Pahayagan ng PARTIDO KOMUNISTA NG PILIPINAS (PKP-1930)
Hulyo 2012
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CONTENTS OF THE JULY 2012 ISSUE OF SULONG ! (Forward !),
THE MONTHLY ORGAN OF THE PARTIDO KOMUNISTA NG PILIPINAS
(PKP-1930, THE PHILIPPINE COMMUNIST PARTY)
1. Nepal : Pinamamahalaan ng Alyansang Pinamumunuan ng mga Komunista.
2. Speech of the Representative of the Philippine Peace and Solidarity Council
(PPSC) at the Assembly of the World Peace Council (WPC) in
Kathmandu, the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
(July 20-22, 2012).
3. Message of Greetings to the 13th National Congress of the South African
Communist Party (SACP).
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NEPAL : PINAMAMAHALAAN NG
ALYANSANG PINAMUMUNUAN NG MGA KOMUNISTA
Ang Nepal ang tanging bansa sa mundo ngayon kung saan may bahagi sa
kapangyarihang pampamahalaan ang mga maoista. Ang Nepal ay isang papaunlad
na bansa sa kabundukan ng Himalayas, sa pagitan ng Tsina at India. Ang buong 147
libong kilometro-kwadradong lawak nito ay “land-locked” at malayung-malayo sa
anumang dagat. Kung ikukumpara, ang kabuuang lawak ng Nepal ay halos kalahati
ng lawak ng kalupaan na Pilipinas na mga 300 libong kilometro-kwadrado.
Ang populasyon ng Nepal ay mga 29 milyon, o mga 30% ng populasyon ng
Pilipinas. Ang Nepal ay may mahigit 100 tribo o komunidad na ethniko, at may 92 na
mga lengguwahe. Ang pangunahing katuwang sa kabuhayan ng Nepal ay ang India,
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kung saan nagmumula ang maraming pamumuhunan, at kung saan kadalasang
nag-aaral ng matataas na kurso ang nakaririwasang mga Nepali.
Isang mahalagang sangay ng pambansang kabuhayan ang turismo, sapagkat
ang Nepal ay kilala sa mayaman nitong bio-diversity. Marami rin ang pumapasyal sa
Nepal dahil naroon ang Mount Everest, ang pinakamataas na bundok sa buong
mundo. Marami ring mga Buddhists ang dumadalaw sa Nepal dahil naroon ang
Lumbini, ang lugar-kapanganakan ni Buddha (bagamat ang karamihan ng Nepalese
ay mga Hindu, tulad ng karamihan rin sa India) .
Ang Nepal ay pinamamahalaan ng isang koalisyon ng 7 mga partido pulitikal,
at ang pangunahin sa mga ito ay ang Communist Party of Nepal (Unified MarxistLeninist), ang Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), at ang Congress Party.
Ang kapatid nating partido ay ang CPN(UML) na pinamumunuan nina Jhalanath
Khanal at Madhav Kumar Nepal na kapwa naging Prime Minister ng Nepal noong
nakaraang ilang taon, at ni K.P. Sharma Oli na naging deputy prime minister at
foreign minister ng Nepal noon ring nakaraang ilang taon.
Sa kabilang dako, ang UCPN(Maoist) ay pinamumunuan nina Puspa Kamal
Dahal (alias chairman “Prachanda”) at Baburam Bhattarai na namuno sa armadong
pakikibaka nila (o “people’s war” daw) mula noong Pebrero 1996. Sa panahong
iyon, ang lahat ng mga lumalaban sa monarkiyang Hindu ng hari ng Nepal ay nasa
underground. Ngunit tanging ang mga maoista ang naglunsad ng armadong
pakikibaka sa mga bulubunduking lugar ng Nepal, bagamat ang mga pinuno nila ay
nag-self-exile sa India. Mahigit 15,000 Nepalese ang namatay sa armadong
pakikibaka ng mga maoista hanggang noong 2008 ; ilang daang kadre ng CPN(UML)
at iba pang oposisyonistang partido (mga anti-monarchy rin) sa iba’t-ibang
lokalidad ang pinatay rin ng mga maoista, sa pagnanais ng mga maoista na tanging
sila ang kilalaning lider ng masa.
Noong Nobyembre 2005 ay nagkaroon ng 7-Party Alliance kung saan
nagkaisa ang 7 oposisyonistang partido doon na dapat nang wakasan ang
monarkiya at magkaroon ng bagong sistemang demokratiko. Nangako ang mga
maoista ng ceasefire, at ng pagkakaroon ng self-criticism hinggil sa mga nakaraang
pagkakamali sa ginawa nilang armadong pakikibaka. Nangako rin sila ng
pagrespeto sa multi-party system ng pamahalaan, sa mga karapatang pantao, at sa
kalayaan ng pamamahayag.
Noong Abril 2006 ay nagkaroon ng mapayapang rebolusyon sa porma ng
malawakan at matagalang general strike sa Nepal, at ito ang nakapilit kay
Gyanendra, ang pinakahuling hari ng Nepal, na magbitiw sa kapangyarihan.
Nagkaroon ng kasunduan na ang 7-Party Alliance ang bubuo ng bagong
pamahalaan. Noong Mayo 2006 ay bumalik sina Prachanda at Bhattarai sa kanilang
mga baseng gerilya sa Nepal, mula sa India. At noong Hunyo 2006 ay sinundo sila
ng ibang lider ng Alliance upang tumungo sa kapitolyo ng Kathmandu upang
pumirma sa isang “Comprehensive Peace Accord” at upang sila’y maging bahagi
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ng bagong pamahalaan. Sa ilalim rin ng 7-Party Alliance ay nagkaroon ng interim
constitution ang Nepal noong 2007.
Noong Abril 2008 ay nagkaroon ng eleksiyon para sa isang Constituent
Assembly bilang pansamantalang parliyamento na gagawa rin ng bagong
Konstitusyon para sa Nepal. Dahil sa hindi pa noon sinusuko ng mga maoista ang
kanilang mga armas (ang tuluyang pagsusuko ng armas ay isinagawa lamang
nitong Abril ng taong ito), nagawa nilang makakuha ng malaking boto at sila ang
nakakuha ng 7 posisyon sa gabinete. Nagkaroon ng power-sharing agreement sa
loob ng 7-Party alliance, at si Prachanda ang naging Prime Minister noong Agosto
2008.
Ngunit noong Mayo 2009 ay napilitang magbitiw si Prachanda dahil hindi niya
kayang mai-reorganize ang pamunuan ng Nepalese Army na hindi pumayag sa
maoistang demand na ang maoistang hukbo ay ma-integrate sa army ngunit may
hiwalay na command. Malakas ang naging pagtutol sa maoistang demand na ang
mga kabilang sa maoistang hukbo ay susuweldo sa pambansang army ngunit
mananatiling nasa kanilang hiwalay na kontrol. Bandang huli ay pumayag ang
maraming maoistang combatants na ma-integrate na sa iba’t-ibang bahagi ng
national army sa pamamagitan ng karaniwang proseso ng pagtiyak sa kanilang
kakayahan, kaalaman at katapatan sa pamahalaan ng bansa.
Sa ngayon, ang prime minister ng Nepal ay ang maoistang lider na si
Bhattarai. Sa plano ng mga maoista na magkaroon ng mas malaking kontrol sa
pamahalaan, in-abolish ni Bhattarai ang Constituent Assembly noong Mayo 27 ng
taong ito, at nagpatawag siya ng bagong eleksiyon ng Constituent Assembly sa
Nobyembre ng taong ito. Hindi raw kasi nagustuhan ng mga maoista ang ilang
bahagi ng bagong konstitusyon na tinatapos pa lamang ng Constituent Assembly.
Ngunit sa realidad ng alyansa ng mga partido sa Nepal, hindi maaaring
maipilit ng mga maoista ang nais lamang nila. Ang pag-abolish sa Constituent
Assembly, na isang paraan ng panggugulang ng mga maoista, ay kinondena ng
CPN(UML) at iba pang partido na nagsabi na ito’y taliwas sa 2007 interim
constitution ng Nepal, at dapat ay hayaan munang matapos ng Constituent
Assembly ang pagbubuo ng bagong Konstitusyon.
Sa pagpapatawag ng bagong eleksiyon, hindi rin makatitiyak ang mga
maoista na makukuha nila ang mas malaking mayorya ng mga boto. Una na, sa
pagsasalong ng armas ng maoistang hukbo, nawawala na ang pagkatakot sa kanila
ng mga mamamayan, maging sa mga lugar na dating pinagkutaan at naipailalim sa
militarisasyon (“liberated zones”, kuno) ng mga maoista. Ikalawa, ang maoistang
partido sa Nepal ay nahahati na ngayon sa tatlong paksiyon. Ikatlo, nalalantad na rin
ang ginawang corruption, kabulukan, pagmamalabis at pagmamalupit ng mga
maoista sa mga lugar na kanilang ginawang mga base noon.
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Samantalang ang karamihan sa mga dating ordinaryong combatants ng
maoistang hukbo ay nananatili sa paghihirap, nalantad na marami sa mga kumander
nila ang nakapag-pundar pala ng malalaking yaman mula sa mga “revolutionary
taxes” na nadugas nila mula sa mga negosyante at ordinaryong mamamayan sa
mga lugar kung saan sila dating namayagpag. Milyong mga US dollars ang halaga
ng mga lupain, gusali at negosyo na naipupundar ngayon ng mga dating kumander
ng maoistang hukbo. Ang isyung ito ay muling lumutang sa pagdaraos ng ika-7
plenum ng komite sentral ng UCPN(Maoist) nitong Hulyo 2012, na ginanap upang
talakayin ang political crisis sa Nepal sa harap ng malawakang pagtutol sa kanilang
ginawang pag-abolish sa Constituent Assembly.
Noong Hulyo 18, pinigil ng isang malaking grupo ng mga dating combatants
ng maoistang hukbo ang pag-uumpisa ng plenum. Hiniling nila na unahin muna ng
pamunuan ng partido ang pag-imbestiga sa mga pinuno ng partido at mga dating
kumander na nandambong sa malaking kayamanan ng dating maoistang hukbo.
Dapat daw sana ay naiukol ang mga yamang iyon sa pagpapaunlad ng mga
“cantonments” na pinagdalhan sa mga dating combatants ng dating maoistang
hukbo. Naungkat rin ang isyu ng marangyang mga mansions na nabili sa
Kathmandu ni Prachanda at iba pang pinunong maoista.
Higit pa rito, naungkat rin ang isyu ng pag-withdraw ng milyun-milyong dolyar
na halaga ng pera mula sa mga bangko na ginawa ni Prakash Dahal, ang kaisaisang anak na lalaki ni Prachanda na wala namang sariling kabuhayan. Matapos
makuha ang pera, si Prakash, 31 anyos at 2 ulit nang nakapag-asawa, ay biglang
“nawala”. Iniulat nitong buwang ito na si Prakash ay may itinanan na isang
estudyanteng aktibista na si Bina Thapa Magar, at sila’y nagtatago sa siyudad ng
Patna, sa India, kung saan nag-aral si Prakash mula 1996 hanggang 2002. Si Bina ay
asawa ni Shankar Adhikari, isang maoistang lider estudyante, ngunit sila’y iniulat na
nagkahiwalay dahil magkalaban ang kinapuntahan nilang mga paksiyon ng
UCPN(Maoist).
Noong Hulyo 20, sa ginaganap ay ika-7 plenum ng komite sentral ng
UCPN(Maoist), sumiklab muli ang mainit na labanan sa pagitan ng 2 pangunahing
paksiyon sa loob ng partidong ito --- ang paksiyon ni Chairman Prachanda, at ang
paksiyon ni Prime Minister Bhattarai. Habang nagbibigay ng komentaryo ang isang
kapanalig ni Bhattarai sa ulat pampulitika na inihayag si Prachanda, sinigawan ng
mga kapanalig ni Prachanda ang grupo ni Bhattarai. Nagmurahan ang 2 paksiyon, at
noong tumayo si Bhattarai upang i-boycott ang meeting ay nagkaroon na ng
batuhan.
May nagtangkang sumaksak sa prime minister, ngunit ito’y kanyang nailagan;
may naghagis naman ng silya kay Prachanda, ngunit ito’y kanya ring nailagan. Bago
maawat ang gulo ay marami muna ang nasaktan sa magkabilang paksiyon, at halos
mamatay sa bugbog ang naghagis ng silya kay Prachanda. Ang ganitong
pangyayari sa mga pulong ng partidong maoista ay normal na lamang daw, lalo na
kapag may nauungkat hinggil sa mga nangyaring pangungulimbat sa mga
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kayamanang nagmula sa kanilang naging pangingikil sa sambayanang Nepali sa
panahon ng kanilang “people’s war”.
Ang mga pangyayari sa Nepal ay kapupulutan natin ng mga aral hinggil sa
maaaring maging takbo ng partido maoista at ng kanilang hukbong maoista dito sa
ating bansa.
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SPEECH OF THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
PHILIPPINE PEACE AND SOLIDARITY COUNCIL (PPSC)
AT THE ASSEMBLY OF THE WORLD PEACE COUNCIL (WPC)
IN KATHMANDU, THE FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF NEPAL
( JULY 20-22, 2012 )
Comrade Chairperson,
Dear Comrades and Friends :
First of all, on behalf of the Philippine Peace and Solidarity Council (PPSC), I
would like to thank the office-bearers and members of the Nepal Peace and
Solidarity Council (NPSC) for their great efforts in hosting this Assembly, and
especially for their kind hospitality.
The PPSC considers as the main threat to peace in our country and region the
US plans to regain permanent access to its former US bases in the Philippines and
Thailand, as well as to obtain “visiting” rights for US fleets and forces in Singapore
and some other members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Just recently, forces from the US 7th Fleet conducted the annual “CARAT
(Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training)” joint naval exercises in Philippine
waters, as well as the bi-annual “Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder)” joint military
exercises in several islands of our archipelago. In addition, hundreds of troopers
from US “special forces” are almost permanently stationed in parts of our southern
island of Mindanao, under the so-called “Visiting Forces Agreement”. It is in
Southern Mindanao where terrorist activities are being continued by the “Abu
Sayyaf” criminal gangs and some pro-US religious extremist groups (primarily the
“Moro Islamic Liberation Front [MILF]” and its “Bangsamoro Islamic Army [BIA]”
whose founding leaders have formerly served the CIA’s Pakistan-based war against
the former national-democratic government in Afghanistan.
US Designs vs. China
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By stoking an atmosphere of belligerency against the People’s Republic of
China (PRoC), US imperialism is putting pressure upon the Philippine government
to violate the nuclear-weapon-free and foreign-base-free provisions of our
Constitution, and to hand over to the USA fleet-basing access to Subic Bay and
Clark Field. As you would recall, Subic Naval Base and Clark Air Base used to be
the biggest US military bases outside the USA, and these bases were extensively
used in the US wars of aggression against Korea in the 1950s, and against the
countries of Indochina from the 1960s up to 1974.
Similarly, the U Ta Pao and other bases in Thailand which the USA would like
to regain as facilities for US air and naval fleets were also used extensively in the
US war of aggression against Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia up to the early 1970s.
Near our ASEAN region, US imperialist plans include the strengthening of its
military presence in South Korea (including the building of a new base which would
despoil the natural beauty of Jeju Island), the halting of previous plans to reduce US
forces in Okinawa and other parts of Japan, and the building up of more US military
facilities in Guam as well as in Australia.
An Asian version of NATO is in fact being developed, with Japan, South
Korea and Australia serving as the regional acolytes for aggressive US plans to
“contain” the PRoC. The military “encirclement” of the PRoC is the objective of the
new “pivot”, or increased redeployment of US military forces, towards the AsiaPacific region. For this purpose, new arrangements are being pursued for the
constant visit (or increased stationing) of US forces in Pakistan and India, the buildup of US facilities in Diego Garcia, and even the introduction of US forces into
Mongolia.
Hands-Off-Syria !
Of course the new US military plans for the Asia-Pacific Region still include
its old plans for the retention of US control (directly through US military forces and
“drones”, or through private “security agencies”) over Afghanistan and Iraq. We
condemn the continued bloodshed and destruction that the US-NATO occupation of
Afghanistan, and the US-NATO control over Iraq, have spawned.
But right now, the PPSC views the US-NATO interference in the Syrian Arab
Republic as the gravest threat to world peace. Similar to the early stages of the USNATO operations against Libya, arms support is being covertly and openly provided
by US and other NATO operatives to all terrorist groups being infiltrated into Syria
from imperialist bases in neighboring countries (Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan).
Every effort is being made, even with outright lies through “embedded”
correspondents of western mass media, to demonize the Syrian government and to
project the terrorists as “freedom fighters”.
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The present proxy war against Syria is part of the US-NATO-Zionist plan for a
“greater Middle East” that would eliminate the Arab steadfastness front against the
Israeli colonization of Palestine, the Golan Heights and other Arab lands. It is a plan
to perpetuate not only the Zionist settlement of Palestinian lands, but also the
humiliation of the Arab peoples and the imperialist control of their oil and other
resources, with Israel serving as the regional gendarme for imperialism.
The growing imperialist interference in Syria is a step towards a US-NATOZionist attack against Iran, and is a way of undermining the growing influence of the
PRoC and the Russian Federation. In this regard, the PPSC salutes the stand of the
PRoC and the Russian Federation in consistently vetoing at the UN Security Council
every imperialist resolution aimed at allowing direct US-NATO intervention in Syria.
Had these 2 permanent members of the UN-SC used their veto power in the earlier
case of Libya, the Libyan people would not have suffered the massacres, wanton
destruction, ethnic divisions and social anarchy wrought by the imperialist
intervention.
Solidarity with Progressive Peoples’ Struggles
Still on the subject of the Middle East, I would like to reiterate the PPSC’s
position that the main issue is the liberation of Palestine from Zionist colonialism. In
this connection, the PPSC is in firm solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian
people for an independent, multi-racial, democratic and secular Palestinian State
with East Jerusalem as its capital, where all denominations can co-exist peacefully.
We share the Palestinian people’s aspiration that such a Palestinian State would be
at peace with all its neighbors and with secure borders (in accordance with the
borders before the Israeli war of aggression of June 1967). We further support the
right to return to their villages of origin, and to their properties, of the Palestinians
who are presently in diaspora, which right is enshrined in UN Resolution No. 194 of
the Al Nakba period. Regarding the so-called “Arab Spring” in some countries of northern Africa,
the PPSC supports real change which would free the peoples from imperialist
control. At the same time, we condemn the imperialist manipulation of so-called
“revolutionary” movements in order to bring about “regime change” where older
imperialist puppets are simply replaced by younger ones.
In other parts of Africa, the PPSC notes the resurgence of anti-imperialist
movements, and salutes the efforts of progressive governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations of South Africa in rendering assistance for such
resurgence.
Regarding Latin America and the Caribbean, the PPSC condemns the USA’s
continued destabilization plots against Cuba, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,
and the other countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA). We
condemn the US-hatched coup d’etat against the democratically-elected president
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of Honduras (Jose Manuel Zelaya, in 2010), and the democratically-elected president
of Paraguay (Fernando Lugo, just last month).
We condemn the building up of new US military bases in Colombia, and the
continued US control over Puerto Rico, the Panama Canal and Guantanamo Bay.
We also condemn the continued British control over the Malvinas Islands. Further,
we condemn the continued US blockade against Cuba, and the continued
incarceration and holding in the USA of the 5 Cuban anti-terrorist heroes (the
“Cuban-5”).
At the same time, the PPSC notes the trend towards anti-imperialist
integration in Latin America and the Caribbean, which was pioneered by the
organization of the ALBA. We hail the formation of the CELAC (the Community of
States of Latin America and the Caribbean), from where the USA and Canada are
excluded, and which community is expected to replace the moribund US creation
that is the “Organization of American States (OAS)”. Further, we salute Venezuela’s
initiation of TeleSur as the new voice of truth and cultural integration of the Latin
American and Caribbean region, as well as Venezuela’s role in organizing a new
development bank for that region.
Further, the PPSC notes the growing prestige and clout of the BRICS
countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) which together account for
half of the world’s population, investments and productive capacity. The
cooperation and integration of their economies, and their growing detachment from
ties with the USA and other imperialist countries, is leading to the creation of a new
(although still capitalist) counterpoise to imperialism. The BRICS countries can,
together, compete formidably with the USA and other imperialist countries in the
economic arena, although this can lead to imperialism’s greater recourse to
militarism and war as the economic crises in their home countries will thereby
become even more insurmountable.
On the Issue of the South China Sea
Contending territorial claims over different parts of the South China Sea have
now figured in the USA’s present anti-PRoC campaign. This of course is nothing
new, as US imperialism has used in the past other issues such as the PRoC’s
treatment of the “Falun Gong” sect, of Tibetan “freedom fighters”, of Islamic
“jihadists” in the western provinces, of the “revolutionists” at Tien An Men square,
of Hong Kong and Macau “democracy advocates”, and of the rabble-rousers calling
for separate recognition for Formosa (Taiwan).
However, without detracting from our central thesis that US imperialism is the
main threat to peace and stability in our region and throughout the world, I must
bring to your attention the fear being instilled among some ASEAN countries by the
PRoC’s “muscle-flexing” in the South China Sea. The Philippines, the Socialist
Republic of Viet Nam, Malaysia and Brunei are among the ASEAN countries which
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now feel threatened by the growing presence of PRoC patrol vessels in the vast
swath of ocean territory that the PRoC claims to be within the “9-dashed line” drawn
up by its Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD).
Tense stand-offs between Philippine and PRoC patrol vessels have happened
in the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal (a rich fishing ground around 132 nautical
miles west of the main northern Philippine island of Luzon). It is hoped that there
would be no untoward incident similar to the earlier PRoC attack on Vietnamese
positions in the Paracel Islands further northwest of the Scarborough Shoal. The
Spratly Islands further southwest of the Scarborough Shoal is another potential
flashpoint, considering that oil and gas deposits have been discovered in their
vicinity.
Even while all claimants to the islands and waters of the South China Sea are
signatories to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),
not all would want the dispute to be heard by the UN’s International Tribunal on the
Law of the Sea. The PRoC sticks to its dynastic claim of the “9-dashed line” which
encompasses around 90% of the 3.5 million square kilometre South China Sea. This
area provides 10% of the global fisheries catch, its sea lanes are traversed by half of
the world’s shipping tonnage, and hydrocarbon (petroleum and gas) resources have
been found in some pockets within this vast area.
While the PRoC is warning ASEAN claimants against the internationalization
of the territorial dispute, and against drawing US military interference into the area,
the very actions of the PRoC are forcing some ASEAN countries to seek US
“assistance” and even “protection”. However, the PPSC condemns the moves of
the present Aquino administration in the Philippines to involve the USA in the
dispute. US interference will not be a solution to this dispute, but will only be a
bigger problem for all the claimants.
Of course we know that US forces will always act in the interest of US
monopoly capital, and particularly of US oil and other exploration and exploitation
companies. US imperialism would want to have a foothold on the resources of the
South China Sea, with or without the territorial dispute between the PRoC and
concerned ASEAN member countries.
We hope that all parties to the various territorial claims over parts of the
South China Sea will refrain from any action that could lead to the escalation of
tensions, and to imperialist intervention.
Threats to our National Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity
Related to the US hunt for petroleum resources in our region is the US plan
for the formation of a “sub-state” in the southern part of the Philippines --- a socalled “Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE)” --- an “Islamic” entity which will
encompass Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan islands, as well as their territorial seas,
9
where oil and gas explorations are being conducted by US and other transnational
corporations.
The formation of this “Islamic sub-state” has nothing to do with Islam, or with
the indigenous rights of the multi-cultural peoples of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan,
majority of whom are not even Moslems. The main purpose is to create a puppet
regime led by the pro-US “Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)” which will be used
to legitimize US control of the resources of this sub-state --- a sub-state which will
be carved out of Philippine sovereignty and territorial integrity.
This is similar to the present US plan of carving up Libya into sub-states
along tribal lines, to destroy all past gains of Libyan unity, independence and noncapitalist development. This is also similar to the US plan to carve out Baluchistan
from Pakistan.
It must be mentioned that in the Philippines, US imperialism covertly
supports the terrorist activities of both the ultra-right (now including the “Islamic
fundamentalists”) and the ultra-left (primarily the Maoists). These forces are
maintained, strengthened or scaled-down (in reality or in propaganda) according to
the US imperialist need to prop up or destabilize their client regime in the Philippine
government. Objectively, the military operations of these forces are also used to
destroy the capability for the development of national industries which may
compete with US and other transnational corporations.
During last night’s inaugural session of our Assembly, held at the Nepal
Cultural Hall, foreign delegates had the opportunity to have a glimpse of Nepal’s
process of national reconciliation, for the ending of the Maoist armed struggle or
“people’s war”. I must mention my deep appreciation for the opportunity to attend
that session, where I heard for the first time a Maoist leader (Ram Karki, a central
leader of the Prime Minister’s faction of UCPN-Maoist) mentioning the mistake of
their decade of violent and bloody struggle since 1996, and admitting that
democracy cannot be attained by non-democratic means.
I hope that the day will soon come when we can at least hear similar
statements from the Maoist leaders of the so-called “people’s war” in the
Philippines --- the Maoist leaders who have long been harboured and supported by
the reactionary and pro-US-imperialist regime in the Netherlands.
It should be noted, however, that there are some groups outside of the
Philippines who are infatuated with the armed struggle, for sincere or other reasons.
Fully aware that the same has no prospect at all in their own countries, they instead
enjoy a “goody-goody” feeling by supporting the Maoist or Islamic insurgencies in
the Philippines, oblivious to the fact that such support only helps to cause great
destruction and suffering among our people.
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Support for these terrorist insurgencies can only weaken the cause of peace
in our country, and only plays into the hands of the imperialists who wish to divert
the people’s attention to a vain form of struggle which, for the past decades, has
neither attained widespread support, nor gained any prospect of victory. (Already,
an estimated 40,000 Filipinos have died in the maoist armed struggle since 1969,
with hundreds having fallen victim to internecine purges within the maoist ranks.
Also, an estimated 150,000 Filipinos have died in the MILF armed struggle since the
MILF broke off from the Moro National Liberation Front in 1978.)
Before ending, I must again thank the Nepal Peace and Solidarity Council for
kindly hosting this Assembly. The PPSC hails the dramatic transformation of Nepal
from a Hindu monarchy to a democratic secular republic, and wishes every success
to the Nepalese people’s present task of forging a new constitution of national
unity, and for the Nepalese people’s continuing struggle for peace, national
reconciliation and all-round progress.
(Note : Due to the 3-minute time limit on speeches, only portions of the
first 11 paragraphs, and portions of the last 5 paragraphs, were read
during the plenary session of the WPC Assembly held at the
conference hall of the Malla Hotel in Kathmandu on July 21, 2012.)
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MESSAGE OF GREETINGS TO THE
13TH NATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE
SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY
PARTIDO KOMUNISTA NG PILIPINAS
( PKP-1930 )
(Philippine Communist Party)
e-mail : philcompar@yahoo.com
July 9, 2012
THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE
SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY (SACP)
e-mail : international@sacp.org.za
Dear comrades :
Thank you for the kind invitation for our Party to be represented at your 13th
National Congress, which is to take place at the University of Zululand at
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Kwadlangeza on July 11-15. While we regret our inability to send a representative,
we have the honor of sending our warmest fraternal greetings to your 13th National
Congress.
On this occasion, we salute the multi-racial founders and leaders of the
SACP, many of whom have been martyred or have endured grave sufferings under
the abominable system of apartheid. We salute the SACP’s valiant struggles against
apartheid, and your great strides in winning national power --- in alliance with the
ANC and the COSATU --- and in advancing the country’s national democratic
revolution.
While recalling the worldwide solidarity that the SACP drew upon in its long
and heroic struggle against apartheid, we salute the SACP’s internationalist
solidarity with all progressive forces fighting against imperialism and reaction --- for
democracy and socialism. We particularly admire the SACP’s efforts at forging
African unity for continent-wide resistance against the US-AFRICOM and NATO war
plans, for continent-wide independent progress and social justice.
Finally, we thank you for sending “The South African Road to Socialism” (the
Draft Political Programme of the SACP for 2012-2017) which outlines your nationaldemocratic path to socialism, and which contains many lessons in alliance-building
and governance which are relevant to our own struggles.
We wish every success to your 13th National Congress. Amandla !
With Communist greetings,
ANTONIO E. PARIS
General Secretary
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