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After 3 Failures, Philippines to Restart Talks With Violent Communist Rebels

Ralph Jennings

   TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Analysts say Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's
   announced plan to restart peace talks with violent communist rebels,
   aimed at ending a 50-year conflict after three failed efforts, would
   earn him a place in history if he succeeds and help bring investment to
   impoverished, strife-torn parts of the country.

   Previous talks broke down when each side accused the other of
   initiating attacks, sometimes violating cease-fires. The most recent
   round collapsed in March.

   Duterte said December 5 he will send a peace negotiator to the
   Netherlands to restart talks with Communist Party of the Philippines
   founder Jose Maria Sison, the presidential office website states.
   A peace deal with the party and its armed unit, the New People's Army,
   would boost Duterte's image as a peacemaker when he steps down in 2022
   due to term limits, country analysts believe.
   "For Duterte, he has two years left in his term and he probably is
   thinking of a legacy, and one of his legacies would be to end the
   communist insurgency," said Eduardo Araral, associate professor at the
   National University of Singapore's public policy school.

   "At least he could say he tried to talk to the reds but it would appear
   that the reds are unreasonable and he cannot be blamed for using his
   strong-arm tactics," he said.
   Restart to talks
   Philippine officials and the insurgency may be able to negotiate a
   peace deal if the government first frees party-backed prisoners and the
   rebels suspend acts of violence, Araral said.
   
   Government attacks on the New People's Army have reduced the number of
   combatants to 4,000, down from a peak of some 17,000, domestic media
   reports say. The party claims about 70,000 members. The New People's
   Army may feel "cornered" in parts of the country, Araral said.
   "There's enough motivation from both sides to get the peace talks
   moving forward again," he said.
   Fighting such as ambushes on soldiers has killed about 30,000 people
   over the past five decades. The rebels further frustrate the government
   with continued requests for prisoner releases followed by new attacks.
   They sometimes attack construction firms and demand that companies pay
   taxes.
   Rebel leaders have said they believe Duterte has not released enough
   prisoners.
   Legacy seeker
   Duterte said via his office website he had tried to negotiate three
   times with the Communists but "failed." He pledged before taking office
   in 2016 to eradicate a range of criminal activity and prides himself on
   an understanding of rebel causes because he served for 22 years as
   mayor in Davao City, near some of their strongholds.
   

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