The Peace Negotiation In Netherlands An Illusion?

Administration comes and goes but the lasting peace deal between the Philippine Government and the CPP/NPA/NDF* seem to be a very illusive dream indeed.

The communist rebellion or communist insurgency in the Philippines is going on for almost 50 years now. Yet the same old issue remains the same: poverty, unequal distribution of wealth, genuine agrarian reforms and the development of the country side.

It seems that the principles that the Filipino communists are fighting for will remain an illusory dream indeed if no final peace deal will be ink in the Netherland between the Philippine government negotiators and those representative of the left in the negotiating table.

Some observers believe that this so-called peace deal is merely for political limelight or for propaganda purposes only for both side of the negotiating panel.

Armed Struggle vs. The Status Quo

   One cannot be but pragmatic in one’s view after witnessing in our generation the endless struggle between those composing the status quo of the Philippine society as against the revolutionary forces that are trying to achieve its objective by toppling down the present government and replacing it with a leftist-communistic ideology or government.

The status quo will never give up the current socio-political-economic condition it is enjoying without giving it a fight against the revolutionary forces. On the other hand, the revolutionary forces will always advocates for an armed struggle in order to achieve a classless society.

So it is very clear that the interests of these two contending forces are diametrically opposed against each other.

It will be so unrealistic to expect too much on the possible outcome of any peace negotiations and whether any peace-deal will be observe by both parties to the letter.

One can but cross his or her fingers on any possible peace agreement if there will really be a total transformation in the Philippine society.

Poverty And Unequal Distribution Of Wealth

Poverty is always the root-cause of any revolutionary struggle or any insurgency movement. And connected with poverty is the unequal distribution of wealth in any society.

Most often than not, poverty and the unequal distribution of wealth are the primary factors in the inequality between person, family or household and even country. Whenever there is wide gap between poverty and wealth in any given society it is expected that there will be a tension.

This tension is often translated in so many ways. One of this is through the Marxists doctrine of armed struggle in order to achieve a classless society.

Within the Philippine settings this mass poverty and the inequality in the distribution of wealth is self-evident especially in those area of the country where the level of economic development is still in the stage of agricultural economy.

The vast ownership and control of large tract of agricultural land is still in the hands of the few landowners. While it is true that the government is mandated to distribute lands under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law many believe that the government is not doing enough to achieve a genuine agrarian reform.

*CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines); NPA (New People’s Army); NDF (National Democratic Front).