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PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines
Hundreds of Thousands to Celebrate NPA's 35th Anniversary
March 28, 2004
Several hundred thousand people are expected to converge tomorrow in several hundreds of barrios, as well as a number of guerrilla camps and forest clearings within territories of the revolutionary movement around the Philippines to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the New People's Army.
According to the CPP spokesman Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal, units of the NPA have been busy with preparations for celebration, including discussions and cultural programs. Aside from barrio centers, temporary plazas outside the barrio are being set up to accomodate the large number of people who are expected to join the celebrations.
Rosal said that the anniversary activities will highlight the victories and accomplishments of the NPA in the past 35 years, including in armed struggle, agrarian struggles and base building.
Rosal disclosed that aside from rapid gains in armed struggle, there has been tremendous gains in the expansion and consolidation of the mass base, including giant strides in organizing the peasant masses, especially in the past several years. He also said that in many areas the NPA has helped poor peasants and farm workers successfully launch struggles to reduce land rent, eliminate usury and reduce comprador profiteering.
The CPP spokesman also said that the NPA units nationwide will take stock of their strength, victories and weaknesses during the past year. "Nationwide," he added, "we will take a look at the big strides taken in the field of armed struggle" as a result of the CPP's call in 2002 to intensify the launching of tactical offensives by 2003.
Rosal called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to desist from carrying-out military operations tomorrow so as to spare the many people in the countryside participating in the revolutionary celebrations. �These people know and are willing to take the risks,� said Rosal, �but hopefully the AFP will not take advantage of the situation.�
Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553
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