by Jon-Jon Magtanggol
Philippine Correspondent
The Dutch government frees Professor Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and a consultant to the National Democratic Front (NDF) Peace Panel after two weeks of unjust incarceration. This developed after the Dutch court found the charges against Prof. Joma were trumpped-up.
Moreover, the decision came after protests rained on Dutch consulates and embassies in many countries (see related stories in page 2, 3 and 10) in the wake of the formation of a new alliance of organizations composed of overseas Filipinos and their families. The alliance spearheaded theglobal protest actions by Filipinos and allied groups abroad and in the country demanding the immediate freedom of ILPS Chair Prof. Jose Maria Sison.
“Overseas Filipinos and their local allies organised the protest actions across the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, the US and other countries. We are indignant over the brutal arrest and raids conducted by Dutch authorities against Prof. Jose Maria Sison and other progressive Filipinos in the Netherlands,” says Connie Bragas-Regalado, Migrante International Chair.
Already, emergency pickets abroad for Prof. Sison’s immediate release were held yesterday in Hong Kong and Vancouver. In Hong Kong, the rally was led by the HK Committee to Defend the Rights of Prof. Sison and UNIFIL-Migrante-HK while in Vancouver, the BC Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines organized a picket with progressive Filipinos and their local supporters. For their part, Filipinos in Australia and other Australians barraged the fax line of the local Dutch Consulate with protest letters.
Statements denouncing the baseless arrest were also issued by overseas Filipino groups: KASAMMAKO-Korea (alliance of OFW groups in Korea); Migrante-Australia; SIKLAB-Canada (organization of OFWs and their families); Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance-Canada; Migrante-Europe; Damayan Migrant Education and Resource Center; Filipino Worker’s Support Committee-Toronto; Philippine Network for Justice and Peace (PNJP); Philippine Solidarity Group of Toronto; SIKLAB-Ontario; Ugnayan ng Kabataan Pilipino sa Canada - Toronto (UKPC-Toronto); United Filipinos for Nationalism and Democracy (UFiND); and BAYAN-USA.
According to Migrante, these actions are in addition to the many other protests led by the International League of People’s Struggles, DEFEND the Rights of Prof. Sison Committees and other solidarity formations around the world.
“Prof. Sison and the other progressive Filipinos that are being politically persecuted by the Dutch-Philippine-US triad are legitimate political refugees and in some cases, even Dutch citizens. The brutal arrest and raids conducted are brazen violations of their rights and relevant UN conventions on political refugees,” added Bragas-Regalado.
In Manila, Migrante International joined the BAYAN-led rally in front of the Dutch embassy and the multi-sectoral rally to mark the International Day of the Disappeared.
“Today we pay tribute to the almost 200 victims of political abductions under the Arroyo regime. Arroyo’s desperate destruction of the peace process in Mindanao and now of peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines will only heighten her atrocity of unabated abductions and political killings,” she concluded.
Philippine Correspondent
The Dutch government frees Professor Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and a consultant to the National Democratic Front (NDF) Peace Panel after two weeks of unjust incarceration. This developed after the Dutch court found the charges against Prof. Joma were trumpped-up.
Moreover, the decision came after protests rained on Dutch consulates and embassies in many countries (see related stories in page 2, 3 and 10) in the wake of the formation of a new alliance of organizations composed of overseas Filipinos and their families. The alliance spearheaded theglobal protest actions by Filipinos and allied groups abroad and in the country demanding the immediate freedom of ILPS Chair Prof. Jose Maria Sison.
“Overseas Filipinos and their local allies organised the protest actions across the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, the US and other countries. We are indignant over the brutal arrest and raids conducted by Dutch authorities against Prof. Jose Maria Sison and other progressive Filipinos in the Netherlands,” says Connie Bragas-Regalado, Migrante International Chair.
Already, emergency pickets abroad for Prof. Sison’s immediate release were held yesterday in Hong Kong and Vancouver. In Hong Kong, the rally was led by the HK Committee to Defend the Rights of Prof. Sison and UNIFIL-Migrante-HK while in Vancouver, the BC Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines organized a picket with progressive Filipinos and their local supporters. For their part, Filipinos in Australia and other Australians barraged the fax line of the local Dutch Consulate with protest letters.
Statements denouncing the baseless arrest were also issued by overseas Filipino groups: KASAMMAKO-Korea (alliance of OFW groups in Korea); Migrante-Australia; SIKLAB-Canada (organization of OFWs and their families); Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance-Canada; Migrante-Europe; Damayan Migrant Education and Resource Center; Filipino Worker’s Support Committee-Toronto; Philippine Network for Justice and Peace (PNJP); Philippine Solidarity Group of Toronto; SIKLAB-Ontario; Ugnayan ng Kabataan Pilipino sa Canada - Toronto (UKPC-Toronto); United Filipinos for Nationalism and Democracy (UFiND); and BAYAN-USA.
According to Migrante, these actions are in addition to the many other protests led by the International League of People’s Struggles, DEFEND the Rights of Prof. Sison Committees and other solidarity formations around the world.
“Prof. Sison and the other progressive Filipinos that are being politically persecuted by the Dutch-Philippine-US triad are legitimate political refugees and in some cases, even Dutch citizens. The brutal arrest and raids conducted are brazen violations of their rights and relevant UN conventions on political refugees,” added Bragas-Regalado.
In Manila, Migrante International joined the BAYAN-led rally in front of the Dutch embassy and the multi-sectoral rally to mark the International Day of the Disappeared.
“Today we pay tribute to the almost 200 victims of political abductions under the Arroyo regime. Arroyo’s desperate destruction of the peace process in Mindanao and now of peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines will only heighten her atrocity of unabated abductions and political killings,” she concluded.
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