Resist armed intervention and the threat of armed aggression from US imperialism
Executive Committee
Central Committee
Communist Party of the Philippines
The armed intervention of US military forces in Mindanao, which masquerades as a supposed long-term joint training exercise, is a direct affront to national sovereignty and portends bigger and more virulent forms of armed aggression.
The September 11 attack has been thoroughly exploited by US imperialism to pursue and wage unbridled attacks on the borders of small and weak countries. The US has arrogated unto itself the exclusive right to hunt down people anywhere and topple even governments of other countries it brands and suspects as "terrorist". At first aimed at "international terrorism" to identify direct threats against the security and territory of the United States, the military campaign has eventually been expanded to target all forces, elements and even governments and countries that the US has arbitrarily decided to be "terrorist" and supporters of "terrorism" in order to encompass all serious threats to the interests and power of US imperialism within and outside its own country. From being a defensive reaction to a terrorist attack on its own country, the US campaign has rapidly shifted to an aggressive defense and assertion of imperialist power and interest by the lone superpower in various corners of the globe. The imperialist blacklist includes even anti-imperialist governments and revolutionary movements for national liberation that enjoy the broad support of their own peoples, such as the NDFP and NPA. But as expected, it does not include pro-imperialist forces like the Israeli government that unrestrainedly sows terrorism against countries and Palestinian civilians.
American troops have attacked and continue to scour Afghanistan. The US and its allied governments and dependencies have expanded joint exercises to prepare, if not actually commence, armed intervention and aggression. The long-term disposition of US troops, arms and military equipment in various parts of the world has been further expanded. Through the Financial Action Task Force, the US is effecting stricter surveillance and control of financial transactions and the flow of funds in various parts of the world that it considers or suspects to be supportive of "terrorism". Nonetheless, the other side of the war without borders being fought overseas is the "fortress USA" policy that calls for tight controls on the entry of foreigners into US territory. Within the United States, clampdowns and restrictions on civil liberties that correspond to a declared state of war are being imposed — such as restrictions on the rights of accused "terrorists" and the conduct of surveillance on suspect nationalities (racial profiling).
The war without borders being pushed by Bush and his high-level advisers, who include masterminds and veterans of the anti-communist terrorist campaign of the Contras, death squads and other fascist thugs in Latin America, Africa and Asia during Reagan's time, is a case of unparalleled imperialist arrogance. US imperialism has resorted to wars of aggression, constantly being on a war footing and massive military expenditures to quell the fires of widespread unrest the world over, jump-start the failing US and world economy, continue the regime of imperialist power and privilege and persist in and intensify the exploitation of neocolonies and US dependencies — in short, to continue advocating and asserting imperialist domination and imperialist globalization which, all things considered, are the very main reasons behind the seething unrest and crisis the world over.
In the Philippines, the campaign against the Abu Sayyaf and the AFP-PNP's failure to defeat the terrorist group that is the AFP and CIA's own creation, are being used by US imperialism and the puppet Macapagal-Arroyo government to rationalize the direct military intervention of American troops in the country. But there have been oft-repeated declarations by no less than Gen. Angelo Reyes that the next and bigger target of such joint operations masquerading as joint training exercises would be the NDFP and NPA, who could never be linked even in the realm of the imagination, to the September 11 attack.
As early as November and December of the previous year, Bush and Macapagal-Arroyo had already entered into an agreement for the armed intervention of American troops in the country. The scheme was outrightly illegal; thus, up to the last moment, Malaca�ang was scrambling to contrive legal and constitutional bases and concoct an explanation to the public. It has so far come up with a convoluted interpretation of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). It has announced then denied the existence of a new and secret Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) that restores the right of Americans to keep bases. At first, before public opposition had intensified, Macapagal- Arroyo shamelessly admitted that their goal was to achieve a quick victory and justified direct US military intervention — even at the cost of trampling on national sovereignty and constitutional processes. At any rate, the imperialist master and his local puppet were determined to push through with the armed intervention of American troops. If needed, they would cook up new agreements, plot even more dastardly ways of riding roughshod over their own constitution and concoct various incidents — just to pursue their antinational schemes.
The puppet Macapagal-Arroyo regime is desperately seeking immediate remedies to the severe economic and political crisis of the ruling system. The semifeudal economy lies prostrate and further grows weak due to the intense global crisis, the destruction wrought by the neoliberal policies of deregulation and liberalization, and the unparalleled bureaucratic raids on the nation's coffers. Armed and unarmed people's resistance continue to expand. There are serious schemes and threats from Macapagal-Arroyo's reactionary political rivals. Amid such a situation, the ruling reactionary clique hankers for a quick military victory through the direct assistance of American troops, to cover up the country's severe internal crisis and improve the ruling clique's chances of lasting until 2004 and winning in the next elections.
Military intervention and the threat of armed aggression from US imperialism represent a renewed major deterioration of the corrupt semicolonial and semifeudal system. It is a desperate resort to colonial intervention and violence to save the tottering reactionary system. It represents the dominance of all-out subservience and puppetry, militarism and militarist means to violently suppress not only "terrorists" but others who oppose and resist imperialism and big landlord and big bourgeois comprador rule.
The intense venom spewed by armed imperialist intervention had an immediate effect in Malaca�ang's brazenly riding roughshod over the peace talks between the NDFP and GRP. At the prodding of militarists led by Gen. Angelo Reyes, the Macapagal-Arroyo regime arbitrarily suspended the talks and issued successive ultimatums and imposed conditions that were directly violative of agreements previously signed by both parties. The primary objective is neither peace nor negotiations, but to deceive the NDFP and the revolutionary forces in order to make them targets of joint operations launched by American and puppet troops.
What the Bush-Arroyo cabal is advocating is outrightly illegal and treasonable and further worsens the widespread illegality, criminality and corruption that pervade the topmost echelons of the civilian, military and police bureaucracy of the puppet state. It further encourages and strengthens the extreme right, militarists, the most subservient puppets and the most corrupt and worst elements of reactionary politics in the country.
The direct consequences of US armed intervention can never be confined to Basilan and Sulu or to the Abu Sayyaf. The Abu Sayyaf merely represents an opportunity seized by US imperialism and the puppet Macapagal-Arroyo regime to effect the return of American troops and the latter's direct intervention in the expanding and intensifying struggle between revolution and counterrevolution in the country. With the US' assistance, the AFP is fast-tracking the development of its weaponry and other military equipment especially in relation to transportation, communication and surveillance, further increase the number of puppet regular and paramilitary troops, and expand throughout the country massive military operations that are currently concentrated in selected provinces due to the lack of funds, equipment and personnel.
There is no doubt that the US' armed intervention and all-out counterrevolutionary war will exacerbate the suffering of the broad masses of the people. This is a big blow to a people who have long been in severe agony due to the intense socioeconomic crisis.
Threats from imperialists, reactionaries and militarists fail to daunt the Party and the revolutionary movement. Consequent to the victorious completion of the Second Great Rectification Movement, the Party and the revolutionary movement are stronger, more consolidated and possess a clear grasp of the requisites of advancing the people's democratic revolution against local and foreign enemies. The entire Party is united and determined to lead the people in utmost resistance to armed intervention and threats of armed aggression from US imperialism. The New People's Army has been tried and tempered in more than 30 years of waging a life-and-death struggle.
Even as imperialism and reaction become more virulent, they expose and isolate themselves, drive the masses closer to the revolution's embrace, and hasten the day of their eventual collapse. Whatever tactical difficulties may be posed by the US' military intervention and armed aggression, they will certainly be overcome by the advantages created by the resistance waged by millions of people who stand ready to struggle for genuine national liberation and democracy.
Tasks of the Party and the revolutionary movement
It is the urgent task of the party and the entire revolutionary movement to continually wage all-out resistance against US armed intervention and threats of armed aggression. It is necessary to extensively prepare and mobilize the revolutionary forces, along with the broad masses of the people to firmly resist this renewed intrusion from US imperialism and its local minions. Expand, strengthen and intensify the protest movement and armed struggle, expand and strengthen the national united front, and firmly advance the people's democratic revolution. Resist and frustrate US armed intervention and make the Macapagal-Arroyo regime pay dearly for its out-and-out puppetry and treachery to the country.
1 Immediately we must put stress on broadening and intensifying mass protests and the propaganda movement. Arouse and mobilize the broad masses of the people to assail, oppose and resist US armed intervention and threats of armed aggression. Heighten and sharpen the nationalist and anti-imperialist consciousness of the masses of the people through widespread and sustained protest actions, political education and cultural presentations. We must assiduously follow, track, expose, criticize and resist every move related to the armed intervention of US troops in Mindanao. Thoroughly expose and oppose the MDT, VFA, MLSA and other colonial agreements used by US imperialism and the puppet regime. Conduct on different scales and various levels, commemorations of the Philippine-American War to arouse and mobilize the broad masses against imperialist intervention and aggression. Stimulate the conduct of studies on the policies and international strategies of US imperialism within and outside the revolution's ranks.
2 Expose, resist and isolate the puppet and reactionary Macapagal-Arroyo regime. Concentrate our strongest blow against Macapagal-Arroyo and the militarists headed by Angelo Reyes due to their outright puppetry and treachery to the people. They must be condemned as the worst elements of reactionary politics.
3 Broaden and strengthen the anti-imperialist united front. Persevere in pursuing linkages and alliances with forces and elements who advocate various levels of anti-imperialism and uphold national sovereignty and independence. Build the broadest possible alliances against imperialist intervention and aggression. Initiate and develop different types, levels and forms of solidarity with the broadest possible alliances of actual and potential allies. Mobilize the progressive forces and allies for protest actions, propaganda work, organizing, tasks within the reactionary Congress and other fora to advance the broadest people's resistance in various arenas.
4 Intensify the revolutionary armed struggle nationwide. Make the reactionaries pay dearly, strengthen further the armed revolutionary movement, encourage and support different forms of struggle, and prepare the minds and organizations of the masses and the revolutionary movement for a life-and-death struggle against imperialist aggression. Only through the intensification of extensive and intensive guerrilla warfare can the Party, the people's army and the mass base be fully prepared to confront and resist escalating imperialist intervention and threats of aggression. It is now more imperative to firmly grasp the correct line of extensive and intensive guerrilla warfare based on the ever widening and deepening support of the masses. Leading Party committees and army commands must pay due attention to overcoming apparent weakness and hindrances to the speedy expansion and consolidation of the mass base and mass movement, the intensifi cation of tactical offensives and the expansion and strengthening of the Party in the countryside. We must improve the training of officers and fighters, develop their knowledge and skills in guerrilla tactics, and boost the fighting capacity of the entire army. We also need to pay attention to developing the capability to conduct partisan operations in the cities. Most of all, we should further expand and strengthen the mass base and the mass movement, encourage different forms of mass campaigns and mobilize the people in their millions for the armed revolution.
5 Broaden and deepen the underground movement in the cities and the countryside. We must seriously confront threats of imperialist aggression even as we determinedly resist and frustrate it on all fronts — legal and illegal, armed and unarmed. Even in the absence of open intervention by American troops in the counterrevolutionary war against the NPA, we must remain ever vigilant to the likelihood of their direct but clandestine participation in surveillance and intelligence operations. Thus we must further expand and deepen the underground movement in the cities and countryside. We must strictly follow the rules of clandestine operations and movements. Develop, broaden and strictly observe the use of encryption for sensitive exchanges and information. Develop secure systems of communication. Broaden and strengthen the courier system even as we maximize the secure use of modern methods of communication. Continue to strictly enforce the policies on the proper and safe use of radios, cellphones, e-mail and other modern communications equipment. Systematize and develop the modes of operation and basing of the leading organs of the Party and the army command.
6 Broaden and strengthen inter national support against imperialist intervention and threats of aggression. The broadest and strongest solidarity among revolutionaries and anti-imperialist forces has all the more become important and necessary, especially in the United States. More than ever, we need to expand anti-imperialist propaganda abroad.
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