Collection of NPA photographs launched
The book Pulang Mandirigma: Images of the New People's Army, a collection of various NPA photographs, was released on April 30 at the Balay Kalinaw, University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. The book is but the third of its kind, and the first in fifteen years.
National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), negotiating panel member Comrade Coni Ledesma spoke about the significance of the book. By showing the daily activities of the Red fighters in the service of the country and in upholding Red political power, she said, the book strongly belies the black propaganda that the New People's Army is a terrorist organization.
Ka Coni Ledesma |
Communist Party of the Philippines spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal called to officially inaugurate the book published by the CPP Information Bureau. Ka Roger took the opportunity to expose the terrorism of the reactionary Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and assail AFP abuses in Quezon, Mindoro and Rizal.
A short program was held featuring songs and messages of solidarity from activists, including the local chapter of the International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS). There was also a small exhibit of selected images from the book and creative art from the guerrilla zones.
The book launching was accomplished with the help of the Congress of Teachers and Educators for Nationalism and Democracy. (CONTEND).
Putting the book together
As was stated by Ka Roger in the book's foreword, comrades enthusiastically supported the effort to put the book together. Comrades from all over the country positively responded to the call to send in photographs or to invite photographers to take pictures. Orders for over 1,000 copies of the book were already placed even before its release. | Comrades enthusiastically supported the effort to put the book together. Comrades from all over the country positively responded to the call to send in photographs or to invite photographers to take pictures. Up to 10,000 photographs were compiled. |
Up to 10,000 photographs were compiled. Most of them were contributed by comrades in the guerrilla fronts using their respective analog or digital cameras or even the cameras of their cellphones. Meanwhile, several hundred pictures were contributed by professional photographers from their special visits to the guerrilla zones in preparation for the book or from previous shots. Several hundred were also drawn from the collection of pictures of Liberation, the NDFP's official publication.
In putting the book together, the conditions of people's war were taken into account. Intense military operations forced the cancellation of some visits by photographers. Other times, their return trips were delayed. Photographs were carefully chosen in order not to endanger the security of the masses and the comrades in the guerrilla zones.
Those who are able to look closely at the 125 black-and-white photographs contained in the 150 pages of this 8" by 8" book are afforded an incomparable glimpse into the daily lives of Red fighters. As Ka Roger has stated: "(The book) shows the breadth of activities of the NPA: crossing fields, mountains and the heart of forests to travel from one barrio to the next; the masses offering their homes; the enthusiastic greetings and steaming hot coffee welcoming the comrades; the Red fighters as students and teachers, friends and advisers, cooks and bakers, dentists and medics, fighters and partners in the people's struggle."
| 
