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Press release from the international DEFEND committee
The European Court of First Instance (ECFI) annulled yesterday all decisions and a regulation of the Council of the European Union (EU) that had maintained Prof Jose Maria Sison in its so-called terrorist blacklist.
The removal of the name of Prof Sison from the blacklist is the essence or main point of the ECFI judgment on Case T-341/07 of Prof Sison against the Council of EU. It directly unfreezes Sison’s funds in his small bank account and allows him to engage in financial dealings like any ordinary person.
To annul the acts of the Council in blacklisting Prof Sison and freezing his account, the ECFI ruled that the national decisions done in The Netherlands and relied upon by the Council did not relate to the instigation of investigations or prosecution or to a conviction for terrorist activity, contrary to the requirements of European Community Law.
Aside from unfreezing the funds of Prof Sison, the ECFI judgment opens the way for him to assert and enjoy all his rights that have been restricted or suppressed due to the false charge of terrorism. He can benefit from the judgment in the following ways:
1. To claim back the social payments for living allowance, housing, health insurance and old age pension which have been withdrawn from him since 2002;
2. To seek gainful employment or render professional services with remuneration;
3. To secure legal admission as a refugee and a residence permit;
4. To travel freely without restrictions;
5. To be free from being labelled and stigmatized as a terrorist; and
6. To claim moral and material damages for what he has suffered since 2002.
The International DEFEND Committee is calling on all its adherents, supporters and friends to celebrate the legal victory of Prof Jose Maria Sison in the European Court and at the same time to become more determined than ever before in demanding that the Dutch government and Council of the EU change their hostile policy towards him.
The Dutch government and the Council of the EU must cease and desist from being the vehicles of false charges and tools of persecution of the US and Philippine governments against Prof. Jose Maria Sison. He must be allowed and encouraged to act freely and fruitfully as the chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines in peace negotiations with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines.
For reference please contact:
Ruth de Leon
International Coordinator-Committee DEFEND
Telephone: 00-31-30-8895306
Email: defenddemrights@yahoo.com
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View at NDFP website
24 December 2008
Central Committee
Communist Party of the Philippines
Dear Comrades
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist) asks you to accept our warmest and most heartfelt revolutionary greetings on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of the Philippines on the basis of Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought and in the midst of acute class struggle against imperialism, domestic reactionaries and modern revisionism at home and abroad.
The Communist Party of the Philippines is not only the tried and tested revolutionary vanguard of the Filipino proletariat and people of all nationalities, but also a stalwart champion and highly respected contingent of the international communist movement.
For the last four decades, your party has integrated the universal ideas of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin and Mao Zedong with the concrete realities of your revolution and the needs of the changing times, has struggled heroically, in the spirit of being resolute, fearing no sacrifice and surmounting every difficulty to win victory, has persisted in the road of protracted people’s war, and has advanced wave upon wave, registering great progress towards the victory of the new democratic revolution and the seizure of power on a nationwide scale.
All these are great achievements not only of your Party but for the international communist movement, the international proletariat, and the oppressed nations and peoples as a whole. Comrades, we sincerely rejoice over them.
In greeting this significant anniversary, we extend, through you, our revolutionary greetings to all the members of your Party, to all the red commanders and fighters of the heroic New People’s Army, to the revolutionary people organised in all the mass organisations of the National Democratic Front, and to the Filipino proletariat and people as a whole. In particular, we extend our deep condolences to all the revolutionary martyrs and their steadfast families, and send our special greetings to all the imprisoned comrades and their loved ones.
Comrades, The Filipino revolution is part of the great anti-imperialist struggle of the peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America and a key link in the chain of world proletarian revolution. Our Party resolutely supports this revolution, as we once again reaffirmed in the resolution passed unanimously at our congress earlier this year, and highly values our close comradely relations with the fraternal Communist Party of the Philippines. We look forward to deepening and strengthening this relationship in the months and years to come. Our Party also seeks to further consolidate its links to proletarians of Filipino origin and other members of the Filipino community living and working in Britain as a key part of building the forces of Marxism-Leninism, of working class resistance, of anti-imperialist solidarity and of anti-racism in the imperialist heartlands.
Once again, we extend our most militant red salute to you, dear comrades, and wish you every success in advancing the Filipino revolution to victory.
LONG LIVE THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE PHILIPPINES!
LONG LIVE MARXISM-LENINISM AND PROLETARIAN INTERNATIONALISM!
With warmest fraternal greetings
International Secretary
On behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist)
