More rights violations feared in all-out war vs NPA

DAVAO CITY – The government’s declaration of an all-out war against the New People’s Army (NPA) would result in more human rights violations against the people, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said.

“Civilians would be the first casualties of this all-out war,” Antonio Flores, KMP Secretary General, said in a statement.

“We remind (Defense Secretary Delfin) Lorenzana, AFP Chief Eduardo Ano and their fellow blood-thirsty, war mongerers in the Duterte government — every drop of blood spilled in the course of this all-out war would be on your hands and conscience. History will judge you as butchers.” Flores added.

“Declaring an all-out war against the NPA is declaring war against the people. Every all-out war campaign and militarization operation plan launched by previous administrations has targeted civilians, including activists, leaders and members progressive organizations and even government critics,” he added.

He said civilians have always been “the unwilling targets of the government’s counter-insurgency campaign.”

“When the military can’t go after the NPA in the hinterlands, they go after farmers and rural folks in the countryside,” Flores said.

He said the Department of National Defense (DND) and the AFP have been “rooting for this since day one of the Duterte administration – to undermine the peace talks and to launch attacks against people clamoring for genuine change. The DND and the AFP have ultimately unleashed their characters as the biggest saboteurs and stumbling blocks to peace.”

“The AFP wanted to take advantage of every opportunity to suppress the people and to maintain the status quo it wants so much to preserve,” he said.  SFM