International Groups Denounce Deportation of Bangladeshi Peasant Leader

Can a foreigner be barred for entering the Philippines because of his or her previous participation in a protest action here? The answer is yes, going by the experience of a Bangladeshi peasant leader who was deported last March 30 even if his travel papers were in order.

By Gerry Albert Corpuz
Bulatlat

Three international groups asked the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to investigate Philippine immigration officials for the "extremely undemocratic" deportation of a Bangladeshi peasant activist who was barred from entering the country last March 30.

The Asian Peasant Coalition (APC), the Asia-Pacific Research Network (APRN) and the People's Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS) will file a petition in the CHR to look into the violations committed by local immigration officials in denying the entry of Badrul Alam, chairperson of Bangladesh Krishok Federation, to the Philippines to attend a meeting of Asian agricultural producers.

Last year's Nobel Peace Prize nominee and social activist Dr. Irene Fernandez of Malaysia said that the Philippine government violated the fundamental rights of Alam like the right to association and freedom of assembly, saying the APC would also bring the current wave of deportation of peasant activists before the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights. "Badrul is not a terrorist or a convicted criminal. He is an internationally known peasant activist highly regarded in the international community for his unwavering advocacy of peasant rights."

Protest in Nepal, India

For his part, Prem Dangal of Nepal and APC chairperson said that the Philippine consulate in Dhaka, Bangladesh approved Alam's visa, proving that his entry to the country is legal, moral and official and he did not apply as tourist, contrary to claims of immigration officials here.

Ferdinand Sampol, NAIA immigration officer, said that Alam was deported because he was on the immigration blacklist for joining an October 2005 peasant rally in Recto, Manila. He stressed that the Bangladeshi peasant activist violated one of the conditions of his stay in the country last year.

However, Dangal said that Alam was on an official visit last year because he applied for a visa and was approved by the Philippine consulate in Dhaka. He said that the Bangladeshi peasant leader also went through the same rigorous process when he traveled to the country to join an international meeting on food sovereignty sponsored by APRN scheduled from March 30 to April 3, 2006.

"This is over and above political harassment. This is political discrimination and repression rolled into one and executed by the very hostile administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. We condemn this act to the highest order," Dangal said.

Dangal said that his group in Nepal, the All Nepal Peasant Association (ANPA), will hold a rally on April 1 in Katmandu, Nepal to condemn Alam’s deportation. He expects more than 5,000 farmers to participate. Another protest will be held in India, according to Fatima Burnad, leader of all peasant women group India. She said that mass actions will also be held Dhaka by farmers to protest the deportation of Alam.

The show must go on

APRN board member and APC leader Biplab Halim, an organizer of the scheduled meeting on food sovereignty, said that the meeting of food sovereignty and peasant rights advocates will push through despite the deportation of Alam, saying the Philippine government should respect their global advocacy against poverty. "Our colleague Badrul Alam wants this meeting to push through. We will proceed with our mission come what may. The show must go on."

Halim said Alam and other foreign social activists who are planning to come to the Philippines for international solidarity work must be removed from the blacklist of the local immigration agency, stressing that the right of democratic people to free movement must be respected and guaranteed at all times.

He said it was unfortunate President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo prevented the Bangladeshi peasant activist from entering the country. "There is nothing in any international or local law that says expressing solidarity with the poor is a crime."

APRN General Secretary Teresa Lauron said that the Arroyo administration seems to be afraid of its own shadow for blacklisting an innocent peasant leader like Alam.

Lauron said that Alam was invited to join a meeting of PCFS and APC. Alam, as vice chairperson of APC, will facilitate the International Tribunal on International Rice Research Institute on April 4 sponsored by APC.

She said that immigration officials did not bother to explain to Alam why he was blacklisted. "If he turned out to be blacklisted, the Philippine embassy should have not have given him a visa from Bangladesh in the first place."

Map of global repression

For his part, APC and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP, Peasant Movement of the Philippines) Secretary General Danilo Ramos said that the deportation of Alam was another political black eye on President Arroyo before the international community. "The international community will label this as another political persecution of people fighting for land rights and state repression by the corrupt, illegal, puppet and immoral regime of President Arroyo. The deportation of comrade Alam by the Philippine government will amplify calls to put the Arroyo administration on the map of global repression."

Ramos said that he would ask peasant organizations in Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Thailand, Bangladesh and Nepal, as well as like-minded organizations in France, Brazil, Vietnam, South Korea, China, Japan, Mongolia, Mexico, Venezuela and Cuba to immediately write the Philippine Office of the President, the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation and the Department of Justice collectively condemning the "grossly immoral, inhuman and illegal deportation” of the Bangladesh peasant leader.

The KMP leader said they will hold a dialogue with the Bangladeshi embassy in Manila next week to inform embassy officials about what happened to Alam, saying the Philippine immigration officials did not even inform the Bangladeshi diplomatic officials in Manila about the deportation of the peasant leader. Bulatlat

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