“Keep the doors
of the GRP-NDFP Peace Talks open”
A Statement of the
Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform on the GRP-NDFP peace talks
termination
November 24, 2017
The Philippine Ecumenical
Peace Platform (PEPP) is saddened over the government’s
“cancellation of all planned meetings” and its pronouncement that
“there will be no peace negotiations” with the National Democratic
Front of the Philippines (NDFP). The official statement by Sec.
Jesus Dureza of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace
Process (OPAPP) states that the decision was “in line with President
Duterte’s directive that there will be no more peace talks with
them”. The reason stated for the cancellation was due to “…recent
tragic and violent incidents” committed by the rebels. The PEPP
believes that this cancellation of peace negotiations is equally
tragic, if not more.
As church people, we find
nothing more tragic than the refusal of warring parties to continue
to open the doors for dialogue that can result to further escalation
of violence. President Rodrigo Duterte stated that he does not want
talk to the NDFP especially after an ambush by the New People’s Army
(NPA) has resulted in the death of an infant. The NDFP on the other
hand have accused the military of attacking communities suspected of
supporting the NPA. The war is intensifying, and it can only get
worse.
We have always maintained
that outstanding and delicate issues should be resolved through
principled dialogue over the negotiating table. Both the Government
of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the NDFP have made
pronouncements that great strides towards peace have been made in
the several formal rounds of talks between the two parties under the
Duterte Administration and facilitated by the Royal Norwegian
Government (RNG). These positive results from the talks should be
pursued and not abandoned. The roots of the armed conflict should be
addressed and this could be achieved through the negotiations.
Furthermore, both parties
have already signed agreements that will address incidents of
violence. The Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights
and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) and the supplementary
agreement to revive and strengthen the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC)
is a feasible instrument to use in times like these. Both parties
have also shown a sincere willingness to resolve this conflict that
has been ongoing for close to 50 years through peace talks. There
were already advances in the negotiations for the Comprehensive
Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) and a possible
bilateral ceasefire agreement.
We call on both the GRP
and the NDFP to stay the course and resume the peace talks, for a
better “...future awaits those who seek peace” (Psalms 37:37). It is
in this spirit that we also appeal to the government to reconsider
its plan to categorize the NPA as a terrorist organization as this
will incite more violence and virtually close the door to the peace
talks.
We enjoin all peace-loving
Filipinos to continually pray and tirelessly work for peace. May the
blessing of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, who came into the
world as a vulnerable child, remind us that our calling as
Christians is to pursue peace both in our individual lives and in
the life of the nation.