PHILIPPINES

Philippines and Maoist rebels to resume peace talks

April 1, 2017

Negotiators from the Philippine government and Maoist-led rebels will resume formal peace negotiations in the first week of April, after an angry President Rodrigo Duterte cancelled talks following a spate of rebel attacks on army troops earlier this year.

Jesus Dureza, Duterte’s presidential adviser on the peace process, said the decision to resume talks was reached after two-day informal talks in Utrecht in March.

Norway, which has been brokering the negotiations, was again instrumental in reaching the agreement in the Netherlands. A second meeting was set for June.

“I am pleased to announce that the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF)... are now back on track,” Dureza said.

Dureza added that the government had also agreed to release the detained rebels who are consultants to the peace talks and reinstate the immunity from arrest of 19 other NDF consultants. The NDF is the umbrella organization representing the CPP-NPA in negotiations with the government.

Both sides also agreed to reinstate their respective unilateral ceasefire declarations before the April talks begin.

The talks are aimed at ending nearly five decades of conflict, which has killed more than 40,000 people. The communist rebellion is one of Asia’s longest-running insurgencies.

#22099 Published: March 20, 2017