20-08-2002
In a press conference today, the militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) asserted that only the allies of US imperialism are afraid of National Democratic Front Political Consultant Jose Maria Sison. “Only foreign and local oppressors are threatened by Joema Sison.”
Labor leader and KMU Secretary for Federation Affairs Joel Maglunsod said that the organized attacks against Sison being done by the Philippine and US governments and now the Dutch government, are meant to portray Sison as a terrorist and criminal.
The exiled communist leader is now being linked by the Dutch intelligence to the Al-Qaeda network. “The move to link Sison to Al-Qaeda was obviously schemed by the US government. “The Bush government is seeking quick ways to justify its intensified military intervention and possible armed aggression in the Philippines in line with its aim to tighten its hold on South East Asia.” KMU affirmed that Sison's outstanding record as a staunch anti-imperialist, nationalist and revolutionary is a constant threat to US power and its local diehard puppets in Malacanang.
“For about four decades now, Sison has been exposing the ills of the Philippine society principally dominated and exploited by foreign imperialist powers and local elite of landlords, big capitalists and bureaucrats. As a keen social critic, Sison evaluated and exposed every US-puppet administration since the reign of Diosdado Macapagal to the present presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He is an unfaltering opponent of US aggression. He junked exploitative US economic policies. He contributed to the downfall of the Marcos dictatorship and ouster of Joseph Estrada, being the courageous leader of the people's revolutionary struggle. His dedicated promotion of the people's national democratic struggle for social and national liberation even resulted to his severe torture and solitary confinement for eight years.
Because of this and his other deeds, he is persistently being attacked and maligned by the Arroyo government and its imperialist handlers like Gen. Colin Powell.” Maglunsod said that US is extremely terrified as well because Sison support the struggles of other nations also oppressed by imperialists. “He earned his reputation as an internationalist with his vast knowledge on the people's movements to end US domination and his active espousal of their struggles.”
The KMU leader further said that the freezing of Sison's and the CPP's supposed assets and the systematic demonization campaign launched by Arroyo against the revolutionary movement and the people's legal democratic mass movement are futile attempts to crush the national liberation movement in the Philippines. “It would only heighten enormous protests against US military intervention and Arroyo's repressive leadership style. All these would contribute to Arroyo's quick isolation from the masses. All her actions would soon backfire at her. We are certain that the people's broadening resistance would overcome her tyranny and greed for power and wealth. We will work harder to fight US-sponsored state terrorism espoused by Arroyo,” Maglunsod concluded."