[asia-apec 217] Letter to President Pamos

[Pacific-Asia Resource Center PARC]

Dear Friends;
We, a group of Japanese NGOs and citizens groups, send this letter to
President Ramos, in which 39 NGOs and 39 individuals join signed. We will
visit the Philippine embassy in Tokyo to hand this letter and have a
dialogue with them regarding Ramos-Horta's case. 
 

President Fidel Ramos
Malacanan Palace Compound
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel, Metro Manila
1005, The Philippines
November 1, 1996


Dear Mr. President,

        We, a group of Japanese NGOs and citizen groups, are writing to you
in regard to the refusal of the Philippine government to grant a visa to
Mr. Jose Ramos-Horta, member of the East Timorese resistance movement and
recent recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. 
        We were extremely disappointed at your decision. We believe that
the Philippines, as a democratic nation and member of the Asian Pacific
community of nations, should be taking a leading role in promoting the
defense of human rights and self-determination in the region, and it is
simply incomprehensible that your government would turn a blind eye to the
desire of the East Timorese people for self-determination. 
        As you know, Mr. Ramos-Horta was invited to the Manila People's
Forum on APEC, which will be held in conjunction with the APEC, and which
will be an important gathering of people's organizations in the region. The
participants will certainly be concerned with the issue of East Timor, and
it will undoubtedly be a great embarrassment to the Philippines government
if it is perceived that it is not supportive of this important human rights
issue. 
        Mr. Ramos-Horta was a participant in the 1995 NGO Forum on APEC
which was held in Japan at the time of the Osaka APEC meeting, and he
played an important role in the success of that meeting. NGOs and citizen
groups in the region are very much looking forward to his participation in
the 1996 meeting. 
        We would like to remind you also that East Timor has been
recognized by the United Nations and International Court of Justice as a
non-self governing territory without self determination, and that as such
the people of East Timor have applied to have observer status within the
APEC process, indicating that this is an issue for APEC as a whole. You
must also be aware that there has been considerable debate within the
region concerning the so-called "Timor Gap Treaty," and we feel that Mr.
Ramos-Horta's presence will be vital in promoting continued discussion on
this issue. 
        In closing, we sincerely urge you to reconsider your decision and
allow Mr. Ramos-Horta to enter the Philippines for the conference. We also
hope that the stories which appeared in Philippine newspapers concerning
the existence of a so-called "List E" of "potential troublemakers" are
untrue, and that no such list exists. Many people in the region are deeply
concerned about this issue, and are carefully watching your government's
actions. 

Sincerely yours,

All Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers' Union Federation
Asia Health Institute
Asia to Nihon de Watashitachi no Kakawari wo Mitsumeru Kai
Asia to Rentaisuru Kai, Nagano
Asia to Rentaisuru Kai, Ina
Ayus
Ayus Kansai
Consumers Union of Japan
Friends of the Earth Japan
Group Kiki
Higashi Timor no Dokuritsu wo Nozomu Kai (Sapporo)
Higashi Timor Shien, Shinsyu
Higashi Timor to Rentaisuru Nagasaki no Kai
Higashi Timor Jin no Koe wo Kiku Kai
Institute for Alternative Community Development
Japan Tropical Forest Action Network
Japan Committee for Negros Campaign
Japan International Center for the Rights of the Child
Japan Women's association
Japanese Catholic Council for Justice and Peace
Japanese Catholic Council for Justice and Peace, Nagano
Korean Rights Group Japan
Kure YWCA Higashi Timor Mondai wo Kangaeru Kai
Laligurans-Japan
Nagoya YWCA Higashi Timor wo Kangaeru Kai
Osaka East Timor Association
Osaka YWCA
Pacific Asia Resource Center 
People's Forum 2001, Japan
Plutonium Action Hiroshima
Sapporo Institute for International Solidarity
Shimonoseki Higashi Timor no Kai
Society for the Protection of Rights  of Foreigners, Hokkaido
The Foundation for Human Rights in Asia
Tokyo East Timor Association
Sendai Higashi Timor no Kai
Women's Democratic Club
Women's Space On
Zentsuji East Timor Solidarity Committee

Amenomori Takayoshi
Fujitani Naoko
Hashimoto Kimie
Hirata Tetsu (Japan Christian Academy)
Inoue Dan 
Ishinaka Eiji (APEC Monitor NGO Network)
Ito Michio 
James Minney
Kaga Hideto 
Kayano Yuri
Kawakami Sonoko
Kawakami Toyoyuki (APEC Monitor NGO Network)
Kitazawa Yoko
Kobayashi Fujio (Eco-League)
Kono Machiko (Osaka Jiyu Gakko)
Kurokochi Shigemi (Osaka Jiyu Gakko)
Lesley Pettigrew
Miyake Karin
Matsumoto Ikuko (A Seed Kansai)
Matsumoto Kyoko  
Mizuno Asyura (Osaka Jiyu Gakko)
Miyamoto Shiro 
Murata Kaoru
Nakamura Hisashi
Nakatani Ayami
Okauchi Sawako
Okouchi Hideto
Oi Taeko
Safia Minney
Sano Masaya (APEC Monitor NGO Network)
Saito Tomoyo
Shwoda Taku
Tsuru Akiko
Ueno Sumiko
Yamaguchi Hiroko (Osaka Jiyu Gakko)
Yamazaki Shunji
Yokoo Kimiko (APEC Monitor NGO Network)
Yoshida Masami (Eco-League)
Yoshiike Toshiko (Asia Forum Yokohama)