By Roy C. Mabasa
Manila Bulletin
July 27, 2010, 2:56pm
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison said Tuesday he welcomes any serious step of President Aquino’s administration to attain a just peace and national unity by addressing the roots of the armed conflict and arriving with the revolutionary forces and the people at agreements on basic social, economic and political reforms.Sison’s declaration came after Aquino delivered his first State of the Nation Address wherein the latter stated that he is hopeful that the negotiations will begin during the first 100 days of his administration.
In his speech, Aquino called on everyone concerned–the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP), the CPP, Moro Islamic Liberation Front, (MILF), the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), and the New People’s Army (NPA) – not to waste a good opportunity to rally behind one goal for peace.
Short of calling for a unilateral ceasefire Aquino, in his speech, pointed out that “it is difficult to begin discussions in earnest if the scent of gunpower still hangs in the air.”
“To the CPP-NPA-NDF: Are you prepared to put forth concrete solutions rather than pure criticism and finger-pointing? If it is peace you truly desire, then we are ready to call for an immediate cease-fire. Let us go back to the table and begin talking again,” said Aquino in his widely applauded SoNA delivered the other day.
According to Sison, who is also the chief political consultant of the NDFP Negotiating Panel, his group has repeatedly declared its readiness to resume peace negotiations with the GRP under the Aquino administration.
He pointed out that they have also signaled their willingness to receive in The Netherlands or Norway a senior emissary or a team of emissaries of the Aquino government to discuss the possible course and perspective of the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations.
Since 1987, Sison has resided in The Netherlands where he is seeking asylum as a political refugee.
“I have long proposed the resumption and acceleration of the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations, especially with regard to social and economic reforms, in accordance with The Hague Joint Declaration and subsequent major agreements,” Sison said in a statement released through his Facebook account.
Aside from the Hague Joint Declaration of 1992–which set the guiding principles, framework, agenda and procedures for the peace talks–the agreements includes the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) and the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) and the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).
Source URL: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/269108/joma-welcomes-aquino-effort-attain-peace
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