PHILIPPINES: The Communist strategy

Bienvenido Macario sends me a news item on the tactics of the Philippine communist movement: Here are the key items:

"The founder of the Philippine communist movement said his group would resume talks with the government next month. Speaking by telephone from his exile in Utrecht, Netherlands, Jose Maria Sison told radio station DZBB that some agreements "are to be approved and signed by both (negotiating) panels. That will be done in formal talks to be carried out in January." Government negotiators could not be reached for comment. The communists have held several rounds of talks with the government, but President Gloria Arroyo suspended the negotiations in June after they killed two members of Congress.

Sison, whose Communist Party of the Philippines is marking its 33rd founding anniversary on Wednesday, said his guerrillas would not mount attacks for the occasion. He said they would observe a unilateral Christmas ceasefire and hold meetings and "cultural presentations" instead. Authorities have tightened security in anticipation of an attack. Sison said he was confident communism was on the upturn despite the end of the Cold War. "The socialist movement is resurgent worldwide."

Ronald Hilton - 12/26/01