Author Topic: Philippine communist rebels vow to step up attacks amid looming food crisis  (Read 1087 times)

bulak

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Philippine communist rebels marked their insurgency's 40th anniversary with a vow Friday to take advantage of rising food prices to stir up public discontent and intensify attacks on government troops.

The government has repeatedly dismissed the 6,000-member New People's Army as an ideologically spent force with little popular support, and the military has said it will wipe out the insurgents by 2010.

But the rebels said in a statement they would continue "to seize the initiative and launch far more tactical offensives against the enemy than last year."

They also said they aim to take advantage of the country's rapidly worsening food situation and blamed President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's policies for the rising price of rice and other essential goods.

The 117,000-strong police force declared a nationwide alert in anticipation of rebel attacks on the anniversary Saturday, said spokesman Nicanor Bartolome. He said rebels usually launch strikes every March 29.

Farmers' groups have warned that the Philippines faces its worst rice crisis in decades due to tight worldwide supply and higher oil and fertilizer costs. The government insists there is no shortage and is beefing up rice stocks with imports from Vietnam and Thailand.

The rebel statement said the Philippines "faces the grave problem of shortage and soaring price of rice. This problem has already caused malnutrition on a national scale and starvation in certain areas."

It did not give details of the reported malnutrition.

The rebels linked the current food problems and rising commodity prices to a crisis of "the world capitalist system," led by a slowdown in the United States, the Philippines' major foreign ally and trading partner.

"The celebration of the U.S. as the engine of growth and as the market of last resort for the world economy is practically over," they said.

The rebels have waged a rural-based insurrection, attacking police and military outposts and surviving on extortion through the collection of so-called "revolutionary taxes" from companies active in areas where they hold ground.

They said they launched more than 500 attacks last year.

The rebels withdrew from peace talks in 2004 after accusing Arroyo's government of instigating their inclusion in U.S. and European Union terrorist lists.


source:The Associated Press


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B:)

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I just don't know why Peace Talk is not possible?

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bulak

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Yes peace talk is possible but with concrete agreement between the two parties.

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