Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Fri, 31 Jul 1992 04:34:33 PDT
From:         "Indonesia Publications/Task Force" <apakabar@IGC.APC.ORG>
Subject:      PH: Jose Ma. Sison Statement
X-To:         seasia-l@msu.edu

/* Written 12:04 am  Jul 31, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "PHILIPPINES: EXILED COMMUNIST LEADE" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Opecna Morning Transmission
Title: PHILIPPINES: EXILED COMMUNIST LEADERS COOL TO PEACE PLAN


manila, jul 28 (ips/ramon isberto) -- exiled philippine communist
leaders have reacted coolly to president fidel ramos's proposal to
legalise the communist party of the philippines (cpp) as part of
efforts to end the 23-year old insurgency in this south-east asian
country.

they say the government should instead open direct talks with the
national democratic front (ndf), the umbrella group of various
clandestine leftwing organisations, and take up a 'substantive'
agenda addressing the social and economic roots of the armed
conflict.

''there are as yet no concrete measures of goodwill and no clear
and firm arrangements towards any preliminary talks about formal
bilateral talks between the philippine government and the ndf,''
said former cpp chairman jose ma. sison in a statement from the
netherlands, where he now resides.

local communist leaders have yet to comment on the government's
latest peace initiative.

in his state of the nation address monday, ramos urged the
philippine congress to repeal a 1957 law that made it a crime to be
a member of the communist party and its affiliate organisations. he
said this would enable the party to go aboveground and participate
openly in elections and other legitimate political activities.

ramos also granted, subject to congressional approval, amnesty to
4,500 former communist and muslim separatist rebels and ordered
justice officials to facilitate the possible release of detained
rebel leaders.

then he ordered the creation of a 'national unification
commission' to prepare a larger amnesty program and a longer term
peace process to end the various insurgencies and military
rebellions that have raged in this country for over 20 years.

''this grant of amnesty is the initial step in a comprehensive
peace and unification process,'' ramos said.

but ndf leaders say there is nothing new in ramos' amnesty
proclamation. said ndf international spokesman byron bocar: ''this
is just a rehash of the failed amnesty programme of his predecessor,
corazon aquino.''

bocar said it was difficult for the ndf to respond comprehensively
since ramos's proposed amnesty programme and peace process still
have to be spelled out by the still-to-be constituted national
unification commission.

''in the meantime,'' he said, ''the government continues to wage
total war, harming innocent civilians and forcing them to flee their
homes.'' (more/ips)



philippines: exiled (2)

bocar said the ndf submitted a comprehensive peace proposal to
the government to aquino in september 1990, and another proposal for
an agreement on a mutual respect for human rights and international
humanitarian law in september 1991. he said it is now up to the new
administration to ''respond meaningfully to these proposals''.

since the 1986 peace talks ended in failure, the government has
opted not to engage in full-blown negotiations with the ndf. it
seems to be chiefly avoiding a perception that the rebel front is
dealing with it on equal footing.

military officials say the ndf is intent in pursuing peace talks
mainly to give its organisation a pro-peace image and to obtain
'belligerency status' via the back door. but with a new
administration in place, hopes for a new peace initiative on the
part of the government have risen.

shortly after assuming office on june 30, ramos said he was
willing to open negotiations with all rebel groups. he appointed
jose yap, a politician and member of the house of representatives,
as his emissary to the ndf. yap is expected to leave shortly for
talks with the ndf leaders living in exile in the netherlands.

but ramos continues to avoid formal negotiations with the ndf,
opting to continue the non-official, low-key talks that have been
held off and on over the past two years. this indicates, ndf leaders
say, that the government is more interested in inducing rebels to
surrender.

past government amnesty programmes, including the last amnesty
proclamation by aquino in 1989, have routinely required rebels to
renounce in writing their membership in subversive organisations,
pledge allegiance to the government and surrender their firearms.

human rights groups welcome ramos's proposal to repeal the anti-
subversion law, which bans membership in the communist party.
''we've been asking for this for a long time,'' said ma. socorro
diokno, of the free legal assistance group (flag), a lawyers
association that defends accused political offenders.

but, she added, ''i would be even more impressed if the
government repealed presidential decree 1866.''

p.d. 1866, issued by then president ferdinand marcos, made
''illegal possession of firearms in furtherance of rebellion or
subversion'' a capital and non-bailable offense. many political
detainees have been slapped with this charge and remained in jail
for years on this ground. (end/ips/ri/cb/92)
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