Win the armed revolution in the 21st century
- Armando Liwanag

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

"We are confident of winning complete victory in the new democratic revolution in the early part of the 21st century." Thus stated Comrade Armando Liwanag, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines in his message on the 31st anniversary of the New People's Army (NPA) on March 29.

According to Comrade Liwanag, the worsening crisis of the world capitalist system and the domestic ruling system is exceedingly favorable for the advance of the revolutionary movement. He said that the NPA and other revolutionary forces are in a position to take advantage of the situation because they have accumulated experience and strength and because the Second Great Rectification Movement has prepared them for greater victories in the future.

"As we enter the 21st century", said Liwanag, "the capitalist crisis of overproduction and new world disorder are worsening rapidly." Consequently, the monopoly bourgeoisie is intensifying its exploitation and oppression of workers. The resulting unprecedented destruction of productive forces and contraction of the world market will intensify all the basic contradictions in the world.

The main arena of violent conflicts between revolution and counterrevolution are the semicolonial and semifeudal countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, Liwanag said. Marxist-Leninist-Maoist parties are gaining strength and are illuminating the road of armed revolution particularly in South and Southeast Asia.

Of the current domestic situation, Liwanag said that "the chronic crisis of the ruling system is rapidly worsening in an all-round way." This crisis is inflicting extreme suffering on the broad masses of the people and inciting social unrest and armed revolution. It has reached a level similar to that on the eve of the declaration of martial law under the Marcos regime, he added.

The Philippines is still dependent on the importation of equipment, fuel and semiprocessed components. Production, still export-oriented, is depressed by the global crisis of overproduction. The foreign trade deficit has been mounting from year to year. The country's foreign debt is soaring. The exploiting classes are intensifying their exploitation of the working class and the peasantry.

"Because of the worsening socio-economic crisis," said Liwanag, "the ground is decreasing for amicable mutual accommodation among the competing political factions of the exploiting classes." Liwanag pointed out that political rivalry among the reactionaries is becoming more bitter and violent as the corruption of the Estrada clique becomes more flagrant.

He added that the ascension of the Estrada ruling clique reflects an unprecedented deterioration of the economic and political system. "In so short a time," he said, "there is already a popular outcry for his ouster or forced resignation."

The US-Estrada regime is also escalating its attacks against the people. In response to this, the legal democratic movement of workers, peasants, women, youth, church people and other sectors of society has vigorously surged forward. Protests and demands have been raised on socioeconomic and political issues.

Meanwhile, revolutionary armed resistance has expanded and grown in strength. With this situation and towards the objective of winning the armed revolution in the present century, Liwanag asserted that

• The New People s Army must continue to play the crucial role of carrying out the principal form of struggle. This is to defeat the armed forces of the enemy and thereby overthrow the ruling system of the big compradors and landlords in order to establish the people's democratic government based on the alliance of the working class and the peasantry.

• The NPA must serve as a force for transforming backward villages into advanced political, military, economic and cultural bastions of the revolution.

• The Communist Party of the Philippines must exercise absolute leadership over the NPA and ensure that revolutionary politics is in command.

• We must solve the main problem of the democratic revolution, which is the land problem.

"It is our internationalist duty to persevere in the protracted people's war, intensify our tactical offensives and deal deadly blows on the enemy," Liwanag explained. "Our revolutionary struggle and victories are our contribution to the world proletarian revolution and the broad anti-imperialist struggle of the people of the world."

"The ultimate aim is to defeat imperialism on a global scale and attain communism for the benefit of all mankind," concluded the statement.

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The full text of Comrade Armando Liwanag's statement on the NPA s 31st anniversary will be published in a special issue of Ang Bayan.

March 2000
English Edition

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