How to move peace talks with communist rebels? Govt wants agenda to include more than 'procedures'

From InterAksyon (Apr 7): How to move peace talks with communist rebels? Govt wants agenda to include more than 'procedures'

As militant partylist lawmakers push for the resumption of talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF), the government's chief peace adviser said that the basis of negotiations should be more substantial, and not simply center on the communists' demand of releasing their jailed consultants.

"We don't want to start talks only to fail again so quickly. We don't want to restart talks on the same basis as before," Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quntos-Deles said.

Asked to expound on the basis of the talks, she said she was referring to "agenda na hindi mo naman kaya gawin tapus ang nangyayari nagiging ang pinag-uusapan procedural matters, the releases of Jasig (those agenda that you cannot do, and then what happens is we just talk about procedural matters -- the releases of consultants covered by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees)."

"If we will sit down and just talk about Jasig, it will not bring us anywhere, the people don't care about that, what they want is improvement," Deles said in an interview at the sidelines of the Symposium on Peace and Reconciliation Processes and Initiatives organized by the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR).

Backdoor talks

Deles said there are no formal talks ongoing, but added that "there are friends of the process that are exploring (backdoor talks)."

"There are overtures and there are overtures. We want to resume talks on the basis of doable and time-bound agenda," she added.

The Jasig was one of the agreements earlier signed by the government and the NDF which granted immunity to communist leaders engaged in peace talks.

NDF leaders had asserted that the arrest and continued detention of Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, alleged high-ranking leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), was illegal because the couple was covered by Jasig.

On Monday morning, Bayan Muna partylist Representatives Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate, and former congressman Satur Ocampo visited the couple in their detention cell in Camp Crame in Quezon City to see their condition.

Colmenares and Zarate earlier filed House Resolution 991 to investigate their arrest.

"We have already heard the side of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other arresting organizations, what we want to hear now is the side of the couple regarding their arrest and how would it affect the peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP),” Colmenares said.

Zarate said the visit also gave them the opportunity to check on the condition of at least 12 other consultants, supposedly protected by Jasig, but have been held by the government.

"It is absurd that the Aquino administration is saying that it wants peace but it is rampantly violating agreements that would ensure the progress and fast tracking of the peace negotiations,” he said.

“They are killing and arresting those that are involved in the talks so how can peace be discussed,” Zarate added.

Ocampo, who was celebrating his 75th birthday Monday, shared a simple lunch of fish and vegetables with the political prisoners. A former political prisoner himself, Ocampo shared his experiences with the detainees.

“For the peace talks between the two parties to go full swing it would be best if the Aquino administration release all Jasig holders they have arrested and honor the previous agreements between the GPH and the NDFP,” Ocampo said.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/84271/how-to-move-peace-talks-with-communist-rebels-govt-wants-agenda-to-include-more-than-procedures