The Case of Thomas van Beersum: Is "White" Activism Foreign Intervention in the PH?

SUNDAY, AUGUST 11 at 9pm EST (Mon 9am Philippine time). Earlier this week Thomas van Beersum, a Dutch national who participated in a human rights conference and the People's SONA was arrested and deported for being an "undesirable alien." He is now blacklisted from re-entering the country in the future. An image of him confronting a Philippine police officer at a rally objecting to the current state of the Philippine nation went viral and elicited both outcry and support. According to the government, visitors to the country are not allowed to participate in political protests. Public detractors on social media are quick to point out that as a white foreigner, his actions were seen as 'disrespectful' and a form of 'intervention' on local affairs. Philippine activists, on the other hand, see his presence as a form of international solidarity and point to the fact that he acted within the laws that apply for all other people in the country. This week on RadMig we will discuss the case of Thomas van Beersum. Did he break any actual laws, and if so how? What is foreign intervention? What does it mean to have solidarity? - - - Guests: Katrina Stuart Santiago, journalist for different media outlets, including GMA & the Manila times Nicole Oliver, ILPS-Canada exec member Marie Boti, a filmmaker and activist and long-time solidarity friend of the Filipino people.