Left wing extremism: Red rebels’ sincerity on peace talks questioned
MANILA: A senior government official on Thursday questioned the sincerity of communist rebels by resorting to criminal activities like murder, extortion and kidnapping while talking peace with the government.
In particular, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana asked the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), which observed its 45th anniverary on April 24, what it has done to help bring peace and development to the country.
The NDFP is the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed component the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) that have been waging a Maoist-style insurgency against the government for close to 50 years, considered the longest in Asia and the Pacific.
Lorenzana pointed out that while the NDFP continues to represent the Maoists in the peace talks, it serves as a “constant reminder of continued exploitation, abuse and deception of Filipinos by communist insurgents.”
While talking peace with the government, the rebels continued to conduct extortion, kidnapping murder, destruction of property and other criminal activities, Lorenzana said.
Such acts, he said, have exposed the “terrorist nature of the rebels” adding that the communist movement was “fast becoming irrelevant” with thousands of Maoists rejoining society through the government’s various reintegration programmes.
Earlier, President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte announced he was willing to resume talks with Maoists and gave them and government representatives a 60-day “timeline” within which to achieve just and lasting peace.
Source: http://gulftoday.ae/portal/0f07ac76-44f5-4bc3-9110-1bc2100f4ae7.aspx
In particular, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana asked the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), which observed its 45th anniverary on April 24, what it has done to help bring peace and development to the country.
The NDFP is the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed component the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) that have been waging a Maoist-style insurgency against the government for close to 50 years, considered the longest in Asia and the Pacific.
Lorenzana pointed out that while the NDFP continues to represent the Maoists in the peace talks, it serves as a “constant reminder of continued exploitation, abuse and deception of Filipinos by communist insurgents.”
While talking peace with the government, the rebels continued to conduct extortion, kidnapping murder, destruction of property and other criminal activities, Lorenzana said.
Such acts, he said, have exposed the “terrorist nature of the rebels” adding that the communist movement was “fast becoming irrelevant” with thousands of Maoists rejoining society through the government’s various reintegration programmes.
Earlier, President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte announced he was willing to resume talks with Maoists and gave them and government representatives a 60-day “timeline” within which to achieve just and lasting peace.
Source: http://gulftoday.ae/portal/0f07ac76-44f5-4bc3-9110-1bc2100f4ae7.aspx
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