Peace process should be community-based, defined by Filipinos as one community

Recently, I received a thought provoking Open Letter addressed to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines by email from [email protected] which was also posted in FB Yes For Peace Bayanihan Para Sa Kapayapaan.

It made me think over and over and over again until I decided to read the statement released by the CPP Central Committee to mark its 45th anniversary. It was a surprise to know that there are less than 50,000 CPP party members and New People’s Army Red Fighters combined after 45 years of their armed struggle.

According to the CPP Central Committee, they aim to reach the 50,000 mark for as long as it will take and yet, billions of pesos (much much more than the P10 billion or so of the PDAF scam!) are poured into the armed conflicts and into the comprehensive peace process. These, put together and used in agreed upon projects and programs, are enough to address the roots of poverty in the countryside.

In contrast, 933,510 more Filipinos responded to the Yes For Peace calling for permanent ceasefire; the conduct of open and participatory peace talks anywhere here in the country instead of abroad; and collective involvement and participation (bayanihan) of the people in the implementation of agreements entered into by the government and armed rebel groups as well as programs and projects to be agreed upon in peace negotiations.

These many Filipinos responded to the calls of Yes For Peace within three months (September to December 2013) despite the Zamboanga siege; the 7.2 earthquake that hit Bohol and Cebu; and super typhoon Yolanda which devastated Tacloban and other areas.

As of today 7,195,852 have signified their willingness to participate in the comprehensive peace process which “should be community based, reflecting the sentiments, values and principles important to all. Filipinos.  Thus, it shall be defined not by the government alone, nor by the different contending groups only, but by all Filipinos as one community” through the Yes For Peace since it started as a germ of an idea 25 years ago.

It is on these notes that I am urging the CPP Central Committee to answer Ms Malaikul Salam which she concluded with this challenge, “Put simply, none of us, specially not you, has the right to impose our will on the people by the barrel of the gun.  Tell us that you will never use your guns against the people as well as fight for our rights through ballots and not bullets and we shall rest our case.” – ERNESTO ANGELES ALCANZARE, Lead Organizer, YES FOR PEACE