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Monday, February 09, 2004
RP open to Reds' removal from US terror list
MANILA -- If it is what it takes to resume peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), government is amenable to asking Washington to remove from its list of foreign terrorist organizations the communist group, said President Arroyo's spokesman Ignacio Bunye.
The communist group, which has been waging a 35-year insurgency against the government, has been giving more attention to improving its websites as it acknowledged that the Internet is an effective medium to transmit propaganda and other materials.
It recently demanded that government work for the removal of the communist group from Washington's list of foreign terror organizations as a condition for the resumption of the peace talks, a condition which Bunye said could be included in the agenda of the two panels when they resume talks from Feb. 10 to 13 in Oslo, Norway.
Members of the government panel left for Norway Sunday night.
Although the Arroyo administration said only the US could ultimately remove the label on the terrorist group, Bunye said Manila could lobby for it to happen.
Bunye, however, said the priority is to reopen negotiations and start talks on pending agenda like socio-economic reforms and make arrangements for the strict observance of a mutual ceasefire.
Formal, serious talks
Teresita Deles, presidential adviser on the peace process, said the panel would also review past agreements between the two panels, particularly the one pertaining to human rights and humanitarian law, as well as discuss side issues like intensifying confidence-building measures between the two groups.
Deles said the issue of campaign fee collection, release of political prisoners and compensation of human rights victims during the Martial Law period would be included in discussions on confidence-building measures.
Silvestre Bello III, chairman of the government panel, is upbeat on the chances of ending the decades-old communist insurgency problem.
"Unlike the past two years where everything was but exploratory. The two panels are going back to the peace table in formal and serious negotiations. This time, however, we are confident we can address issues and concerns," he said.
President Arroyo led a mass for the successful resumption of talks at the Our Lady of Peace Shrine (Edsa Shrine) Sunday morning where she was joined by Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Jose de Venecia.
Others present at the mass officiated by Rev. Fr. Nilo Mangusad were Batanes Rep. Florencio Abad, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Narciso Abaya, Defense Sec. Eduardo Ermita, Social Welfare Sec. Corazon Soliman and Presidential adviser on official development assistance Marita Jimenez.
Online presence
At present, the CPP is strengthening its online websites www.philippinerevolution.org and prwc.netfirms.com. The communist group started to realize the importance of the Internet in 1997 when it first launched its website.
The CPP also opened an online version of Ang Bayan (www.angbayan.org) in 1999 and reportedly got "good" response from rebel supporters.
Ang Bayan said the two websites are very helpful in disseminating its propaganda for the past years and serving as reference among members of the media.
In Nothern Luzon, the Fortunato Camus Command of the mainstream CPP based in Cagayan Valley was the first to launch its own website www.fortunatocamus.tk.
The regional website of the CPP-NPA in Northeastern Luzon features the supposed achievements of the rebels and the "martyrs" of the movement, Ang Bayan said.
It was also the Fortunato Camus Command that set up its first radio broadcast last year. With Harley F. Palangchao
(February 9, 2004 issue)
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