Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada / Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance
Press Statement


Reference: Carlo Sayo, National Chairperson, 604-215-1103,
ukpc_fcya@kalayaancentre.net


Filipino-Canadian youth welcome Jose Maria Sison's release; Demand
drop of charges and end to political persecution


After international pressure including protest rallies, petitions, and
actions, Filipino-Canadian youth welcome the release of political
prisoner Professor Jose Maria Sison from the Dutch detention centre
after the September 13 order of the District Court in the Hague,
Netherlands.


The court maintained that there was insufficient evidence against
Professor Sison to hold him, however it cannot be ignored that his
release is due to the overwhelming international actions, including
those across Canada demanding his immediate
release after his unjust arrest and detention based on trumped-up
murder charges last August 28, 2007.


Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/ The Filipino-Canadian Youth
Alliance, a national alliance of Filipino youth organizations across
Canada, is pleased to hear the announcement. We see his unjust arrest
and persecution as politically-motivated. Professor Sison has always
maintained his innocence in the case and we see his arrest and
detention as a blatant expression of the Dutch government's bowing
down to the dictates of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
and US President George Bush.


Professor Sison's release is a small victory not only for Professor
Sison, but for all Filipinos at home and abroad who continue to
struggle to put an end to all forms of exploitation and oppression. As
Filipino youth abroad, it is important to recognize Professor Sison's
contributions not only to the national democratic movement in the
Philippines, but to the anti-imperialist movement globally.


Professor Sison though his writings, poetry, speeches and tireless and
courageous efforts to withstand difficulty and hardship continues to
serve as a shining source of inspiration to young people around the
world hoping and working for genuine change and a just and lasting
peace. He is and will always be a hero of the people!


Since 2002, UKPC-FCYA has been campaigning for justice for Professor
Sison after he was unjustly labeled as a "terrorist" by the European
Union and Canada after the US at the request of the Philippine
government without due explanation. Calls from this campaign included
the removal of Professor Sison from the terrorist listing and for the
granting of political asylum to him and his family in the Netherlands
-- the country where he has been living in exile for 20 years.


An initiative from the campaign lead members and allies of UKPC-FCYA
from across Canada to fly to the Netherlands in June of 2003 and
interview Professor Sison about the unjust labeling of political
activists and about the Filipino people's movement for social and
national liberation. Members produced a video and reported the
findings of their trip in forums across Canada.


Mermbers of UKPC-FCYA also helped organize the historic conference
"Laws, Labels and Liberation:  The Case of Professor Jose Maria Sison"
held in Montreal, Quebec in May 2004. The conference examined the
unjust labeling of Professor Sison, noted Filipino patriot, leader and
poet, by the US, Dutch, EU and Canadian governments.


From personally meeting and knowing Professor Sison, and knowing that
he is held in such high regard by the masses of Filipino people, it is
clear that Sison is not the "terrorist" or criminal that the Dutch and
other authorities would like to portray him as. Professor Sison is a
man who truly lives by his political principles and believes in the
Filipino people's struggle for self-determination, genuine democracy
and social and national liberation.


While Sison has been released, the trumped-up charges of murder still
remain. In the context of a heightened state of political-social and
economic crisis in the Philippines, it is important to persevere
against rising political persecution and repression. As Filipinos in
Canada, UKPC-FCYA has the responsibility to keep up the campaign
calling for "Justice for Joma!" and continue to hold and support
initiatives until the charges against Sison are unconditionally
dropped and he is removed from the 'foreign terrorist list.'


Justice for Joma!
Grant political asylum to the Sison family!
Stop the political persecution of progressive Filipinos!
Long live international solidarity!


September 14, 2007


Statement issued by:


Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada – BC
Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada – Ontario
Kabataang Montreal – Montral, Quebec