From: "Migrante Australia" <migrante.australia@gmail.com
Cc: Minister.Downer@dfat.gov.au
 
Mr Niek van Zutphen
The Ambassador for the Netherlands
The Embassy of the Netherlands
120 Empire Cct

Yarralumla ACT 2600, Australia

 
29 August 2007
 
Dear Mr van Zutphen
  Re: Arrest and detention of Prof Sison
  

 Migrante-Philippines Australia protests the arrest of Jose Maris Sison, a political refugee from the Philippines residing in the Netherlands.

   The Philippine Government who have alleged fabricated and trumped up charges against him has vilified Professor Sison.  The latest allegations [that he ordered the executions of 2 former Communist leaders in the Philippines] are only the latest baseless charges of the Government and Armed Forces of the Philippines in their war on the democratic rights and freedoms of the people of the Philippines.


 We know that you are aware of the reports from sources such as Amnesty International, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial Killings detailing the killings and disappearances perpetrated by the agents of the Philippine government, and the culture of impunity and denial prevailing in the country.  


 Dutch authorities, through the arrest of Prof Sison, have endorsed and encouraged the terror tactics of the Philippine Government and the Armed Forces of the Philippines against their own people.   The Netherlands now presents itself as an ally in promoting the destruction of democratic norms and the rule of law in the Philippines, and the removal of any protection enjoyed by the citizen against the arbitrary exercise of power and terror by the Government of the Philippines, and its agents.


 We wonder why the Dutch Government and authorities choose to ally themselves closely with the promoters of state terrorism in the Philippines?   What is the political or economic self-interest that would motivate the Dutch to side with repression and terror?

  

 We call for –

  

 ·         The immediate unconditional release of Prof Jose Maria Sison

 ·         The grant of refugee status and political asylum to Prof Sison

 ·         The Dutch government to protest against the tactics of terror and repression practised by the Government of the Philippines and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

 Yours sincerely
  (Signed)
 Mr Edwin Suijano
 President
 Migrante-Philippines Australia (Organisation of Filipinos and Filipino-Australians)
 PO Box 1168, Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012
 Mobile Phone: 0409 461 600