The New People’s Army (NPA) is a left-wing, communist-based, revolutionary organization that operates under the direction of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). It was formed on March 29, 1969, primarily as the military fighting section of the CPP, but also with secondary duties in organizing and propaganda. The objective of the NPA is to reverse injustices dealt to the Filipino people by the Philippine government and the capitalist class such as the large landlords/property owners. The three perceived injustices it is primarily fighting against are bureaucrat-capitalism, imperialism, and semi-feudal landlordism. The NPA has been engaged in a five-decade war against the Philippine state.
Of late, the NPA has launched an online campaign for recruitment of more women into its fold. The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), an organisation based in the Netherlands, that negotiates on behalf of the CPP has been playing an active role in this regard through dissemination of messages on social media platforms via its official publication ‘Liberation’.
‘Liberation’ published six profiles of recent women recruit in the NPA. On August 29, 2019, the profile of Ka Maggie was published. It mentioned that “She practically spent her youth in the revolutionary movement, having been part of an activist organization in a Catholic high school at age 15. She is now 39 years old. She is a lesbian. The “awakening” happened at the same time she became conscious of the social issues affecting the country. That was in her elementary years”.
On August 25, the profile of Maya was published. It mentioned: “To leave behind the comfort of life, abandon the lofty dreams, forgo the urge for self-fulfilment is a tremendous challenge. Maya is hopeful she could surmount the challenges as she integrates with the masses, as she gives her best, as she imbibes their culture, immerses in their struggle to rise above the penury of their plight and liberate themselves, liberate all of us, from the fetters of the oppressive and exploitative system. As Maya stood with the Red fighters during the 50th anniversary celebration, fist raised singing the Internationale, she shed off all reservations and like a fledgling that just discovered its wings, she soared to her new life”.
On 11th July, 2019, the profile of Ka Puah was mentioned. It read, “Like the midwife Puah in the Bible, Ka Puah’s life has been dedicated to giving birth to a new social order-even if it means risking her life as she defies what is wrong and not pleasing to God, who is just. She keeps in her heart and mind tasks set during the last Congress of the Christians for National Liberation (CNL) where she was elected first woman Chairperson of the 47 year-old underground organization affiliated with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. The work calls for the increased and deepened participation of the Church people in the armed struggle and to push forward the national democratic revolution towards socialism”.
The story of Selya was mentioned on May 13, 2018. Selya’s daughter Mina was killed. Selva “fought for justice; she went trooping with other mothers and relatives of human rights violations victims to government agencies, demanding state accountability”. On May 10, 2018, an interview with Ka Rio, a millennial was published. She said, “The hardest part is not about the long treks but one’s morale. Mao has said courage stems from one’s consciousness. We have to feed our consciousness, raise our ideological level to overcome hardships. On our consciousness anchors our goal, our principles, our will to fight”.
The story of Pola, “a women tailor turned warrior” was published on March 21, 2018 and described “Pola’s rollercoaster journey into the world of commodity labour, exacerbated by the onslaught of imperialism’s neoliberal globalization as it dashed fumbling for a panacea to its crisis. The woman’s values of good-naturedness, patience and subservience inculcated by a feudal class society were fully taken advantage of.”
Pola worked in a factory but “all along she had been entertaining the thought of leaving her job in the factory which did nothing but extract the workers life blood and sinew to accumulate huge profits for the capitalists. After thinking it over for days, weeks, and on to several months, Pola finally decided to work full time in the movement. This was the most decisive action she took in her whole life. She has the chance now to look at life from a different perspective and open up to new opportunities, best opportunities”.
https://www.newdelhitimes.com/the-women-recruit-of-new-peoples-army-in-philippines/
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