Protest action in front of the Utrecht City Hall

March 26 -  Filipino Friends of Filipino revolutionary Jose Maria Sison held a protest action in front of the Utrecht City Hall last March 26, 2010 to protest the Dutch government's continuing refusal to grant Sison a residence permit and to allow him to live a decent life as a political refugee in the Netherlands. Protesters carried placards demanding respect for Sison's civil rights. Some spoke with passers-by and collected signatures in support for the action.

Photos courtesy of INternational Committee DEFEND

 NOT ALLOWED TO LIVE A DECENT LIFE: HOW CAN THAT BE?

Not allowed to work? May not travel freely? No access to social benefits? Hoe kan dat???

Friends of Filipino revolutionary Jose Maria Sison held a protest action in front of the Utrecht City Hall last March 26, 2010 to protest the Dutch government's continuing refusal to grant Sison a residence permit and to allow him to live a decent life as a political refugee in the Netherlands. Protesters carried placards demanding respect for Sison's civil rights. Some spoke with passers-by and collected signatures in support for the action.

Joma or Jo (as Sison is known in the Filipino community) has been living in the Netherlands as a political refugee since 1987, after the government of the Republic of the Philippines cancelled his passport. The protest was part of an internationally coordinated protest action in support of Sison's demand for the Dutch government to grant him a residence permit.

Some people who passed by the protesting Filipinos last March 26, 2010 in Utrecht found it outrageous that the Dutch government can do this to a recognized political refugee and to someone who's been living continuously in the Netherlands for 23 years. But then again, some argued that extremism and human rights violations of migrants have been casting their dark shadow over Europe now for the past decade.

The Filipino poet and revolutionary leader may be just one of the victims of this resurgence of extremism in Europe. Fortunately for migrants and refugees he is one of the very few who dares to challenge the violations of his rights in court and actually win.

“Tito (uncle) Jo is a good man. He tells us stories about our heroes and the struggle of the Filipino people. He suffered so much under the dictatorship of Marcos,” said one of the youngsters at the protest.

“They said that there is democracy in The Netherlands and there is respect for human rights. But Tito Jo is not allowed to rent a home under is name... he is not allowed to work... he cannot have social benefits... and he cannot travel freely! Hoe kan dat nou?!? (How can that be?!?)” the youngster added.

The Dutch government arbitrarily placed Sison in its “terrorist list” in 2002, just within 24 hours after the US put Sison on its “terrorist list” of individuals and organizations. The Dutch government shortly also curtailed his rights to residence, employment, social benefits and to travel. The Council of the European Union put him on the EU “terrorist list” in October 28, 2002.

Last September 30, 2009 the European Court of First Instance (now called the General Court under the Lisbon Treaty) handed out a decision to remove Sison from the terrorist blacklist of the European Union. This legal victory is a result of more than seven years of legal struggle against the so-called terrorist list. But his civil rights are yet to be restored.

Sison's legal victory against the Council of the European Union is considered by many as a very important landmark decision because it can serve as a reference for preventing the arbitrariness of European governments in blacklisting individuals, organizations and other entities as terrorists. It is considered by many human rights advocates as a blow on the growing trend of extremism and discrimination in Europe.

International Committee DEFEND

For reference:
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PRESS RELEASE
International Committee DEFEND
6 April 2010

Joma Sison celebrates victory against EU “terrorist” list

Filipino migrants living in the Netherlands and European solidarity activists turned up in their numbers on 27 March, in De Nassaukerk in Amsterdam, to join Filipino revolutionary Jose Maria Sison in celebrating his legal victory against the so-called terrorist list of the Council of the European Union. The activity was also an occasion to press the Netherlands government to grant Sison a permanent Dutch resident permit.

The EU Court of First Instance in Luxembourg on 30 September 2009 rejected the arguments of the Council of the EU and the governments of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and took Sison off the “terrorist” list of the EU. The ruling was deemed final and executory on 10 December of the same year, allowing Sison to reclaim his bank account and allow him to engage in normal financial matters.

Commenting on the significance of the Luxembourg Court judgment Sison said that it also, “opens the way for me to exercise and enjoy the rights that have been curtailed and suppressed due to the false charge of terrorism.”

During the 27 March celebration, several Filipino migrant workers volunteered to prepare a traditional Filipino dinner. It was their way of celebrating with Prof. Sison, toasting him for his legal victory, and of showing solidarity with the campaign to grant him a residence permit in the Netherlands.

After the dinner, legal experts from the Philippines, Netherlands and Belgium joined Prof. Sison in a panel discussion about the significance of his legal victory in the EU Court of First Instance, about the prospects of his appeal for a Dutch residence permit, and about the human rights situation in the Philippines.

A highlight of the evening was the showing of the musical “Ang Makata'y Mandrigma, ang Mandirigma'y Makata” (The Poet is a Guerrilla, the Guerrilla is a Poet). Originally staged in the Film Center of the University of the Philippines, the musical play told of the life and struggles of Prof. Sison and his comrade activists from the 1960s to the present.

“It was beautiful!” chorused a group of Filipina migrants after watching the video of the play. A Dutch activist found it incredible to see the history of the establishment of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People's Army on screen.

Solidarity activists from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Norway were on hand to congratulate Prof. Sison and to lend their support for the continuing campaign for his civil rights. Guests signed a petition addressed to the Dutch government asking to grant Sison a permanent residence permit and to stop his political persecution.

Released by:
International Committee DEFEND
defenddemrights@yahoo.com

Joma Sison celebrates victory against EU “terrorist” list

March 27 - Filipino migrants living in the Netherlands and European solidarity activists turned up in their numbers on 27 March, in De Nassaukerk in Amsterdam, to join Filipino revolutionary Jose Maria Sison in celebrating his legal victory against the so-called terrorist list of the Council of the European Union. The activity was also an occasion to press the Netherlands government to grant Sison a permanent Dutch resident permit.

Photos courtesy of INternational Committee DEFEND

Attorney Principe On the Human Rights Situation in the Philippines  Part I

Attorney Principe On the Human Rights Situation in the Philippines  0 Part 2

Matthieu Beys on Joma's Case - Part 1

Matthieu Beys on Joma's Case - Part 2

Attorney Jalandoni: - Part 1

Attorney Jalandoni: - Part 2

Theo Droog of NFS