By Max Lane
Joel Rocamora is a political analyst and activist in the progressive movement in the Philippines. He was recently in Australia to attend the Philippines: 100 years of Struggle; 100 Years of Solidarity Conference organised by the Centre for Philippines Concerns — Australia and the Philippines Australia Solidarity Group in Sydney. He spoke to Green Left Weekly about recent political developments.
The issue with the most potential to provide some new openings to the left, said Rocamora, is peace. The Ramos government has continued the policies of Aquino in proposing peace talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF), the underground political organisation which includes the Communist Party of the Philippines and which directs the New People's Army. According to Rocamora, however, the real agenda of Ramos is to secure, not a political settlement with the NDF, but its surrender.
"There is the possibility, however, that the peace process may get out of control of Ramos. In some ways this has already happened", said Rocamora. "For example, Aquino's former unofficial negotiator with the NDF, Jose Yap, was dispatched to the Netherlands to speak with the NDF leadership in exile.
"He was sent to simply check out the possibility of talks, but ended up issuing a joint communiqué with the NDF representatives agreeing that talks should start and should include discussion of substantive issues. And unlike Aquino, Ramos acknowledged Yap as an official representative of the government"
The Aquino government had always resisted any discussion of substantive issues. In the joint communiqué, however, it was stated that there should be four areas of discussions: human rights and international humanitarian law; economic reform; political reform; and issues relating to amnesty and the disposal of military forces. Talks are to start through informal working groups.
"We can expect there to be resistance from the government still", he said. "Already there have been statements from officials saying that there are nine areas that should be discussed and not four. There is also dispute over whether the talks should take place in the Netherlands or in the Philippines. This will be a very slow process."
Rocamora was optimistic that some kind of talks would proceed. "The underground has reacted positively to the talks proposal", he said. "And there is also a general sense amongst the business community that the peace talks should go ahead.
"The military is the main source of opposition to the talks. Even in the military, though, there are sections that wish to see the money that is being spent on counterinsurgency efforts transferred to obtaining naval and air force equipment to fill what they see as a rture of the United States air and naval forces."
At the same time, Rocamora was subdued in his assessment of what gains might be made.
"The left is not in as strong a position in the Philippines as in El Salvador", he said. "It is unlikely, for example, that a situation will emerge whereby the underground will feel it is safe to completely surface or that the armed struggle can be completely halted."
He said that the underground had treated the move by Ramos to repeal the laws banning the Communist Party with the derision it deserved. "Almost nobody has ever been arrested under this law. It is an irrelevant political dinosaur. They would still have all the other repressive laws available and court decisions like those accepting the practice of warrantless arrest."
He added, however, that it may be possible to make some gains that would expand the democratic space available to legal mass organisations.
"Repeal of such measures as Presidential Decree 1866, for example, would be a worthwhile gain." Many political prisoners have been jailed under this decree, he said. They are charged with the "possession of arms in pursuit of rebellion".
"Any political activist can be arrested and have weapons planted on him", Rocamora explained. "It is a very common practice.
"It might also be possible to obtain the repeal of other repressive laws and obtain some kind of formal human rights agreement. There is also some discontent amongst traditional elite politicians with the current form of the parliamentary system and electoral processes which may provide the basis for reforms allowing just a little more pluralism in the Congress. The current Congress is totally dominated by the wealthy landlord and business families."
Rocamora indicated that the Left is currently debating the best approach to the peace talks. "Some approach the talks as straight negotiations between military forces and as a platform for propaganda. Others see the possibility of achieving a configuration of forces that might help us make some gains. These gains may not be great, but they have the possibility to improve the situation for open political organising."