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Monday, December 19, 2005
Communist group ready to resume peace talks
By Al Jacinto
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Communist insurgents are ready to resume peace talks with Manila and may consider declaring a truce in an effort to build up confidence, a rebel spokesman said Sunday.
New People's Army (NPA) leader Gregorio Rosal, also known as Ka Roger, said they offered to resume the talks and can declare a ceasefire just as soon as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo agrees to return to peace negotiations.
"We have submitted our proposals to the government peace negotiators and are ready to resume the talks. We are ready to declare a truce. We are awaiting the government reply," Rosal has told a radio network on Sunday.
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its political arm, National Democratic Front (NDF), are yet to decide whether to declare a unilateral truce this Christmas to allow rebels to celebrate the holiday with their families.
Manila is also considering a Christmas truce, but the military is opposing any declaration of ceasefire with the rebels because they continue to attack government targets across the country.
Suspected communist insurgents on Friday detonated a powerful landmine, killing three government soldiers on humanitarian missions in North Cotabato province in the southern Philippines.
Officials said at least 11 soldiers were also wounded in the attack near the village of Tuburan in the town of Tulunan.
The attack has further dimmed hope of a government unilateral ceasefire, said Major Gamal Hayudini, a regional military spokesman.
"We do not favor a truce with the NPA. Troops want a more drastic action against the NPA because it continues to kill innocent people, attack our forces and destroy government targets," he said.
But Rosal accused the military of attacking his group.
"Violations of human rights by the fascist military and its paramilitary forces continue unabated. This year saw record violations of human rights in the wake of the Marcos dictatorship," Rosal said.
Rosal earlier said the CPP is considering a truce, but the continued government offensives and killings of militant leaders and human rights activists do not provide favorable condition for it.
Peace negotiations between the government and the communist rebels have been suspended since August last year following the NDF pullout from the talks due to its inclusion in the terror lists of the United States and the European Union on Manila's prodding.
The NPA, armed wing of the CPP-NDF, is fighting the past three decades to topple the government and install a Maoist state in the country. The rebels have vowed to step up attacks on government targets after Manila suspended safety and immunity guarantee for its negotiators following the collapse of the peace talks.
The NPA previously said that it would only return to the peace negotiations if President Arroyo asks the United States and the European Union to strike the group off from the two countries' terror lists. (Sun.Star Zamboanga/Sunnex)
(December 19, 2005 issue)
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