Prof. Jose Maria Sison: Why no ceasefire?

[ndf <ndf@casema.nl>]

						PRESSSTATEMENT
22 December 2007

WHY NOCEASEFIRE?

By Prof. JOSE MARIASISON
Chief Political Consultant
National Democratic Frontof the Philippines


It is understandable why there is noceasefire between the armed forces of the Government of the Republicof the Philippines (GRP) and those of the National Democratic Frontof the Philippines (NDFP) during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Gregorio �Ka Roger� Rosal,spokesperson of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), hasexposed the fact that the GRP merely wants the New People's Army (NPA) to cease firing while the Armed Forces of the Philippines(AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the paramilitary forceshave all the freedom to attack the people and the revolutionaryforces in the name of �peace and order�.

The fake president Gloria M. Arroyocontinues to rave about destroying the revolutionary movement before2010 and shows no real remorse for terrorizing and forciblydisplacing more than one million people from their homes and land andfor causing the extrajudicial killing, abduction and torture of morethan a thousand legal activists. The noises that she makes about�ceasefire�, �localized peace talks�, �amnesty andrehabilitation� are all intended to serve her pipe dream ofdestroying the revolutionary movement  by military force.

The sham proposal of AFP chief of staffGeneral Esperon for a three-year ceasefire is also seen by the NDFPas a cheap psywar trick to tie the hands of the armed revolutionarymovement and allow the AFP, PNP and paramilitary forces of the GRP toattack the people and revolutionary forces with impunity.

The Arroyo regime spouts gibberishabout �ceasefire�  in order to obscure the gross and systematichuman rights violations and other impediments to the resumption offormal talks and lay aside the need to address the roots of the civilwar with basic social, economic and political reforms through theGRP-NDFP peace negotiations.  

Ceasefire between the GRP and NDFP ispossible anytime if  the GRP 1)  agrees with the NDFP on the tenprinciples in the proposed concise agreement for an immediate justpeace,  2)  respects the political authority and  territory of thepeople's democratic government,  3)  withdraws AFP troops todivisional headquarters and the PNP mobile brigades to brigadeheadquarters and dissolves the paramilitary forces, 4)  removes the12 impediments that prevent the  resumption of formal talks and  5)agrees with the NDFP to accelerate the peace negotiations inaccordance with The Hague Joint Declaration.

But the problem with the Arroyo regimeis that it is extremely pro-imperialist and ultra-reactionary. Itmerely wants the people and the revolutionary forces to stop  theirjust resistance and capitulate under the guise of ceasefire. �Localized peace talks� are also intended to fragment therevolutionary movement, collect intelligence and pinpoint thelocation of NPA units and base areas with the use of concealed GPSgadgets.  The scheme of amnesty and rehabilitation is a worn-outtrick of high bureaucrats and AFP and PNP officers faking lists ofsurrenderees and pocketing the money. ###


REFERENCE:
Ruth de Leon
ExecutiveDirector
NDFP International InformationOffice
Tel.+31-30-2310431
Fax +31-84-7589930
Email:ndf@casema.nl