(Following is a statement released by Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes Jr. in relation to the Saturday lifting of the unilateral ceasefire declared by President Rodrigo Duterte and the “complicated” process of negotiating peace between the government and the communist groups.)
The peace talks are more complicated than some folks think. It is unrealistic to be giving ultimatums, whether in the matter of declaring ceasefires or in the duration and conclusion of the actual talks themselves. It's unrealistic and sheer wishful-thinking to demand that formal talks be concluded in a matter of six months without truly addressing the roots of the armed conflict. The problems at the root of the armed conflict are serious, deep, decades-long and far-reaching.
It is the nature of the negotiations that one side cannot order the other side, or impose ultimatums on the other party. Had the other side (National Democratic Front of the Philippines, NDFP) imposed deadlines on the release of political prisoners for example, things would also be in a bind. Yet the other side showed flexibility and agreed to postpone the talks to allow government to effect the release of political prisoners. To date, no political prisoner has been released by the GPH in line with the peace talks.
A unilateral government ceasefire declaration, no matter how good the intention of the President, will not amount to much if the mode of implementation is questionable or if the Armed Forces of the Philippines brazenly defies it in the first place. The AFP suspension of military operations (SOMO) made sure that AFP units would remain in communities conducting operations, thereby violating the spirit of the government's own ceasefire declaration. After the SONA Lakbayan, we received reports from Bicol that farmers from Catanduanes who joined the rally were subjected to harassment and intimidation by the AFP upon the former's return to the province. The harassment took place even after the ceasefire declaration of the President in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Let last night's experience be a sobering reminder for government that the road to peace is a difficult one, where deadlines and ultimatums cannot just be imposed and where discussions of the substantial agenda are the only sure means to achieve a lasting end to hostilities. Let us support the resumption of formal talks on August 20. Neither party has decided to give up, and that is always a good sign.
The people should weigh in now more than ever because it is also our interest that formal peace talks resume, previous agreements upheld and new agreements on socio-economic reforms and political reforms are forged.
http://interaksyon.com/article/130950/commentary--government-reminded-of-peace-talks-status-its-very-complicated
Statement from a long-time Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) activist and apologist. He now heads up the main CPP multisectoral umbrella front organization the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN-New Patriotic Alliance).
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