GRP, NDF unveil ‘peace talks’ agenda

From the Philippine Information Agency (Dec 1): GRP, NDF unveil ‘peace talks’ agenda

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan - - Officials of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) recently revealed the substantive agenda of the on-going peace negotiations in a symposium hosted by the Archdiocese here.

Benito Tiamzon, member of the NDF panel, said the peace negotiation is anchored on four major agenda to include human rights and international humanitarian law, socio-economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms, and end of hostilities and disposition of forces.

Wilma Tiamzon, another member of the NDF panel, said there were several peace negotiation attempts since 1986, however, none were successful.

The two members expressed their optimism that the Duterte administration will be sincere enough to come up into a fair and serious negotiation that will benefit both parties that result in the attainment of lasting peace and development in the country.

“We are passionate in dealing with the government negotiators as we want peace in the country. We are pushing for several development programs that the government should adhere and implement in order for us to end violence and eradicate poverty and injustices which are the root causes of armed conflict and insurgencies all over the country,” Wilma Tiamzon said.

Included in the development program that the NDF wants to pursue with the government are land reform, cooperativism, agricultural modernization, and national industrialization.

On the government side, Labor secretary Silvestre Bello III said the GRP panel members push the peace talks process forward to attain its objective with sincerity from both parties.

Bello said one of the four major agenda laid by the NDF, the human rights and international humanitarian law concern, was already done while the three remaining agenda are on table discussion.

Bello, however, said that nothing will go wrong should the peace negotiations fail as long as both parties will believe and trust each other and be sincere in adhering to the agreements shared and signed by each other.
 
The first peace talks in the present administration has just concluded in Oslo, Norway while the next level of negotiation will in January next year will be conducted in Rome, Italy.

Bello said the next panel of negotiation will not only cover the other peace agenda items but also the implementation of a bilateral ceasefire from both sides.

“We need to have the bilateral ceasefire to lower the level of violence while the GRP and the CPP-NPA-NDF are having peace negotiations,” Bello added.

The symposium on peace talk was participated in by students from different tertiary schools, farmers from various towns, government employees, non-government organizations, youth representatives, church workers from the Roman Catholic, Aglipayan and non-sectarian religious organizations.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/461480321828/grp-ndf-unveil-peace-talks-agenda