard.

     In Los Angeles I was locked in a room and forced to undergo a 'security check' on the E-meter.  I was very scared and crying, and told them I had a family reunion to go to during the Holidays.  I told them I had relatives on the police department in Las Vegas, and that I would come back after the Holidays.  I convinced them to release me, and I returned home by bus.  For weeks after I arrived home, they constantly called me to find out when I would return.  I said Never!»

Declaration of Tonja Burden (7 November 1983)

«4. As Hubbard' s personal messenger, I dressed and undressed him, combed his hair, lit his cigarettes, caught the ashes, prepared his shower and toiletries and took care of his personal needs.

5. I carried messages between Hubbard, Mary Sue Hubbard and the Telex machines and radio operators on the Apollo and later after September, 1975 in Daytona and Clearwater, Florida.

6. I personally delivered messages concerning "Operation Snowhite", "Operation Goldmine" and "Operation Freakout", and other Scientology covert operations.»

Jon Atack: A Piece of Blue Sky - Making Movies

«The story of Messenger Tonja Burden is compelling. Her parents were enthusiastic Scientologists, and encouraged their daughter to join the Sea Org in March 1973, when she was only thirteen. A few months later, she was separated from them and sent to the Apollo. In September, her parents left the Sea Organization, and Scientology. Tonja remained in the custody of the Sea Org. Legally she was beyond their reach, on a Panamanian vessel far from U.S. waters. She was told that her father had been declared Suppressive. Nonetheless, she wanted to go home, and tried to persuade her seniors that she could convince her parents to rejoin Scientology. She says she was told to Disconnect, which "meant no more communication with my parents. They told me that my parents would not make it in the world, but that I would make it in the world."

She was assigned to "Training Routines" to teach her the duties of a Commodore's Messenger:

During the Training Routines, myself and two others practiced carrying messages to LRH. We had to listen to a message, repeat it in the same tone, and practice salutes.

"Ghosting" was on the job training where I learned how to serve LRH. I followed another messenger around and observed her carry his hat, light his cigarettes, carry his ashtray, and prepare his toiletries. Eventually, I performed those duties.

As his servant, I would sit outside his room and help him out of bed when he called "messenger." I responded by assisting him out of bed, lighting his cigarette, running his shower, preparing his toiletries and helping him dress. After that I ran to the office to check it, hoping it passed "white-glove" inspection [if their was the slightest mark on a white glove run over a surface, the whole area would have to be recleaned]. He frequently exploded if he found dust or din or smelled soap in his clothes. That is why we used 13 buckets to rinse ....

While on the Apollo, I observed numerous punishments meted out for many minor infractions or mistakes made in connection with Hubbard's very strict and bizarre policies. On a number of occasions, I saw people placed in the "chain lockers" of the boat on direct orders of Hubbard. These lockers were small, smelly holes, covered by grates, where the chain for the anchor was stored. I saw one boy held in there for thirty nights, crying and begging to be released. He was only allowed out to clean the bilges where the sewer and refuse of the ship collected. I believe his "crimes" were taking or using a musical instrument, I believe a flute, of someone else [sic] without permission.

This is how Tonja summed up her days in the CMO: "I was in Scientology from the age of thirteen to the age of eighteen. I received at some times $2.50 per week pay, and at other times approximately $17.20 a week. I received no education."

Tonja Burden remained in the Commodore's Messenger Org until November 1977, when, aged eighteen, she made her escape from Scientology. In 1986, the Scientologists paid her an out of court settlement to abandon a suit she had brought for kidnapping.»

St. Petersburg Times: "For Some It Was Hard To Forsake Scientology" by Craig Roberton

«When Tonja Burden left the church after four years, she says she received a freeloader bill for $58,000. She says she returned it and then received a corrected bill for $36,005.70. She has since joined a federal class-action suit against the church, seeking $200-million in damages.

In Miss Burden's case, church spokesmen produced a formal statement, purportedly signed by her, releasing church founder L. Ron Hubbard and the church "from all rights, claims or any action which (Miss Burden) and (her) ... successors now have against L. Ron Hubbard, any person, any Scientology church, their assigns and successors."»

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