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The Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (AJLPP) with the five million strong Filipino American community in the United States wrote to you in the interest of true justice and lasting peace in the Philippines. The Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) expresses its alarm and consternation on the recent developments on the peace talks between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). We are greatly troubled that the Philippines have never known a period of relative peace since 1972 when the US-Marcos dictatorship waged war against the New People’s Army (NPA and the National Democratic Front (NDF) and the Moro people represented by the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) until it surrendered in 1996 and then by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Up to now Mindanao is a battle ground with more 2.6 million people affected by the war and more or less 750,000 war refugees in Central Mindanao and elsewhere.
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Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (Alliance-Philippines)
Los Angeles, CA
September 1, 2009
Dear Editor,
The Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (AJLPP) with the five million strong Filipino American community in the United States wrote to you in the interest of true justice and lasting peace in the Philippines.
The Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) expresses its alarm and consternation on the recent developments on the peace talks between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
We are greatly troubled that the Philippines have never known a period of relative peace since 1972 when the US-Marcos dictatorship waged war against the New People’s Army (NPA and the National Democratic Front (NDF) and the Moro people represented by the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) until it surrendered in 1996 and then by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Up to now Mindanao is a battle ground with more 2.6 million people affected by the war and more or less 750,000 war refugees in Central Mindanao and elsewhere.
But the recent prouncements of the so –called peace advisers on both panels of the US-Arroyo government aggravates the situation. It does not speak well of their desire to achieve peace and justice as well as to stop the raging fratricidal battles between the warring parties.
We believe it is wrong for Avelino Razon to speak for the revolutionary forces and second-guess its intents by spreading lies and innuendoes against the leaders of the movement. By saying that the movement have factions, Razon wants the public to believe he is privy to the internal matters of the movement, which he is not.
At the same time, it is wrong for Senator Biazon, Mindanao peace adviser Jesus Dureza and a war hawk, Manuel Pinol to sound bellicose and ask for the suspension of the peace negotiations between the GRP and the MILF.
For these three government functionaries even to question in public forums the role of the Malaysian government in the negotiations and act as a spokesperson for MNLF chair Nur Misuari is so uncalled for and preposterous. Former generals Razon, Biazon and bureaucrats like Dureza and others are acting more like an old chorus of warmongers crying for more blood in the field than men of peace.
It’s time for them to shut up and let other people work for peace, negotiate better and find ways to bring everybody back to the table and negotiate or else we will have a blood bath in our hands and the cause of peace and justice will be elusive more than ever.
Resume the peace talks now! Negotiate, Do not Aggravate!
Very truly yours
Arturo P. Garcia
West Coast Coordinator
AJLPP
Original: Peace now, Resume the Peace Talks, Now!