Peace near at hand

After more than two years, the stalled Philippine Government/National Democratic Front Peace Talks will reopen on February 10-13 in Oslo, Norway. This was confirmed at a press briefing held yesterday by Peace Secretary Teresita "Ging" Deles.

Deles said that the main objectives of the four-day talks in Oslo are to discuss and agree about the parameters of the talks, and to set up a continuing schedule of meetings and detailed discussions of four major talking points – human rights and humanitarian law, social and economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms, and disposition of hostilities.

It was observed that Deles did not wish to hype public expectations – but nevertheless she displayed a positive sign of optimism, and took the opportunity to state that "the willingness of both sides to meet, is a positive step towards the pursuance and hopefully, the eventual attainment of peace in the country".

Certainly, four days are not enough to end the fighting between government military forces and the communist rebels. But they lay the groundwork for further discussions, with the Royal Norwegian government as third party facilitator in the talks.

"Peace-making can’t be done overnight," says Ms. Deles. But with the talks, people, she said, will have the confidence that peace-making efforts are based on "solid ground", and that they can participate in the electoral exercise this coming May without the threat of escalating hostilities in urban areas and the countryside. She added that in general, peace talks on the negotiating table wherever they are held can sometimes be disrupted by violence on the ground.

Buoying up hopes for successful talks that will end the fighting between government forces and communist rebels is the joint statement signed on January 3 last month by Silvestre H. Bello III, GRP panel chairman, and Luis G. Jalandoni, NDF panel chairman which reaffirmed previous declarations that had been affirmed in 2001. These covered safety and immunity guarantees, formation of reciprocal working communities, comprehensive agreement on respect for human rights and international humanitarian law.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had also expressed hope about peace being near at hand with the resumption of the peace talks. In a statement, she said, "I shall pursue peace because it is morally right, and it is required by our national interest."

Ms. Deles said that in Oslo, reciprocal working committees on social and economic reforms will resume their work, and after the first round of talks, their work will be facilitated and accelerated by subcommittees in Oslo and in the Philippines, and their work will form the basis for the next round of talks.

The Philippine panel, said Ms. Deles, shall undertake "confidence-building" measures on the release of political prisoners and detainees, and undertake appropriate legal measures in support of the claims for indemnification of the victims of human rights violations under martial law.

Establishing peace is no easy task, and this columnist is amazed that Ms. Deles remains cool under so much pressure. It must be remembered that her overseeing the peace process covers not only stopping the hostilities between the government and the National Democratic Front, but also those between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The GRP-MILF peace talks are also about to resume, with the Malaysian government as third-party facilitator.

The task of building the peace is described by Ms. Deles graphically: "This is a difficult road we will be travelling."

Like her boss, the President, Ms. Deles attaches premium to prayer in serious negotiations. Which is why a mass for peace will be held at the EDSA shrine tomorrow at 8 o‚clock in the morning. President Macapagal-Arroyo, and former Presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel V. Ramos and peace advocates will be attending the Mass.

Ms. Deles will be travelling tomorrow evening, along with Attorney Bello and panel members Undersecretary Chito Gaston, Attty. Rene Sarmiento, Rachel Baraquel, and Gov. Aping Yap.

For those who do not know the peace adviser, well, she is the right person for the job. She was appointed by the President to the position of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (PAPP) on Oct. 2, 2003, replacing Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who assumed the post of Secretary of National Defense on the same day. The PAPP is charged with the management and supervision of the comprehensive peace process, which entails the provision of advice and assistance to the President, and oversight of the government’s peace negotiation panels.

Ging had come to the government service on Jan. 25, 2001, five days after the assumption into office of President Macapagal-Arroyo, who appointed her Cabinet member and lead convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission. The President surely had known Ging to be a peacemaker, as Ging had served as the executive director of the Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute, whose mandate is to provide a permanent support base for citizens‚ peace initiatives seeking an end to war and the establishment of a just and peaceful society. She was a co-founder of the Coalition for Peace, and convenor of the National Peace Conference. In 1992, she received the Aurora Aragon Quezon Peace Award for peace and advocacy and conflict resolution and was selected one of The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) for community service: peace advocacy.

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