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PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines
CPP urges concrete positive steps for resumpton of talks
January 14, 2004
The Communist Party of the Philippines today called on the Arroyo government to take concrete positive measures to help propel the peace talks between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front.
"We look forward to the possibility of resuming formal peace negotiations," CPP spokesman Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal said in response to Malaca�ang's announcement yesterday that peace talks may resume next month as a result of the NDF-GRP exploratory talks.
Amid comments that Arroyo's move to resume formal talks with the NDF was only part of her last-ditch efforts to boost her electoral campaign in the face of her poor winnabilty, Rosal reiterated that Arroyo must take immediate steps to remove the many roadblocks that she has set up in the way of peace talks.
Among the "roadblocks" Rosal enumerated were the failure of the Arroyo government to respect and implement past agreements, its all-out international campaign to pin the "terrorist" tag on the CPP, NPA and NDF Senior Political Consultant Jose Ma. Sison, its insistence on the "Final Peace Agreement" which the CPP regards as a "surrender agreement" and its militarist policies which the CPP said are "inconsistent with the peace process."
At the same time, Rosal urged other candidates, peace advocates, people's organizations and individuals to help press for the implementation of previously signed agreements.
Rosal specifically cited the urgency of implementing the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) which was jointly signed by the GRP and NDF in 1998.
"It has long been an obligation of the Philippine government to cooperate with the NDF in setting up the Joint Monitoring Committee that will oversee the implementation of the agreement and check human rights violations," said Rosal.
Rosal also said that the release of all political prisoners and decisive action by the government to indemnify martial law victims have also long been urgent issues.
Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553
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