THE communist movement is again racked with divisions with at least three factions seeking to prevail in the ongoing peace talks in Rome, reliable sources told the Manila Standard.
The sources said Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Ma. “Joma” Sison and NDF chief Luis Jalandoni are at logger-head against spouses Benito and Wilma Tiamzon and a separate group of NPA top leader Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos.
“It appears that they are not united on some key issues,” said the source who is privy to ongoing debates in communist movement.
“Joma and Jalandoni really want to make a negotiated political settlement with the Duterte government, but the Tiamzons are only making use of the peace talks for the release of all political prisoners. Madlos, on the other hand, wants the armed struggle to topple the government by violent means,” he added.
The sources noted that there is even growing criticism of the Tiamzons who supposedly flew business class on an Emirates flight to Rome on Jan. 14 while other members of their negotiating panel got economy seats for the 3rd rounds of peace talks with the Duterte administration.
“The Tiamzon couple boarded business class on EK 335 flight. The other members of the NDF negotiating panel got economy tickets on board Royal Dutch Airlines (KL 808) flight,” one of the sources said.
The peace talks resumed early this week between the communists and government led by chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III in tandem with Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Secretary Jesus Dureza.
Bello, also Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment, and his team has high hopes the ongoing talks would be successful despite recurring disagreements on some major issues.
As a good start, the government looks forward to the signing of a bilateral ceasefire agreement that will supersede the existing unilateral ceasefire declared in August 2016 by both sides.
But, in Rome, Norwegian Special Envoy Elisabeth Slattum said members of both panels have shown great willingness, dedication and courage to work for peace in the Philippines.
Seeing the draft documents of the third round-of-talks agenda of both panels, Slattum said GRP and the NDFP are ambitious and want a better future for the Filipinos. Based on the drafts, Slattum is positive both panels are a few steps closer to achieving a common goal of a just and lasting peace.
She also cited a few achievements of the peace talks from the first round. In just a few months, Slattum said, the parties already made history with each side’s declaration of a unilateral ceasefire, the release of 19 NDFP consultants that boost the peace talks and the reaffirmation of the previous agreements to accelerate a final peace agreement.
For the third round, Slattum hoped both panels would reach consensus on the socioeconomic, political and constitutional agenda items to address the root causes of the conflict.
Amid unresolved issues on releases and the bilateral ceasefire, Slattum urged them to jointly solve problems and work together for a common goal.
Slattum reminded that a peace process is not a zero sum game where there is one winner and one loser.
“A successful peace process is when both parties come out on the winning side,” she said, adding, however, that either side may not perfectly content of the outcomes because some decisions they have to make will not be popular.
“Both sides make painful consensus along the way. Both sides need a great deal of courage,” she pointed out. “Much is at stake for both parties,” she said.
This is why, Slattum said, the peace process needs the patience, support and involvement of the Filipino people.
She said it is not easy to negotiate peace, thus, most attempts failed miserably around the world. Most, she said, find it easier to continue with war rather than to continue working and sacrificing for peace.
Slattum, however, noted that once a peace negotiation is successful, the reward is immeasurable and for the long-term—the winner is the Filipino people. With PNA
