CPP/NPA: NPA to uphold human rights accord despite GPH termination of talks--CPP

From the CPP Website (May 5): NPA to uphold human rights accord despite GPH termination of talks--CPP

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today called on all Red fighters and commanders of the New People’s Army (NPA) to assert and uphold the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) despite the unilateral termination by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) of peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

At the same time, the CPP called on the Filipino people to brace for worse attacks by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) against human rights “now that it is unbound by the CAHRIHL and desperate to achieve its goal of decimating the people’s armed resistance within the year.”

“In unilaterally terminating peace negotiations with the NDFP, the GPH has put the CARHRIHL in danger of nullification,” added the CPP. “Without the binding nature of the CARHRIHL, the AFP is bound to carry out worse attacks against the people in the course of conducting its Oplan Bayanihan war of suppression.”

The CARHRIHL was forged in 1998 by the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the GRP (now designated as the GPH). It was signed by the principals of both parties, namely, then GRP President Joseph Estrada and NDFP Chairman Mariano Orosa.

“The CARHRIHL is one of the most important milestones in over 20 years of NDFP-GPH peace negotiations,” pointed out the CPP. “It binds both the NDFP and the GPH and sets its separate responsibility to uphold human rights and international humanitarian law in the conduct of the civil war in the Philippines.”

“As part of its responsibility, the NPA has integrated the provisions of the CARHRIHL into its rules of discipline since 1998 and has given priority to its implementation,” said the CPP.

“In contrast, despite the CARHRIHL and all its endless ‘peace and human rights’ rhetoric, the Aquino regime and its armed forces have launched endless brutalities in the countryside by subjecting entire communities to militarization.”

“There is a rising number of cases of violations against children’s rights and sex crimes against women,” said the CPP. It cited the recent case of the killing by troops of the 71st IB of 9-year old Roque H. Antivo and the wounding of his two brothers Earl Jhun, 12 and Jeffrey Hernan, 13, of Sitio Kidaraan, Barangay Anitapan, Mabini last April 3. The following day, a 7-year old child was wounded when troops of the 76th IB fired indiscriminately in Barangay Tanyag, Calintaan, Occidental Mindoro.

“The fascist troops of the AFP have been committing grave violations of human rights such as the occupation of people’s homes, converting civilian infrastructures such as day care centers and barangay halls into soldiers’ barracks, imposing food blockades, restricting commerce and other economic activities, illegal arrests and detentions, abductions, tortures and extrajudicial killings.”

http://www.philippinerevolution.net/statements/20130505_npa-to-uphold-human-rights-accord-despite-gph-termination-of-talks-cpp