By Jose Maria Sison
NDFP Chief Political Consultant
13 October 2002
The US imperialists and the Arroyo puppet regime are collaborating in a scheme to vilify as “terrorists” the revolutionary forces and people represented by the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
They calculate that by such vilification they can stigmatise and isolate the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army and other revolutionary forces and make effective certain oppressive and brutal courses of action aimed at forcing the capitulation of the NDFP. These courses of action include the following:
1. The escalation of military, police and paramilitary campaigns of suppression by puppet forces under the direction of US planners and combat units against the revolutionary forces and people in 128 guerrilla fronts and other related areas,
2. Repressive measures, including kidnappings, torture and extra-judicial killings, directed against legal democratic forces, like Bayan Muna and Bayan-affiliated mass organizations, especially those of workers, peasants, youth and women, and
3. Putting under duress the members, consultants, staffers and supporters of the Europe-based NDFP negotiating panel by demonising them as terrorists” and threatening the NDFP chief political consultant with extradition and even assassination.
Under the super-terrorist policy of the US, state terrorism is running rampant in the Philippines. The highest reactionary officials boast of having launched so many times more offensives against the revolutionary forces and people. Such blind offensives have inflicted gross human rights violations on the broad masses of the people.
History has long proven that the revolutionary forces and people, represented by the NDFP, cannot be intimidated and coerced into capitulating to the GRP. They were not at all afraid even when the 14-year Marcos fascist dictatorship and the US military bases combined against them, under conditions when the crisis of the domestic ruling system and the world capitalist system was bad but not yet as bad as now.
Neither can the forces of the legal democratic mass movement be induced to favor the capitulation and pacification of the revolutionary forces. They call for a just and lasting peace by addressing the roots of the civil war. They demand formal peace negotiations in accordance with The Hague Joint Declaration.
I estimate that as soon as it becomes clear that the European governments are also collaborating with the US and Manila governments, in intimidating and coercing the NDFP negotiating panel, its chief political consultant, its working committees, consultants, staffers and supporters, the National Executive Council of the NDFP will find Europe as an inhospitable and untenable place for negotiations.
The NDFP negotiating panel cannot negotiate in Europe if the European governments turn their backs on the 1997 and 1999 resolutions of the European parliament endorsing and supporting the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations. It is indeed unwise for the European governments to follow the super-terrorist baton of the US and subject the NDFP negotiators, consultants, staffers and supporters to repressive measures and a climate of fear.
It is futile for the US and the Arroyo puppet regime to seek the capitulation of the NDFP by unleashing fascist terror, aggravating the economic crisis and plunder of the social wealth and pushing the European governments to put the NDFP negotiators, consultants, staffers and supporters under duress.
With regard to the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations, the NDFP position is firm, clear and sincere. The NDFP is willing to resume these negotiations anytime that the GRP expresses respect for The Hague Joint HHague ague Joint Declaration and the nine agreements forged from 1992 onward. The Arroyo regime should not forget that it agreed with the NDFP in April 2001 in Oslo Norway to revive and reaffirm all these agreements.
Ms Gloria Macapagal Arroyo should disabuse herself of the illusion that she can use the power of the US and European governments to frighten and push the NDFP towards capitulation. Also, the “good cop-bad cop” antics of her subordinates fail to confound the NDFP but only serve to expose the deceptive and malicious reactionary character of her regime.
Let us get on with serious formal negotiations or else you, Ms Macapagal Arroyo, terminate the peace negotiations if you truly believe that 95 per cent of the Filipino people are against the resumption of the peace negotiations. Then, probably you can have more time for war, “plenty of sex” (as you have touted) and preparing for the 2004 presidential elections, if the economic crisis, the criminality of your own military and police officers and the rising resistance of the people do not take much more of your time.#
