The Voices of Peace commemorates the first anniversary of the Oslo Joint Communique signed by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) last November 2023. This milestone instills new hope in our collective efforts to transform the conflict between the two parties through nonviolent means. We applaud both parties for this comprehensive statement.
However, we remain concerned by the limited visible progress a year after the communique, particularly as the armed conflict, and other forms of violence continue to impact communities, including indigenous populations. As a network of diverse organizations, including civil society organizations, faith-based organizations and Indigenous Peoples' organizations, we continue to experience human rights violations and abuses especially among indigenous peoples.
We earnestly appeal on the Philippine Government and the NDFP to take meaningful steps aligned with the values and intentions outlined in the communique. We urge both parties to take advantage of their opening of the peace negotiation in November 2023 through the signed joint communique to push for necessary structural, political, social, ecological and economic reforms necessary in addressing the root causes of the conflict. Only through sustained talks and the commitment towards a transformative political settlement of the conflict can we achieve an improvement in the quality of life of all Filipinos, implement significant socio-economic development for conflict-affected communities that are sustainable, culturally and conflict-sensitive, and resolve the long-standing conflict towards a just and lasting peace.
As peacebuilders, we believe now is the time to act. Now is the time to move the peace process forward by clarifying the framework for negotiation and immediately convening both panels. Moreover, we urge both parties to uphold and respect International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights, and ensure the safety of all peace advocates working on this conflict. These are meant to safeguard the process and those engaged with it.
Lastly, we ask both parties to recognize the importance of genuine indigenous peoples’ representation in the peace talks. As the most vulnerable and impacted population in this armed conflict whose fundamental rights to self-determination has been persistently undermined and abused, it is imperative that the peace talk includes their voices. This will pave the way for a more transparent, participatory and accountable peace process and in achieving a peace agreement that genuinely respects and safeguards the rights of the indigenous peoples in the
country.
The Voices of Peace commits to accompany this peace process to its success.
The Voices of Peace is a peace constituency made up of diverse organizations from the Philippines. Founded in Mindanao, we bring together various CSOs, faith-based, and Indigenous Peoples' organizations that are either part of the communities impacted by or actively working with those affected by the CPP-NPA-NDFP-GPH conflict.