March 29, 2024

Peoples’ quest for self-determination be pursued

Under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) being led by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, the Duterte government has launched a national drama consisting of “peace rallies,” “persona non grata” declarations against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples’ Army-National Democratic Front, misinformation, and black propaganda against the revolutionary movement, and surrender campaign against civilians and members of progressive organizations.
These past months, “peace rallies” were launched to register the supposed condemnation of local government units and ordinary citizens towards CPP-NPA-NDF.
In the communities of Mountain Province during the Christmas and New Year celebrations, LGU officials and employees were obliged to take part in the AFP-PNP’s pictorials tagged as “peace rally.” It is a preposterous attempt to thwart the celebrations of the CPP’s 51st anniversary, and the coercion by the military and police involved behind these “peace rallies” cannot be denied.
The said LGUs are merely led on with the promise of projects and aid that they have long sought, lest they undertake the local ELCAC task force scheme being directed by the AFP-PNP.
Also included in the script are the supposed “persona non grata” declarations of LGUs against the CPP-NPA-NDF, as the AFP-PNP’s Community Support Program Operations (CSPO) continue to hound the communities. The deceptive CSPO aims to quell the legitimate struggle of the people for their rights.
Another favorite antic of the AFP-PNP is parading “NPA surrenderees” who are in fact peasants, activists, even LGU officials, and others coerced into having their names “cleared” because of fear. Aside from a number of “recycled” surrenderees and materiel and explosives displayed and reshown at whim, the fascist regime has also resorted to ridiculous manipulation of pictures and stories to show people surrendering in droves.
What must be amplified are the people’s legitimate calls for social services, genuine land reform, national industrialization and self-determination.
The downfall of the economy, civil liberties, and national sovereignty will break the illusion of putting an easy end to the armed conflict and instead compel the peasants, minorities, and masses to advance the people’s democratic revolution to victory. — MAGNO UDYAW, NPA-Mountain Province spokesperson