Press Report
08, February 2016

Prof. Jose Ma. Sison’s latest book, Crisis Generates Resistance received highly appreciative and insightful reviews, and was warmly received by friends, supporters, youth and solidarity activists during its launch on February 7, 2016 in Utrecht, The Netherlands, at the NDFP International Information Office. The Utrecht launch is the third of a series of launches held and to be in the Philippines and in various countries abroad.

The Utrecht book launch was part of a tri-event featuring a forum-discussion on the crisis and people’s resistance with Bob Scholte a leader of the Dutch youth organization Revolutionaire Eenheid (Revolutionary Unity) and guests of honor Leila Khaled of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Luis Jalandoni, Chief International Representative of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and Chairperson of the NDFP Negotiating Panel. This was followed by a cultural presentation depicting the subject of the book.

Crisis Generates Resistance is the first volume of the People´s Struggles against Oppression and Exploitation series of selected writings of Professor Sison from 2009 to 2015. It presents “the people´s resistance on a global scale amidst the total bankruptcy of neoliberal economic policy, the ever worsening crisis of monopoly capitalism and the relentless wars of aggression unleashed by US imperialism and its NATO and Zionist subalterns.”

In brief remarks launching his latest book, Prof. Sison noted that the global situation today is worse than that of the 2008 crisis. Thus, he declared that opportunities for resistance have become even more favorable.

He stated that the world is increasingly being devastated by the US imperialist neoliberal policies. He emphasized that arousing, organizing and mobilizing the people have become ever more urgent and that the people´s resistance should move forward to a socialist future.

In his book review, Thomas van Beersum of the Revolutionaire Eenheid stated that Sison’s latest book “pushes for an anti-imperialist proletarian political line”.

He said the book comes out at a time when racist and fascist movements are on the rise in Europe. He noted that although the revolutionary movement in the Netherlands is in crisis, the people are resisting. He cited as example the militant youth in the Netherlands who continue to organize themselves and conduct political actions and protest demonstrations against issues that affect them and the people, in general.

On her part, Consie Taguba-Lozano, Gabriela activist and organizer based in The Netherlands, gave a scholarly review noting that the book responds to unfolding events in the Philippines and the world at large. She stated that other political analysts in the progressive circles hardly unearth the root causes of the global crisis and point the way forward for the people. She said Sison’s book clearly and precisely exposes US imperialism, and confronts the crisis by calling on the people themselves to rely on their organized strength to resist the crisis.“Prof. Sison’s book is a valuable resource and reference material in the great library of the people’s resistance,” Lozano concluded.

The forum discussion started with Bob Scholte of Revolutionaire Eenheid who shared the crisis and struggle in the Netherlands. He said the political actions and mass demonstrations organized and participated in by the Dutch youth in 2015 debunk the impression that the Dutch youth are apolitical and individualistic.

He cited the struggles of the undocumented people, the student occupations, the anti-fascist, anti-racist actions and the Schilderswijk uprising as proof of the resistance sweeping the Netherlands.

The second speaker, guest of honor Luis Jalandoni, spoke on the revolutionary struggle in the Philippines. He made a concise presentation of the people´s long history of resistance against colonial and imperialist exploiters and oppressors and the current state of the revolutionary and progressive movement in the Philippines.

He said that in the 47 years of the Filipino people’s revolutionary struggle against imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism, the people’s war has grown stronger and currently covers more than 110 guerrilla fronts nationwide. Jalandoni stressed that the Aquino regime does not recognize the existing agreements in the peace negotiations and only wants prolonged ceasefire and surrender by the revolutionary forces.

For her part, guest of honor Leila Khaled, gave a rousing and inspiring anecdotal presentation of the Palestinian people´s revolutionary resistance against US imperialism and Israeli Zionism by giving a vivid account of her role in hijacking TWA 840 back on August 29,1969 and her continuing role as a revolutionary woman leader of the PFLP.

She regaled an enthralled predominantly youthful audience with her account of the hijacking as a means of ¨ringing the bell¨ worldwide for the cause of the Palestinian people´s resistance to regain their homeland from the Zionists backed by the US and European imperialists who in the first place had hijacked the Palestinian homeland.

The last part of the tri-event was moving cultural performances by the Willem Geertman Cultural Brigade, Revolutionaire Eenheid, Ugnayang Pilipino sa Belgium and youth rap group Puur. They did inspired choral recitations of “Litany of Despair”, “Violins” and “Sad State of Freedom”. Marikit Saturay, a youth activist and composer interpreted the song “Pagkatapos ng Digma” (After the War), and performed her own composition “Song for Migrants”.

Other performances included a choral interpretation of “Awit ng Tagumpay” (Song of Victory) and rousing rap numbers. The cultural performances were capped with agitation chants and the singing of the “Internationale”. ###