November 14, 2002
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
Shalom!
class="eerste">I write to you in behalf of the Filipino people who wish for the resumption of formal peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
As church people, we firmly believe that the way to peace is justice, when the human rights of everybody regardless of race, color, creed and ideology are recognized and upheld. We subscribe to the peace negotiations, and that there must be mutual agreement between the two conflicting parties in order to have a stable, just and lasting peace. The peace negotiations that have been going on between the GRP and NDFP were strongly endorsed by the European Parliament within the context of The Hague Joint Declaration, which was the positive result of the peace negotiations. This is why we are soliciting support from the European churches to join the Filipino people in urging the European Union to uphold the 1997 European Parliament Resolution endorsing the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations.
More importantly, we appeal for support from the European churches in urging the Council of the European Union to immediately remove the New People’s Army (NPA) and Prof. Jose Maria Sison in its October 28 list of “terrorists.”
Prof. Sison is the chief consultant of the NDFP and plays a key role in the peace negotiations. We are therefore concerned that this designation on the NDFP Chief Political Consultant as a ‘terrorist” undermines the call for the resumption of peace talks. Why am I so zealous about defending him? I don't know him personally. But I stand on the principles of human rights, peace and due process. Prof. Sison is now a victim of the unjust listing of “terrorists.’ Then it could also be anybody.
I do not agree with the Professor on his ideology of atheism and Marxism. But we are companions in the hope of attaining just and lasting peace for the common good of Filipinos and all peoples of the world. Prof. Sison is a recognized political refugee in accordance with international law and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. From a human perspective, it is the need of a person to live decently as a human being. But he has been deprived of basic necessities. Even his bank account containing social subsidy from the Dutch state was frozen, so how can a man live without these supports? If we talk about human rights, there is definitely a violation of Prof. Sison’s rights.
Clearing the way for the resumption of peace talks means that the NPA and Prof. Sison should be taken off the EU list of “terrorists.” Once the way is clear, we call on the GRP and NDFP to pursue the socio-economic and political reforms that will address the roots of impoverishment and unrest in the country.
For a Just and Lasting Peace,
Bishop Julio X. Labayen, OCD
Bishop-Prelate of Infanta
Member, Ecumenical Bishops Forum