Communist rebels to launch ‘Yolanda’ relief drive on 45th anniversary
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
LUCENA CITY, Philippines—The Communist Party of the Philippines aims to commemorate its 45th founding anniversary on Dec. 26 not only to celebrate the revolutionary gains but also gather relief aids and funds for victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) in Eastern Visayas.
“The mass activities set to mark the CPP’s 45th anniversary should serve as an occasion to collect funds and other materials to be contributed to the rehabilitation efforts in the areas devastated by the recent supertyphoon Yolanda,” the CPP said in a press statement issued Tuesday evening.
The CPP called on President Aquino to order the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to cease combat offensives against New People’s Army (NPA) rebels on Dec. 26 and the days leading to it, in order to allow their allies and communist sympathizers to peacefully travel to different guerrilla zones and join the celebrations.
“The leadership of the CPP is set to declare a ceasefire in order to pave the way for the national celebrations of the CPP’s 45th anniversary, as well as to give way to the Filipino people’s traditional observance of the Christmas and New Year holidays,” the CPP said.
After Yolanda wrought destructions last month, the CPP immediately declared a unilateral ceasefire in typhoon-ravaged areas in the Visayas until Christmas Eve.
Unilateral Christmas ceasefire
On Tuesday, Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda announced that the government is likely to declare a unilateral Christmas ceasefire with communist rebels.
He said the dates of the ceasefire will be announced once the matter is finalized.
Last year, both armed protagonists observed close to four weeks of ceasefire considered as the longest Christmas truce between both parties.
The CPP said there will be “people’s assemblies” to be held in NPA-controlled areas across the country.
The CPP said the local NPA units, barrio (village) revolutionary committees, and local revolutionary mass organizations are busy preparing accommodations to host thousands of people expected to join the anniversary celebration.
“Most of the participants are expected to travel by foot to the venues of the people’s assemblies. Travel arrangements are also being made for the revolutionary forces and guests coming in from the cities or other towns,” the CPP said.
Celebrations coverage
The group asks journalists and other members of the press who wish to join and witness the celebrations can get in touch with the local branches of the CPP or local NPA commands.
After an ideological split with a 1930s-era pro-Soviet communist party that was defeated by the military in the 1950s, former University of the Philippines professor Jose Maria Sison set up on Dec. 26, 1968, the revitalized CPP with Maoist-oriented ideology.
Four months later, the new CPP established the NPA in a remote village in Central Luzon. The first rag-tag guerrilla unit was armed with automatic rifles, single-shot rifles and handguns.
By carrying out tactical offensives particularly through ambuscades and raids against remote police stations, the rebels were able to accumulate arms for its recruits mostly from among the ranks of farmers, workers and student activists.
The protracted communist guerrilla war that has been raging for the past four decades already claimed more than 40,000 lives, according to government figures, and despite a series of peace talks by successive presidents, peace remains elusive.
Last May, the government peace panel announced the termination of the peace negotiation and put the blame on the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) with its preconditions and demands.
The NDFP is the political arm of the CPP. Its armed wing, the NPA, has been waging war against the government for the past 46 years, considered as the world’s longest-running communist rebellion.
