Press Release
August 29, 2007

ON THE ARREST OF JOMA SISON

" The Arroyo administration must not be so quick to express jubilation over the arrest of Prof. Sison and the raid of the National Democratic Front's headquarters, if it is earnest in realizing the peace process. This incident may stall further the peace negotiations, and we are weary of more fierce fighting in the countryside and the loss of lives in this decades long rebellion."

"The charges against Prof. Sison for crimes that were committed here in the country, given that the Philippines does not have an extradition treaty with the Dutch government, must be reviewed carefully lest it this proves to be another attack on progressive forces. If we are really to put an end to the rebellion, then the government needs to think out of the box and explore ways of balancing a strategy that will control the encounters in the countryside and aggressive negotiations."

"This conflict has been going on for decades and has used up billions of government funds that could have gone to education and other social services, precisely because our authorities are stuck in the old ways of managing conflict. We need to be more open minded and more aggressive on this issue. " ###

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