International appeal
On 28 October 2002, the Council of the European Union added Jose Maria Sison and the New People´s Army (NPA) of the Philippines to its list of …‘terrorist´ persons, groups and entities, through Council Common Position 2002/847/CFSP “on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism” and of the Council Decision 2002/848/EC “on specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities with a view of combating terrorism”.
The new Common Position refers to the earlier position adopted on 27 December 2001, which uses a very broad definition of …‘persons, groups and entities involved in terrorist acts´ and of …‘terrorist act´. Based on these, and without any further or specific motivation, the EU establishes a mere list of suspects, makes them appear culpable for the heinous crime of terrorism and imposes punitive measures on them, in violation of their right to due process and other democratic rights. Measures to be taken against the organizations and individuals on the list include “the freezing of funds and other financial assets or economic resources, as well as police and judicial cooperation”.
With this decision, the European Union toes the line of the United States. On 9 August 2002, the US State Department listed the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People´s Army as …‘foreign terrorist organizations´, asking other governments to do the same. On 12 August 2002, the US Treasury Department listed Jose Maria Sison as a …‘terrorist´ whose assets must be frozen.
Apart from other groups and persons on the lists, both the US and the EU are also targetting national liberation movements and other revolutionary organizations and individuals, under the guise of the fight against terrorism. When the criminalization and the repression of the latter is concerned, the European Union applies exactly the same unjust and undemocratic standards and methods as the United States. Does this mean that the EU uncritically follows US President Bush in his `global war on terror`? Does the EU believe that states, regimes, movements and individuals that reject and resist the new colonialism of corporate control and military might are `rogue states` and `terrorists`?
The US is targetting Prof. Jose Maria Sison because he has been a leading figure of the Philippine national democratic revolution for almost forty years. He was one of the pioneers who revived the anti-imperialist movement in the Philippines in the early 60s. He re-established the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). For nine years, he was dictator Marcos´ most prominent political prisoner.
We concur with Supreme Bishop Millamena of the Philippine Independent Church, who said in a recent Dutch television program: “Prof. Sison is not a terrorist. All he does is to fight with the poor for a life in dignity. That is a legitimate struggle.” Philippine Vice President Guingona added to this by declaring that “one needs to make a distinction between a rebel who is fighting because of hunger and perceived injustice, and a terrorist who seeks to sow terror and hatred”.
Today, Prof. Jose Maria Sison is living in the Netherlands as a political refugee under the protection of the Refugee Convention and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. He is the chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP, the revolutionary alliance to which the CPP and the NPA belong) in the peace negotiations with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines. These negotiations have been facilitated by the Norwegian, Dutch and Belgian governments, and the European Parliament has endorsed them through several resolutions.
The CPP, the NPA and the NDFP are waging a people´s struggle for national liberation and democracy, against foreign domination, exploitation and oppression. We reject the notion that the struggle for national liberation, including armed struggle, is equated to terrorism. We are concerned that legitimate political organizations and individuals, including legitimate asylum seekers and recognized political refugees, may become the target of unjustified repressive measures in the guise of fighting terrorism.
The blacklisting of Prof. Sison and various legitimate political organizations by the European Union does not bode well for democracy in Europe. Groups and individuals who express and concretize their solidarity with them may be the next victims. The democratic rights of freedom of expression and of association are at stake. The human value of solidarity is under threat.
We demand from the European Union and its member states:
…§ the repeal of the Council Common Position 2002/847/CFSP and of the Council Decision 2002/848/EC of 28 October 2002;
…§ the removal of Jose Maria Sison and the New People´s Army (NPA) from the lists annexed to the above-mentioned position and decision;
…§ the full respect for the protection of Jose Maria Sison as a refugee under the relevant international conventions;
…§ the refusal of any possible demand for his extradition.
We demand from the European Union and its member states to refrain from any legislation or action that may hinder the legitimate political activities of organizations and individuals.
We support the procedure introduced by Prof. Sison, with the help of an international team of human rights lawyers, before the Court of the European Community in Luxemburg, against his inclusion in the EU´s list of …‘terrorists´.
We vow to extend Prof. Sison financial support for his basic necessities and for his legal defense, even if this runs counter to the directives of the Council of the European Union. To us, the values of justice and solidarity are more important.
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First signatories:
Johan Van Hecke (member of the European Parliament, VLD, Belgium) – Leen Laenens (Member of Parliament, Agalev, Belgium) – Dirk Vandermaelen (Member of Parliament, SP.a, Belgium) – Jean Cornil (Senator, PS, Belgium) – Hugo Van Dienderen (former Member of Parliament, Agalev, Belgium) – Pierre Mertens (writer, Belgium) – Anne Morelli (professor ULB, Belgium) – Jean Bricmont (professor UCL, Belgium) – Jean Pestieau (professor UCL, Belgium) – Robert Franck (professor UCL, Belgium) – Michel Vanhoorne (professor RUG, Belgium) – Jean-Philippe Peemans (professor UCL, Belgium) – Franà§ois Houtart (prof. em. UCL, Belgium) – Pierre Galand (guest lecturer ULB, Belgium) – Gà©rard de Selys (journalist/writer, Belgium) – Georges Berghezan (journalist, Belgium) – Jean-Pierre Kerckhofs (Appeal for a Democratic School, Belgium) – Georges Spriet (vzw Vrede/Peace, Belgium) – Juan Carmelo Garcàa (Instituto de Estudios Polàticos para Amà©rica Latina y Africa IEPALA, Spain) – Prof. Dr. Heinz Dieterich (Foro por la Emancipacià³n e Identitdad de Amà©rica Latina, Germany) – Gregorio Dionis (Equipo Nizkor, Spain) – Jaime Ballesteros (OSPAAAL, Spain) – Josà© Cabo Bravo (Izquierda Unida, Spain)
