NDF chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili (file photo by Raymund Villanueva, Kodao Productions)
Communist rebels turned down a government offer to renew their separate unilateral ceasefire declarations even as they warned that continued military operations would only “heighten tensions and serve as disincentive to forging a more stable bilateral ceasefire” between both parties.”
Fidel Agcaoili, chief negotiator of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, wrote his government counterpart, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, saying the August 28 ceasefire declared by the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People’s Army “will remain valid during the course of peace negotiations until superseded by a ceasefire agreement to be issued jointly by the NDFP with the GRP (government) within the next 60 days or until a notice of termination of this ceasefire declaration takes effect 10 days after receipt of said notice by the GRP Negotiating Panel from the NDFP Negotiating Panel.”
He also reminded Bello of government’s commitment to release and declare an amnesty for political prisoners under joint statements issued on June 15, August 26 and October 9.
Fulfilling this commitment, he said, would “serve as a big incentive towards accelerating the peace negotiations and forging a mutual stable ceasefire.”
On the other hand Agcaoili cited “persistent reports from regional NPA commands” about military “incursions into the territory of the NPA in the guise of civic action and anti-drug operations.”
There have also been recent reports of activists being arrested or targeted for raids for allegedly being in law enforcement “drug watch-lists.”
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/133949/reds-say-no-need-to-renew-ceasefire-declaration-but-warn-grp-of-military-violations
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.