Filtered By: Topstories
News

Ex-US atty general Ramsey wants to defend Joma Sison


(Update) Former US attorney general turned human rights lawyer Ramsey Clark has offered legal assistance to detained Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison. As this developed, Luis Jalandoni, National Democratic Front peace panel chair, said Sunday the Dutch government was "maltreating" Sison despite flimsy evidence, and allowing itself to be used by the Arroyo administration “like a horse pulling a cart." The New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines said Saturday Clark expressed “disapproval and deep concern" over the arrest of Sison in The Netherlands. “As an international human rights lawyer, Clark also pledged to assist Joma by offering to join his international defense team of lawyers headed by Jan Fermon," the group said in a statement posted on the website of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Saturday night. In the Philippines, Sison’s supporters said more protest actions are now in the works in time for Sison’s next court appearance on September 7. Clark serves on the advisory board of NYCHRP, a member of the Filipino-American alliance Bayan-USA. He visited Sison in The Netherlands in 2005 and has been a ardent supporter of the campaign to have Sison de-listed from the US and European Union terrorist lists. “Everyone who is concerned about peace and freedom has to be greatly distressed over the arrest of Joma Sison," the NYCHRP quoted Clark as saying. It added Clark is uncertain of the Dutch judicial system’s ability to handle Sison’s case with validity and competency, given his two murder charges originate in the Philippines. Clark also expressed his disapproval of the anti-terrorism law or Human Security Act (HSA) passed last February. The HSA has since been put into full effect since July. He likewise stressed the need to withdraw US military aid to the Philippines, the fourth largest recipient of US military aid in the world. “Every penny given in US aid will be repaid in Philippine blood. US aid is buying power through surrogate governments abroad," Clark said. “I urge [the US Congress] to withdraw US aid to the Philippines, and urge you to insist that the Philippines be free of all US military presence, especially the building of new bases in Mindanao," he added. Also Sunday, Bayan lamented that Sison is being given “the Guantanamo treatment." Guantanamo is the prison facility of the United States government where alleged terror suspects are brought and detained and where rights abuses have become prevalent. “Sison is being held incommunicado. He is being denied his right to a doctor, prescription medicines as well as visits from his family. His rights as a prisoner are being violated by the Dutch government," said Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. “It appears that behind the ill-treatment of Sison is the fact the Dutch government still considers him a terrorist despite his victory in the European Courts on his de-listing. The terrorist label has often been used to justify tortures and other abuses of prisoners. We will hold the Dutch government responsible for any harm that may befall Sison during his detention at the Dutch prison facility," Reyes said. Bayan said the continuing inhumane treatment of Prof. Sison will spark more protests in the Philippines and other parts of the world. “The United States, Netherlands and Philippine governments are all singing the same tune that Prof. Sison is a terrorist. They are ganging up on Joma in the vain hope that they can justify their own wars on terror. The murder charges are just a means to persecute and vilify Sison and the cause he stands for," Reyes said. “We warn the US government from taking any measures that would interfere in the case of Prof. Sison. The US should keep its nose out of this matter and should stop invoking its discredited war on terror just so it could go after Prof. Sison," he added. “What causes more outrage is that despite the flimsy evidence against Sison, the Dutch government continues to keep him locked away in isolation. They are desperately trying to break his spirit," he added. ‘In high spirits’ Jalandoni said Sison remains "in high spirits." “Joma is coping well, he’s in good spirits pero ikinukundena pa rin natin ang kondisyon niya (Sison is coping well. He’s in good spirits but we still condemn the conditions he is subjected to)," Jalandoni said in an interview on dzRH radio. Jalandoni said the court also ordered another hearing on September 7 to decide if Sison would be released after 14 days or if his detention would be extended by another 90 days. "Pag masama ang decision p'wedeng dalhin sa court of appeals (If the decision is unfavorable, he can bring it to the Dutch court of appeals)," he said. He said Sison, who was arrested on double-murder charges last Tuesday, was ordered detained in solitary confinement, without access to newspapers, television, radio or visitors. Jalandoni said Sison was even denied the right to bring with him his prescription medicines. Worse, he said the facility where Sison is to be detained is the same one where the late former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic was held for war crimes and corruption. “This kind of solitary confinement is tantamount to torture," he said. Jalandoni said Sison’s lawyer Michiel Pestman described the court’s decision as “scandalous" because the so-called evidence presented by the prosecution “amounted to nothing." He said that with the court proceedings, the Dutch government showed it allowed itself to be used by the Arroyo government. “Nagpapagamit lang ang Dutch government at ang public prosecutor’s office ng Holland sa Arroyo regime ... Ang Dutch court nagpapagamit parang kabayo sa kalesa ng Arroyo regime (The Dutch government and its public prosecutor’s office is allowing itself to be used by the Arroyo regime like a horse pulling a cart)," he said. Jalandoni also said protests were held outside the courthouse with Filipino, Dutch and US nationals joining the activity. He said similar protests were held in other countries and territories including Indonesia, Hong Kong, Australia, the United States and Canada. Last Friday, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) voiced fears Sison may be “extra-judicially" transferred to the United States. In a statement on its website www.philippinerevolution.net, CPP spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger" Rosal said Friday the US may want to detain Sison in Guantanamo Bay or some secret facility. "The US has had standing plans to subject Sison to extraordinary rendition and imprisoned either in Guantanamo Bay or some other secret US facility," he said. He scored in particular US ambassador Kristie Ann Kenney, who said her government will extend support to the Dutch government to prosecute Sison. Rosal urged Sison’s supporters in the country and across the world to be vigilant against the possibility of having Sison extra-judicially transferred to US authority. On the other hand, he also warned against intentions of the Arroyo regime to have Sison repatriated and thus set him up for the kill by its death squads. “Ka Joma’s arrest by Dutch police gratifies the US imperialists vexed at his sharp critical tirades against their oppression and exploitation of the world’s people. He has been tireless and vigorous in promoting the anti-imperialist and people’s struggles across the globe," said Rosal. “The US government as well as its reactionary puppet regime in the Philippines have long wanted the Dutch government to clamp down on the NDFP’s international solidarity work based in The Netherlands and put a stop to Sison’s leading role in the reinvigoration of the international communist movement and the growing anti-imperialist and people’s struggles across the world," he added. “US imperialism and its Dutch and local allies are thus terrified of Sison and is only to glad to help do him away," he said. Rosal also disputed claims by Malacañang officials that Sison’s arrest “boosts peace talks." “Ka Joma’s has been one of the prime movers of the peace process. His arrest is a hostile assault on the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations," he said. - GMANews.TV
LOADING CONTENT