News



DATE=4/17/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40081
TITLE= WACO ANNIVERSARY
BYLINE= MICHAEL LELAND
DATELINE= CHICAGO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  SUNDAY (4/19) IS THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRE THAT 
DESTROYED THE CHURCH AND LIVING QUARTERS OF THE BRANCH DAVIDIAN 
RELIGIOUS SECT NEAR THE U-S CITY OF WACO, TEXAS.  THE FIRE KILLED
80 PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE GROUP'S LEADER, DAVID KORESH.  THE BLAZE
ENDED A 51-DAY STANDOFF BETWEEN THE DAVIDIANS AND FEDERAL 
OFFICIALS WHO HAD RAIDED THE PROPERTY IN FEBRUARY OF 1993 TO 
INVESTIGATE LOCAL OFFICIALS' CONCERNS THE GROUP WAS AMASSING 
ILLEGAL WEAPONS.  FOUR FEDERAL AGENTS WERE KILLED IN THE RAID.  
AT THE SITE OF THE GUNFIGHT, STANDOFF AND FIRE TODAY, THE SOUND 
OF HAMMERING FILLS THE AIR AS DAVIDIANS BEGIN REBUILDING.  
V-O-A'S MICHAEL LELAND RECENTLY VISITED THE BRANCH DAVIDIAN 
PROPERTY NEAR WACO AND HAS THIS REPORT.

TEXT:                      // HAMMERING SOUND  //

ABOUT A DOZEN SURVIVORS OF THE 1993 FIRE AND OTHER BRANCH 
DAVIDIANS ARE PUTTING UP A WALL ON A NEW, SMALL MUSEUM UNDER 
CONSTRUCTION AT THE ENTRANCE TO THEIR PROPERTY, ABOUT 15 
KILOMETERS EAST OF WACO.  A FEW METERS AWAY, ANOTHER MEMBER OF 
THE GROUP WELCOMES A FEW OF THE DOZENS OF VISITORS WHO STOP BY 
EACH DAY.

                      // ANDREW ACT #1 // 

         MY NAME IS ANDREW.  I AM THE GROUNDKEEPER HERE FOR THE 
         BRANCH DAVIDIAN SURVIVORS WHO ARE OVER HERE WORKING TO 
         BUILD A VISITORS CENTER FOR YOU FOLKS. SO THAT YOU MIGHT
         BE WELCOMED INTO OUR HOME AND OUR CHURCH.

                          // END ACT //

ANDREW STANDS IN FRONT OF A MAP OF THE DAVIDIAN PROPERTY, WHICH 
SHOWS VISITORS WHERE THE OLD CHURCH AND LIVING QUARTERS STOOD 
BEFORE THE FIRE, AS WELL AS A NARRATIVE GIVING THE GROUP'S SIDE 
OF THE STORY.  HE POINTS TO A GROVE OF NEWLY-PLANTED TREES IN 
FRONT OF THE FOUNDATIONS OF THOSE BUILDINGS. 

                      // ANDREW ACT #2 // 

         DOWN HERE IN THE FIELD THERE ARE TREES PLANTED.  AT THE 
         BASE OF THOSE TREES ARE HEADSTONES FOR 82 PEOPLE WHO 
         LOST THEIR LIVES HERE, INCLUDING THE TWO FETUSES. 

                          // END ACT //

CLIVE DOYLE IS ONE OF THE DAVIDIANS WHO MANAGED TO ESCAPE THE 
APRIL 19TH FIRE, WHICH HE AND THE OTHERS STILL CLAIM WAS SET BY 
FEDERAL OFFICIALS.  THE GOVERNMENT HAD PUMPED TEAR GAS INTO THE 
BUILDINGS IN AN EFFORT TO DRIVE OUT THE DAVIDIANS, BUT MAINTAINS 
IT WAS THOSE INSIDE WHO SET THE BUILDINGS ABLAZE. 

MR. DOYLE DENIES HIS GROUP WAS EVER DANGEROUS.  HE SAYS THE 
DOZENS OF WEAPONS STORED ON THE PROPERTY WERE TO BE SOLD AT GUN 
SHOWS TO RAISE MONEY, AND THAT THE DAVIDIANS FIRED ON FEDERAL 
AGENTS DURING THE FEBRUARY RAID IN SELF-DEFENSE.  HE BELIEVES 
MANY AMERICANS FEEL THE U-S GOVERNMENT ACTED IMPROPERLY IN 
RAIDING THE COMPOUND. 

                       // DOYLE ACT #1 //

         REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE BELIEVED OR WHAT COLOR WE WERE OR 
         WHETHER WE WERE HANDSOME, RICH OR WHATEVER.    
         REGARDLESS OF ALL THOSE DIFFERENCES IN OUR FAITH THAT 
         THEY MAY  NOT  APPRECIATE OR AGREE WITH, THEY SAW THEIR 
         GOVERNMENT DOING SOMETHING TO A GROUP OF CITIZENS THAT 
         ALL OF A SUDDEN MADE THEM TAKE NOTICE -- DISTURBED A LOT
         OF PEOPLE.

                          // END ACT //

NOT  ALL OF THE BUILDINGS ON THE PROPERTY WERE DESTROYED.  A 
SMALL DAIRY BARN BEHIND THE LIVING QUARTERS IS STILL THE SITE OF 
WEEKLY WORSHIP SERVICES.  EVENTUALLY, THE GROUP HOPES TO BUILD 
NEW HOUSING ON THE SITE.   RELIGION PROFESSOR BILL PITTS AT 
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY IN WACO SAYS THE NUMBER OF BRANCH DAVIDIANS 
SEEMS TO HAVE REMAINED CONSTANT DURING THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

                       // PITTS ACT #1 //

         THE NUMBERS HAVE REMAINED QUITE SMALL.  THE DAVIDIAN 
         MOVEMENT IS SPREAD ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.  THERE ARE 
         SMALL NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE FOLLOWERS IN NORTH 
         CAROLINA AND MASSACHUSETTS.  THERE ARE ALSO FOLLOWERS IN
         ENGLAND AND AUSTRALIA.

                          // END ACT //

MR. PITTS SAYS THE DEBATE OVER WHETHER THE DAVIDIANS WERE A REAL 
THREAT FIVE YEARS AGO MIGHT  NEVER END, BUT HE DOES  NOT  WORRY 
THAT THE GROUP'S PLANS TO REBUILD WILL RESULT IN ANY MORE 
PROBLEMS.

                      // PITTS ACT #2 //  

         I THINK THIS WAS SUCH A HORRENDOUS EVENT FOR THEM AND 
         THE GOVERNMENT THAT BOTH WOULD WORK VERY HARD TO SEE 
         THAT THIS WOULD  NOT  OCCUR AGAIN.  I THINK THAT IF THEY
         ARE ABLE TO RECONSTITUTE THEMSELVES AND REOCCUPY THE 
         LAND AND GET THE RESOURCES TOGETHER TO REBUILD AND SO 
         FORTH, YOU WOULD SEE A VERY, VERY PEACEFUL GROUP OF 
         PEOPLE GATHERED PRIMARILY FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES.

                         // END ACT // 

MR. DOYLE OF THE BRANCH DAVIDIANS SAYS HE BELIEVES THE GOVERNMENT
WAS WRONG BUT DOES  NOT  CARRY ANY GRUDGES.  HE AND THE DAVIDIANS
SIMPLY WANT TO REBUILD THEIR CHURCH AND HOME, AND GO ON PREPARING
FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS THE IMMINENT RETURN OF CHRIST.  

                      // DOYLE ACT #2 //  

         WE FEEL THAT THE BEST PLACE TO BE IS RIGHT HERE, TO TELL
         OUR SIDE OF IT, TO TELL THE TRUTH AND TO HOPEFULLY BUILD
         THIS PLACE UP THE WAY DAVID (KORESH) ENVISIONED IT.  HE 
         WANTED IT TO BE LIKE A PARK ATMOSPHERE, NICE, PEOPLE 
         COULD COME OUT AND ENJOY BEING OUT HERE. 

                          // END ACT //

THERE IS ONE DISPUTE STILL TO BE SETTLED.  ANOTHER GROUP OF 
BRANCH DAVIDIANS WHO LIVED ON THE PROPERTY YEARS BEFORE DAVID 
KORESH ARRIVED IS CLAIMING OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND.  THE MATTER 
WILL BE HEARD IN COURT THIS SEPTEMBER. (SIGNED)

NEB/MJL/MMK

17-Apr-98 12:02 PM EDT (1602 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.