THE FORMAL resumption of the peace negotiation between the government and National Democratic Front next month is being viewed with guarded optimism.
The Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) is a make or break stage of the negotiation as the issues being discussed, like the prevalence of landlessness, the lack of national industrialization and extreme economic exploitation of majority of Filipinos, are among the main reasons of the almost five-decade old armed conflict.
Hopefully, CASER can be signed this year so that the panels can move on the remaining agenda of the talks. More than the bilateral ceasefire, the signing of the CASER and its thorough implementation, which would pave the way for giving lands to landless peasants and industrialize our lagging nation, would be a safeguard against armed hostilities.
CASER is considered the heart and soul of the peace talks. The NDF-proposed CASER contains provisions on various socio-economic concerns — agrarian reform and rural development; national industrialization and economic development; environmental protection, rehabilitation and compensation; rights of the working people; promoting patriotic, progressive and pro-people culture; recognition of ancestral lands and territories of national minorities; and ensuring economic sovereignty for national development through foreign economic and trade relations, financial, monetary and fiscal policies, and social and economic planning.
It would be best, too, that the talks should be conducted still in a neutral venue so as to ensure that no undue pressure or interference can be exerted on either party and the negotiations could go as smoothly and unhampered as possible. The Royal Norwegian Government should be commended for the perseverance and the continuing facilitation of the negotiation.
The President’s decision to go back once again to the negotiating table is most welcome. After all, the government and the rebels have been in negotiation for decades and there are already draft agreements. We fervently hope both sides can come up with agreements that are acceptable to everyone and beneficial to the Filipino people.
