posted by editor – 26 Sep, 2002
The Delhi police arrested 100 activists when they gathered in front of The Netherlands Embassy in Chanakyapuri in New Delhi today.
The activists belong to AIPRF, AIFTU, FAIG, Indian Nepalese Rights' Protection Committee, and CPI ML (New Democracy). They were protesting against the act of US designating Prof. Jose Maria Sison and the Communist Party of Philippines as terrorists and against the deprivation of the basic rights of Prof. Sison as a recognised refugee by The Netherlands Government by bringing him under the terrorist laws.
The organisations gave the adequate information to the Delhi police well in advance about the protest. However, the government of India decided not to allow the protest and issued prohibit orders overnight against the free movement of people (section 144) in the Embassy area in order to suppress the voices of protest and the activists were arrested as they arrived.
Later in the evening, they were released and the activists submitted a petition to the officials in the Dutch Embassy, which was addressed to the Government of The Netherlands, signed by the above-mentioned organisations. The Dutch officials listened to the activists and maintained that they were unaware of the developments regarding Jose Maria Sison, and said that the petition would be immediately sent to the Government of The Netherlands.
The organisations that participated in today's protest have resolved that they would continue the campaign in India in support of Prof. Sison's rights as decided by the all-India co-ordination committee of the Forum Against Imperialist Globalisation (FAIG) which met on 21 and 22 September in Jalandhar City in Punjab. Protests in different parts of India are planned along with a signature campaign from prominent intellectuals and democrats on a petition to be sent to the Dutch Government.
The activists feel that the attacks on the rights of Prof. Jose Maria Sison by the Dutch Government under the pressure of the US imperialists as the attacks on the people of the world who have been fighting against imperialism. US decision to designate Prof. Sison as a terrorist is nothing but terming all anti-imperialist/ anti-globalisation movements as terrorist acts. This indicates the real intentions of the US rulers who are the real terrorists. Prof. Sison is the founder and the Chief Political Consultant of International League of Peoples Struggle (ILPS), which is brining together hundreds of people's movements against imperialism in the world to fight against and defeat the imperialist world order.
The following petition was submitted to the Dutch Embassy in New Delhi:
International petition campaign DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF PROF. JOSE MARIA SISON (Philippines)
To THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT Mr.Prime Minister of The Netherlands
Philippine Prof. Jose Maria Sison is living in the Netherlands as a recognized political refugee under the protection of the Refugee Convention and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Prof. Sison is the General Consultant of International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS) and has been the chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in peace negotiations with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP). These negotiations have been facilitated by the Norwegian, Dutch and Belgian governments.
On 9 August 2002, the US State Department listed the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People's Army (NPA) as “foreign terrorist organizations”, encouraging other governments “to take action to isolate these terrorist organizations, to choke off their sources of financial support, and to prevent their movement across international borders”. Since 12 August 2002, the US Treasury Department has listed Jose Maria Sison as a “terrorist” whose assets must be frozen.
Subsequently, the Dutch government has followed the bidding of the US by issuing the ‘Sanctions ruling on terrorism 2002 III’ on 13 August 2002, criminalizing Jose Maria Sison as a “terrorist” without benefit of due process and subjecting him to punishment such as:
The freezing of his Postbank current account through which he receives social welfare payment to pay his bills.
The removal of all state subsidies for food, housing, health insurance and other necessities under a directive dated 10 September 2002 from the social welfare agency of Utrecht's municipal government.
We, the undersigned, vow to help defend the rights of Prof. Jose Maria Sison.
We demand from the Dutch authorities:
the full respect for the protection of Jose Maria Sison as a recognized refugee under the relevant international conventions;
the grant of his residence permit in the Netherlands;
the immediate de-listing of his name and the unconditional and complete withdrawal of the ‘Sanctieregeling terrorisme 2002 III’
the immediate, unconditional and complete restoration of all the social benefits to which he is entitled as a political refugee (monthly allowance, insurance and housing benefits)
the refusal of any possible demand for his extradition.
Signed by
G N Saibaba
All – India Convenor
Forum Against Imperialist Globalisation (FAIG)
And General Secretary, All India Peoples Resistance Forum (AIPRF)
P K Shahi, All India Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU)
Laxman Pant, Indian Nepalese Rights' Protection Committee
Anjani
Convenor, Delhi Committee, All India Peoples Resistance Forum (AIPRF)
Aparna
Delhi Committee
CPI ML New Democracy
26 September 2002