The peace talks are endangered

Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal
Spokesperson
Communist Party of the Philippines
February 11, 2002

Contrary to what GRP peace panel chief negotiator Silvestre Bello said, peace talks between the NDFP and the GRP are not only being delayed. In fact, they are in danger of collapse due to the shameless violation of national sovereignty by the Macapagal-Arroyo regime in connection with its giving means to the armed intervention of American troops in the Philippines.

Respect of national sovereignty is one of the basic principles agreed upon both the NDFP and the GRP when they signed the The Hague Joint Declaration of 1992, which has been serving as the framework of the NDFP-GRP peace talks.

If the GRP is not prepared to promote the basic principle of national sovereignty, clearly it is also not in the capacity to engage in serious talk regarding basic political, economic and social issues.

Because of the blatant violation of national sovereignty by the Macapagal-Arroyo regime, the National Council of the NDFP is seriously considering whether it is still worhtwhile to continue talks with the regime.

In the past months, Macapagal-Arroyo and her government have not shown interest in pursuing peace talks and using this as an avenue to confront and resolve the basic issues and achieve just and lasting peace. On the other hand, the regime has even resorted to measures in succession in order to forestall the continuation of peace talks:

1. arbitrarily suspending the talks in August 2001 after the just dispensation by the NPA of revolutionary punishment upon Col. Rodolfo Aguinaldo, a notorious fascist;

2. again arbitrarily suspending the already-slated formal reopening of talks in Norway in Dec. 10-14 and, after this, again on Jan. 7;

3. limiting the peace talks to back channel talks in order to obscure it, remove its formality and render it impotent;

4. belittling certain important unities in the The Hague Declaration of 1992, such as the step-by-step and systematic process of discussions and resolutions on basic issues.

In the face of all this, the NDFP�s self-restraint in order not to end the peace talks is nearing its limits. The past months, in its earnest intent to continue with the peace talks, the NDFP has often and again gave in to various conditions of the GRP.

In spite of all this, the GRP has not done anything to remedy the damages it has done to the talks. On the other hand, it has now posed an even bigger barrier to the talks with its promotion of US armed intervention in the country.

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