[asia-apec 1038] Re: BAYAN warns of witch hunt with peace talks suspension

[ppc]

Dear Teddy, Laarni,

Feedback sa press release na ito.

Generally, alarmist ang laman kung kayat hindi credible.

Alam naman natin na ang dahilan ng suspension ng peace talks at hindi
pagpayag ng Estrada gov't na makipag-negotiate sa NDF peace panel hinggil sa
POWs ay dahil nais nilang maliitin ang nagawa ng NPA na kumuha ng isang
heneral at iba pang mga opisyales ng AFP/PNP bilang bihag.

Such an act is a slap on the face of the Estrada government as to the
strength of the CPP/NPA/NDF and the concommitant weakness of the regime's
armed forces.

Kaya ang mga militarist hardliners, nakumbinsi si Estrada (sinakayan ang
kanyang siga-siga at macho self-image) na the thing for the gov't to do is
to bring the NDF to its knees by ordering massive "rescue" operations
quesejoda kung mapinsala ang mamamayan sa lugar na mini-militarize at di
bale nang mamatay/masaktan mismo ang mga bihag dahil "bahagi naman ng
trabaho nila yung kumuha ng ganoong risgo"!

Bilang dagdag na pressure, sinuspende ang peace talks at hindi pa nasiyahan
doon, sinuspende pati ang Jasig (kahit labag ito sa Jasig mismo) para
takutin ang NDF.  Ganitong-ganito ang linya ng mga hardliners sa GRP peace
panel tulad nila H. Dee noong nangyari ang POW capture sa Rodriguez town
last October 97.  Pero hindi sila nag-prevail kundi cooler and saner heads
na may nakikita ring political gains mula sa pakikipag-nego sa NDF ang
nakakumbinse kay FVR na nego is the way to go sa isyu ng POWs. (remember
JdV, the ex-future president of RP?)

Kaso, hindi naman nila nahuhuli ang mga NPA na bumihag sa mga opisyal
militar at pulis ng GRP.  Kahit na anu pang pa-macho ni Erap, he has nothing
to show for it.  He is even restrained from ordering the arrests of the NDF
consultants whose safety have been compromised by suspension of Jasig
because clearly they are engaged in trying to bring an end to this impasse
and they are not exactly hiding like rabbits or cowering in fear because of
the govt's rantings.

Pwera na lang kung sobrang pagmamatigas ng ulo ang gagawin ni Estrada,
habang tumatagal ang sitwasyon na walang end in sight (1.e. no rescue) at
parami ng parami ang nagsasabing dapat maging mahinahon at huwag
padalus-dalos at huwag sarhan ang pintuan sa negosasyon, lalong matatali ang
kamay ni Estrada na maghuhuli ng NDF consultants (20 ang sinabi nilang may
warrants of arrest).

Pwera na lang kung mag-hurumentado na lang siya...

Di lalo namang hindi niya magagawa basta-basta na mag-crackdown sa mga legal
organizations.  Masyado siyang mahahalata doon.  

Kaya ang linyang ito ng press statement ay mali dahil binibigyan ng credence
ang pananakot ni Estrada.  Kung usapin naman ng pagiging pasista ng rehimen,
marami namang ebidensya diyan na hindi kailangang gamitin ang suspension ng
ptalks. (AMong other reasons, mahinang ebidensya o argumento ito.)  Patuloy
na militarisasyon sa kanayunan, violations ng human and democratic rights ng
masa at ng ihl sa pag-giyera nito sa rebolusyonaryong pwersa, and banta ng
warratless arrests, cha-cha para i-curtail ang civil rights ng mamamayan, atbp.

Hindi ako sang-ayon na mag-create tayo ng "crackdown" scenario para
maipaliwanag natin ang pusisyon ng By dito sa isyu.

Palagay ko kaya rin hindi pinick-up ng media ay dahil walang gasinong
credibility ang ating linya.  I suggest huwag na nating ilagay sa webpage o
kung nandoon na, tanggalin na lang.

See other comments below marked with *.

At 07:15 3/3/99 +0800, you wrote:
>NEWS RELEASE
>26 February 1999
>
>BAYAN warns of witch hunt with peace talks suspension
>
>THE MILITANT Bagong Alyansang Makabayan today warned that President Joseph
>Estrada's supension of the peace talks would pave the way for more human
>rights abuses and a possible crackdown on groups and individuals tagged as
>sympathizers of the CPP-NPA-NDF.
>
>"President Estrada's announcement is dangerous to many cause-oriented
>groups, NGOs and individuals who have been identified by the military as
>sympathetic to the NDF. They may be subjected to witch hunts and other
>forms of harrasment by overzealous military and police agents who view the
>suspension as a license for them to go back to their martial law ways,"
>said Bayan Deputy Secretary General Teodoro A. Casiño.
>
>"The military and police are  not known to discriminate between the
>underground revolutionary organizations like the NDF and groups involved in
>the open, legal mass movement. 

*ang legitimacy ay hindi solo ng open, legal groups.  syempre ang pagiging
legal ay katangian ng mga huli di tuald ng NDF na ilegal but that doesn't
make rev organizations any less legitimate politically.

Many leaders of perfectly legitimate
>people's organizations and NGOs have, in the past, been victims of the
>military's anti-insurgency operations," said Casiño.
>
*Actually nangyayari na nga dahil sa militarization nila ng lugar kung saan
naghihinala silang tinatago ang POWs.  We don't even have to speculate that
this will happen.  Credible sources that this is so is the statement of the
churchpeople and muslim leaders that appeared i paid ad last sunday.

>Bayan said the most vulnerable to human rights abuses and harrassments
>are groups and individuals based in the countryside, where military operations
>against the Communist-led rebellion continue. 
>
>"Police and military personnel in the countryside are fond of labelling
>whole communities and families as NPA sympathizers. They will most likely
>imitate President Estrada's macho posturings on innocent community
>organizers, leaders and groups critical of the government," said Casiño.
>
>Bayan reiterated its call on the government to resume the peace talks "so
>that the roots of the rebellion can be addressed without resorting to more
>military operations, bombings and human rights abuses." 
>
>Cause-oriented organizations point out that peace negotiations must not be
>set aside "especially in these times of crisis." ####
>
>
>	 ---------------------------------------------------------
>	 B A Y A N
>	 Bagong Alyansang Makabayan or New Patriotic Alliance
>	 No. 23 Maamo Street, Sikatuna Village
>	 Quezon City, PHILIPPINES							      	
>	 Telephone: (63-2) 435-9151       Telefax: (63-2) 922-5211
>	 Email:   <bayan at iname.com>
>	 Bayan webpage URL:                                 
>	 http://www.bigfoot.com/~bayan-phils 	      	
>	 -----------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>