From: "maoist"/Maoist Revelution;
Democracy and Class Struggle call
for the immediate release of Thomas Van
Beersum by the Philippine Government..
"While notorious human rights violators and corrupt officials can freely go
in and out of the Philippines, Dutch activist Thomas van Beersum was
detained by the Bureau of Immigration a few days ago.
Clearly, he is being persecuted by the Aquino government for exercising his
freedom of expression." - Karapatan
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA - A Dutch activist who joined the protest action during the State of
the Nation Address of President Benigno Aquino III was prevented from
leaving the country by immigration officials.
Thomas van Beersum is being held at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport
(NAIA). He became prominent when photos of him castigating a policeman for
the violent dispersal during the SONA demonstration came out.
In a phone interview with Bulatlat.com, Ephraim Cortez of the National Union
of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL) who was able to talk to Van Beersum over the
phone, said the Dutch activist was being asked to get a clearance from the
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) before he can leave the country.
Cortez said a certain Soloren who introduced himself as an intelligence
officer of the Bureau of Immigration told him over the phone that Van
Beersum needs to secure a clearance from the NBI stating that he is not
facing any pending charges.
As of press time, Cortez is seeking ways to talk with the Dutch activist in
person. "He is not aware of any charges filed against him," Cortez told
Bulatlat.com. "He did not do anything illegal and merely voiced out his
opinion regarding the human rights situation in the country. He was only
exercising his freedom of speech."
Van Beersum was one of the more than 200 delegates of the International
Conference on Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines held last month in
Manila. In his open letter to Joselito Sevilla, the policeman whom he was
seen shouting at during the SONA protest, Van Beersum said: "I attended the
SONA protest because I had been outraged by the human rights violations
committed by the corrupt Aquino regime."
He mentioned Dutch missionary Willem Geertman as a person he personally knew
who was murdered last July 3, 2012. Cortez said the detention of Van Beersum
is a clear case of harassment. In a statement, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
denounced the detention of Van Beersum and demanded for his immediate
release.
"We demand that his rights be respected, that he not be paraded like a
criminal," Bayan said.
Cristina Palabay, secretary general of human rights alliance Karapatan,
said: "While notorious human rights violators and corrupt officials can
freely go in and out of the Philippines, Dutch activist Thomas van Beersum
was detained by the Bureau of Immigration today. Clearly, he is being
persecuted by the Aquino government for exercising his freedom of
expression, a right guaranteed by the UN International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights even of non-citizens, and his support for the campaign
against extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations."
From: "maoist" <pcro.red@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 07
Beersum by the Philippine Government..
"While notorious human rights violators and corrupt officials can freely go
in and out of the Philippines, Dutch activist Thomas van Beersum was
detained by the Bureau of Immigration a few days ago.
Clearly, he is being persecuted by the Aquino government for exercising his
freedom of expression." - Karapatan
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA - A Dutch activist who joined the protest action during the State of
the Nation Address of President Benigno Aquino III was prevented from
leaving the country by immigration officials.
Thomas van Beersum is being held at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport
(NAIA). He became prominent when photos of him castigating a policeman for
the violent dispersal during the SONA demonstration came out.
In a phone interview with Bulatlat.com, Ephraim Cortez of the National Union
of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL) who was able to talk to Van Beersum over the
phone, said the Dutch activist was being asked to get a clearance from the
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) before he can leave the country.
Cortez said a certain Soloren who introduced himself as an intelligence
officer of the Bureau of Immigration told him over the phone that Van
Beersum needs to secure a clearance from the NBI stating that he is not
facing any pending charges.
As of press time, Cortez is seeking ways to talk with the Dutch activist in
person. "He is not aware of any charges filed against him," Cortez told
Bulatlat.com. "He did not do anything illegal and merely voiced out his
opinion regarding the human rights situation in the country. He was only
exercising his freedom of speech."
Van Beersum was one of the more than 200 delegates of the International
Conference on Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines held last month in
Manila. In his open letter to Joselito Sevilla, the policeman whom he was
seen shouting at during the SONA protest, Van Beersum said: "I attended the
SONA protest because I had been outraged by the human rights violations
committed by the corrupt Aquino regime."
He mentioned Dutch missionary Willem Geertman as a person he personally knew
who was murdered last July 3, 2012. Cortez said the detention of Van Beersum
is a clear case of harassment. In a statement, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
denounced the detention of Van Beersum and demanded for his immediate
release.
"We demand that his rights be respected, that he not be paraded like a
criminal," Bayan said.
Cristina Palabay, secretary general of human rights alliance Karapatan,
said: "While notorious human rights violators and corrupt officials can
freely go in and out of the Philippines, Dutch activist Thomas van Beersum
was detained by the Bureau of Immigration today. Clearly, he is being
persecuted by the Aquino government for exercising his freedom of
expression, a right guaranteed by the UN International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights even of non-citizens, and his support for the campaign
against extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations."
From: "maoist" <pcro.red@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 07
Pix from globalnation.inquirer.net
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