#KaJomaLives | Tribute to Jose Maria Sison – “Ka Joma”

The International League of Peoples’ Struggle US country chapter offers its highest salute to Ka (comrade) Jose Maria Sison, former Chairperson and Chairperson Emeritus of the ILPS who passed on December 16, 2022 at 8:40 pm Philippines time at the age of 83.

A lifelong revolutionary who diligently served the people of the Philippines and the world, Ka Joma dedicated his life to advancing the National Democratic Revolution of the Philippines, and uplifting the struggles of all oppressed peoples & workers around the world in fighting back against imperialism.

In the midst of rising fascism in the Philippines under US-backed Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Joma organized youth and students to found Kabataang Makabayan in 1964 in order to fight alongside workers and peasants in advancing their common interests of genuine sovereignty and democracy. As a revolutionary thinker, he applied scientific socialism to the Philippines conditions to sharply identify the main enemies and methods of waging revolution towards the building of a socialist society. He also understood the importance of international solidarity and went on to serve as Chairperson of the International Initiative Committee, contributing greatly to the conceptualization of the ILPS, which culminated in its significant 2001 founding.

Since then, the League has served as a center for higher coordination, unity, and greater advances in the anti-imperialist struggles, waving high the banner of national and social liberation during which Professor Sison served as Chairperson of the International Coordinating Committee for 15 years providing keen critique against the neoliberal mechanisms of competing imperialist forces across the globe. He focused the League’s efforts on uniting the broadest forces of the oppressed and exploited to fight our common enemies.

Joma died in forced exile in the Netherlands from his home as a result of trumped up “terrorist” charges, a common tool of reactionaries to attempt to suppress and weaken revolutionary movements. This “terror tagging” is a practice that is all too familiar to organizers within the belly of the beast who resist the wide ranging forms of state repression against our movements and our communities daily. As a testament to Joma’s commitment and the strength of our liberation struggles, this “terrorist listing” was ultimately unable to slow down the growing momentum of the anti-imperialist movement or deter Ka Joma from continuing to organize until his death.

Joma was a writer, a poet, a theoretician who continually demonstrated the need to sharpen our analysis and our practice – but most importantly he was an unrelenting revolutionary. As we appreciate the great contributions of Ka Joma, we know that movements are not bound to individuals. To do true service to the legacy of Ka Joma is to take up the call to organize and continue fighting for a socialist future free from the shackles of imperialism and capitalism! We must boldly bring more people into the struggle, build greater unity across our movements, and let a thousand flowers bloom!

Mabuhay Ka Joma!

Long Live the Peoples’ Struggles Until Victory!

#KaJomaLives