The New People's Army (NPA) (Filipino: Bagong Hukbong Bayan) is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines. It was formed on March 29, 1969. The Maoist NPA conducts its armed guerrilla struggle based on the strategical line of 'protracted people's war'.
Formation
The NPA's roots can be traced from the Hukbalahap, the armed wing of the earlier pro-Soviet Philippine Communist Party. The Huks first mobilized and fought against the Japanese Empire's occupation of the Philippines during World War II. Under the leadership of Luis Taruc and Communist Party General Secretary Jose Lava, the Hukbalahap continued waging guerrilla warfare against the United States and the first independent governments before largely surrendering to President Ramon Magsaysay in 1954. By the early 1960s the communist Huk campaign was waning.
After the Sino-Soviet split, communist parties around the world fractured into pro-USSR and Maoist groups. The upstart CPP broke from the older Soviet-line Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas-1930 on December 26, 1968. Three months later, on March 29, 1969, the CPP reformed the vanguard party's old militia, the Huks, and renamed them the New People's Army, on the anniversary of the date that the guerrilla resistance against Imperial Japan was formed in 1942. The formation was created when José María Sison met with a former Huk, Bernabe Buscayno, also known as "Commander Dante".
The NPA follows Maoism, claiming to fight for that ideology's concept of "New Democracy." Starting out with 60 fighters and 34 rifles, the NPA quickly spread throughout the Philippines during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. After the declaration of martial law on September 21, 1972 thousands of students joined the ranks. President Marcos lifted martial law on January 17, 1981.
At its peak in the early 1980s there were over 25,000 fighters. Current strength is estimated at 8,000.
The NPA has been classified as a terrorist organization by the United States[3] and the European Union.[2]
Second Great Rectification Movement
In the 1990s internal criticism about mistakes in the 1980s led to the Second Great Rectification Movement, launched in 1992 and largely completed in 1998, leading to a resurgence in the Philippine revolution. The Second Rectification ended a massive internal purge of the movement that killed thousands of partisans and members on accusations of being deep penetration agents of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine intelligence community. Former NPA fighter Robert Francis Garcia chronicled the wild murders in his book To Suffer Thy Comrades and organized the Peace Advocates for Truth, Healing and Justice (PATH), a group composed of survivors of the "purges" and the families of victims and their friends and supporters. Due to this 'Rectification Movement', NPA rebels have been reported to have apologized to affected communities and even offered compensation for the victims of the purges.[citation needed]†
The NPA claims responsibility for the assassination of U.S. Army Colonel James "Nick" Rowe, founder of the U.S. Army Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) course, in 1989. Colonel Rowe was part of a military assistance program to the Philippine Army. The NPA insist that this made him a legitimate military target.[citation needed]
Post 9/11
This group was designated as a foreign terrorist organisation by the United States in August 2002 and by the European Union in November 2005.[3][2] The NPA's founder, Jose Maria Sison, lives in the Netherlands in self-imposed exile. The NPA operates mostly in the rural areas and their targets often include politicians, military, police, criminals, landlords, business owners and occasionally U.S. agents in the Philippines.
In 1995 the CPP issued a communique approving of same-sex relationships and in 2005 the first gay marriage of two NPA cadre was performed.[4]
The Arroyo administration has been negotiating intermittently with delegates of NPA in European countries.
In March 2007 Rep. Satur Ocampo was arrested on charges of murder relating to purges within the CPP/NPA alleged to have occurred during the 1980s.[5] Leftists see it as part of a campaign of persecution against them.[citation needed]
On January, 2008, Avelino Razon, Philippine National Police chief stated that the New People's Army (NPA) rebels have only 5,700 members as of 2007 due to military destruction of 13 guerrilla bases (lowest level in 20 years). NPAs fought in 69 of 81 Philippine provinces since 1969. Forty thousand people have died in the conflict. [6]
Amnesty Proclamation
On September 5, 2007, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Amnesty Proclamation 1377 for members of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People's Army; other communist rebel groups; and their umbrella organization, the National Democratic Front. The amnesty will cover the crime of rebellion and all other crimes "in pursuit of political beliefs," but not including crimes against chastity, rape, torture, kidnapping for ransom, use and trafficking of illegal drugs and other crimes for personal ends and violations of international law or convention and protocols "even if alleged to have been committed in pursuit of political beliefs." The National Committee on Social Integration (NCSI) will issue a Certificate of Amnesty to qualified applicants. Implementing rules and regulations are being drafted and the decree will be submitted to the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives of the Philippines for their concurrence. The proclamation becomes effective only after Congress has concurred.[7]
Lucena Prison Raid
NPA rebels disguised as Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency personnel had raided a prison in Lucena, Quezon Province[8][9], overpowering the guards and freeing their comrades deemed to be political prisoners.[10] Two of the seven people deemed political prisoners did not escape with the NPA raiders, opting to be cleared of any wrongdoing by legal means as they were activists.[11]
Other NPA rebels held in other prisons were to be moved into secured facilities.[12]
References
- ^ "Foreign Terrorist Organizations List". United States Department of State. http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/fs/2002/12535.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-03. - USSD Foreign Terrorist Organization
- ^ a b c "Council Decision of 21 December 2005". EU Council. 2005-12-13. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2005/l_340/l_34020051223en00640066.pdf. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
- ^ a b Powell, Colin (2002-08-09). "Designation of a Foreign Terrorist Organization". U.S. State Department. http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/powell/remarks/2002/12542.htm. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
- ^ von Metze, Ross (2005-01-01). "Gay communist rebels marry in Philippines". Gmax.co.za. http://www.gmax.co.za/look05/02/08-phillipines.html. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
- ^ "Filipino MP held over 1980s murders". Aljazeera.net. 2007-03-17. http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/92802001-528C-421D-8A42-75219EEA8D31.htm. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
- ^ Abs-Cbn Interactive, NPAs down to 5,700
- ^ Inquirer.net, Arroyo signs amnesty proclamation for communists
- ^ PDEA to conduct own probe on Quezon jailbreak. Retrieved on October 31, 2008.
- ^ Manhunt on for 7 escaped Quezon inmates. Retrieved on October 31, 2008.
- ^ Rebels storm jail, freeing seven. Retrieved on October 31, 2008.
- ^ 2 Quezon jail detainees stayed behind. Retrieved on October 31, 2008.
- ^ High-risk NPA detainees to be transferred to secured facilities - Palace. Retrieved on October 31, 2008.
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