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Message of Solidarity
to Cordillera People's Alliance
By Prof. Jose Maria Sison
Chairperson, International Coordinating Committee
International League of Peoples' Struggle
21 October 2006
On behalf of the International League of Peoples' Struggle, I wish to convey
warmest greetings of solidarity to the regional leadership, the provincial and
municipal chapters, regional sectoral federations and individual members of the
Cordillera People's Alliance (CPA) and to all the delegates, observers and allies
attending the 9th Regional Congress of CPA in Baguio City.
We congratulate the CPA for having stood and developed since 1984 as an
independent federation of progressive peoples' organizations and grassroots-based
organizations among the indigenous communities in the Cordillera region. We
admire and support your commitment to the defense and promotion of the
indigenous people's rights, such as self-determination, human rights and social
justice, along the general line of national freedom and democracy.
You have successfully undertaken sustained information drives, advocacy and
campaigns, direct actions and local struggles on indigenous people's rights and
related issues. You have gained solid strength by organizing the masses in various
indigenous communities in the region and building their capacity through education
seminars, training activities and various types of cooperation and assistance.
We are confident that your congress will accomplish its objectives and will open
the way to further work and struggle and greater achievements in accordance
with the theme, "Uphold the lessons of the struggle! Resolutely advance the
people's movement for self-determination and National Democracy amid the
intensified fascist and terrorist attacks of the US-GMA Regime!"
It is correct that you take into full account and understand the problems and
dangers that you face in order to overcome them. The semicolonial and semifeudal
system is rotting in a chronic socio-economic and political crisis and the US-Arroyo
regime is inflicting intolerable suffering on the people by escalating exploitation
and oppression.
You must take up the issues that affect most the people of Cordillera. The
issues include the extra-judicial killings and other human rights violations, mining
and all related problems, charter change, agricultural liberalization and food
sovereignty. You have ample time to discuss both national and regional issues
as well as such relevant issues as the US-directed policies of "neoliberal globalization"
and the Bushite global war of terror. You must discuss how the Arroyo regime
can be ousted as step in the process of ending foreign and feudal rule in our
motherland.
The leaders, members and organizations of the CPA and the people of Cordillera
have been subjected to gross human rights violations, including extra-judicial
killings, abductions, torture, brutal military operations against entire communities
and forced evacuations. But the people of Cordillera and the CPA will prevail
because they have a just cause and they are determined to fight for it in every
possible way.
We expect that your Congress will be able to sum up and analyze your experiences,
take stock of your current strength, identify the problems and arrive at the solutions
and work out the general program of action for the next three years. You can
grow in strength and advance because you build further on your current level
of strength and potential and because you have a clear view of the direction
of the people's struggle and the work of the CPA.
We are confident that your Congress will succeed in strengthening the collective
leadership and organizational structure of the CPA, with the conscious application
of organizational principles, the election of a new set of officers and the adoption
of a well studied and realizable general program of action. We expect the greater
consolidation and expansion of a reinvigorated people's movement in the Cordillera.
May your Congress result in a new and higher level of unity on the analysis of the
regional and national situation and the issues affecting the indigenous peoples of
Cordillera. May you heighten further your commitment and resolve to fight for
and advance their rights and welfare. May you reap greater achievements through
your militant work to arouse, organize and mobilize the indigenous peoples of Cordillera.
Long live the Cordillera People's Alliance!
Long live the indigenous peoples of Cordillera!
Long live the Filipino people! ###
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