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Press release
For immediate release: August 29, 2007
*Filipinos in Canada rally to protest arrest of exiled Jose Maria Sison*
VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Around 40 progressive Filipinos and their Canadian
supporters held an indignation rally outside the offices of the Dutch
consluate in downtown Vancouver today to protest the arrest Tuesday of
exiled Filipino revolutionary Jose Maria Sison in the Netherlands.
Chanting, "Free Sison now!" the rallyists called for theimmediate
release of Sison from detention in the Netherlands and for a stop to the
political persecution of progressive Filipino migrants and refugees in the
Netherlands. The rally follows protest rallies in the Philippines and in
other countries around the world to defend the rights of Sison.
"Sison has been a vocal critic of the US imperialism and its policies
which have led to the devastation and destruction of people's lives around
the world," said Luningning Imperial, local spokesperson of the
International League of People's Struggle (ILPS) participating
organizations in Canada, an international formation of anti-imperialist
and democratic organizations. "In his capacity as Chair of the ILPS, I
can testify to Sison's personal commitment to the emancipation and
liberation of oppressed peoples everywhere. His arrest and false
labelling as a 'terrorist' and 'criminal' is an insult to Professor
Sison's true character since he has devoted his whole life to serve the
people's struggle against exploitation and oppression," she said. "He
believes utterly in the people and their capacity to liberate and govern
themselves and would never harm their interests."
The protest rally even drew the support of Filipino and other workers
and tourists in the busy downtown area.
"Sison is also a vocal critic of the anti-people policies of the
Philippine government under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo," said
Glecy Duran, Vice-Chairperson of SIKLAB Canada (Sulong, Itaguyod ang
Karapatan ng mga Manggagawa sa Labas ng Bansa -- Advance and Uphold the
Rights of Overseas Filipino Workers). "Sison has pointed to the chronic
economic crisis as the primary reason why 3000 migrant workers continue
to leave the Philippines everyday to work abroad," she said.
There are an estimated 7 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in over
186 countries abroad, including over 500,000 in Canada, making them the
third largest visible minority group in the country and the second largest
in Vancouver.
In a prepared statement, the group called the arbitrary arrest and
harassment of progressive Filipinos in The Netherlands "part of the
escalating attempts of the Philippines, U.S. and Dutch government to
unjustly malign Prof. Sison as a terrorist and a criminal."
"We are here to support the struggle of the Filipino people and other
progressive movements around the world against imperialist aggression and
the dirty wars they are waging on national liberation movements," says
Aiyanas Ormond of the Bus Riders Union. Ormond was also present at a rally
in front of the Dutch Consulate in 2002 to demand a stop the persecution
of Prof. Sison and his family.
Retired professor Hari Sharma of SANSAD (South Asian Network for
Secularism and Democracy) also spoke at the rally accusing the Dutch
government of "succumbing to the pressures of U.S. imperialism, and its
lackey, comprador government of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo." Sharma first
met Prof. Sison in India in 1987 when he was just released from prison He
has since befriended Sison and considers him a "very important
spokesperson and a daunting figure in anti-imperialist circles."
"We believe that an attack on one is an attack on us all, and must stand
firm against attacks on our human rights and civil liberties," said Nikki
Silva of Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino-Canadian
Youth Alliance quoting from Sison's own words that "a movement without
young people is in trouble" as an inspiration to all young people
fighting for justice around the world.
Other speakers included: Philippine Women Centre of BC, BC Committee for
Human Rights in the Philippines, the Other Campaign (a Mexican solidarity
group), the Communist Party of Canada -- Marxist-Leninist and No one Is
Illegal.
Young Filipino-Canadians also performed songs and poetry written by Sison
saying his writings have inspired generations of Filipinos to struggle for
national and social liberation in the Philippines.
Sison has been in self-exile in the Netherlands for more than 20 years and
serves as Chief Political Consultant of the National Democratic Front of
the Philippines (NDFP). The NDFP has been involved in peace negotiations
with the Philippine government for the past 12 years.
Dutch police arrested Sison allegedly because he ordered the killings of
two former rebel leaders in the New People's Army (NPA) in the Philippines
in 2003 and 2006. Philippine authorities admitted they helped the widows
of Romulo Kintanar and Arturo Tabara file a complaint in the Netherlands
as well as cooperated with Dutch authorities in the investigation.
A similar rally will take place
in Montreal, Quebec this Friday, August
31, 2007 at 12 noon in front of the Dutch consulate at 1002 Sherbrooke
West. For more information, contact Joanne Vasquez at the
Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights (PCTFHR) at (514) 678-3901.
In Toronto, the PCTFHR is also holding a indignation picket at the Dutch
consulate.
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*SIKLAB-British Columbia*
Advance the Rights and Welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers and Their
Families
Member of SIKLAB-Canada
c/o Kalayaan Centre, 451 Powell Street, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V6A 1G7
Phone: 604.215.1103 | Fax: 604.215.1905 |
http://www.kalayaancentre.net
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*International League of Peoples' Struggles (ILPS)
Participating Organizations in Canada*
ilps_canada@shawcable.com ||
http://ilps2005.tripod.com
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