There will be no ceasefire declaration by the NPA this Christmas
Unlike in past years, the New People�s Army will not declare a ceasefire this Christmas, in accordance with the decision of the leadership of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the NPA.
Instead, all units of the people�s army are ordered to continue and further intensify tactical offensives against the US-Estrada regime in response to the widespread call by the people to intensify all forms of struggle to end the despicable government. The NPA will not declare a ceasefire to deny Estrada the opportunity to buy time and order the forces of the AFP-PNP to focus on attacking and causing harm to the millions of people rising in resistance against the continued rule of his corrupt regime.
In accordance with the decision of the Party and the NPA leadership, all units of the people�s army are hereby ordered to
- continue intensifying regular and special tactical offensives according to capability;
- pay special attention to punitive operations against the biggest and worst plunderers and oppressors and those who profit from the people�s misery;
- intensify vigilance against deception and attacks by the AFP-PNPCAFGU and resolutely resist them.
Through these steps, the revolutionary forces refuse to be used as tools of deception of Estrada and Mercado who declare SOMOs while ordering their troops to intensify AFP-PNP-CAFGU attacks against the revolutionary forces and people especially in the countryside, as what occurred in 1998 and 1999.
Neither must it be forgotten that Estrada signed the CARHRIHL (Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law) in 1998 only to summarily junk it in favor of the unimpeded enforcement of the fascist Oplan Makabayan and Oplan Pisces.
In the past two years, the Estrada government has unhesitatingly trampled on human rights and international laws of war. Among others, the regime has perpetrated indiscriminate bombings of population centers; forced evacuations that have victimized up to a million people in Mindanao and Southern Tagalog; illegal arrests, detention or imprisonment; summary execution of unarmed people; violations of the rights of prisoners of war like Comrade Armando Pitao; and the murders of hors de combat. Likewise, it has not made any step to process meaningfully the release of its personnel who are prisoners of war like Army Maj. Noel Buan and P/Chief Insp. Abelardo Martin.
The decision not to declare a ceasefire this Christmas and to continue dealing armed blows against the fascist regime gives the people in the countryside a reason to rejoice. It gives them reason to celebrate this Christmas even if the Estrada government remains in power.
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