The second factor, was the ad-.
with the spread of mass protest actons in many cities teachers, people. This had the effect of exposing the brutalities of the military and the economic crises of the regime.
The third factor was the polarisation towards the left.
This widespread, economic that Aquino could unite the moderat opposition.
thet, with a cooperation of the revolunior ary left and the moderate opposition Marcos could lose the elections in May 1984. This was too much for Marcis and Aquino was assassinated.
Сап ус и say something about United States s'akes in the Philippines?
Admiral Robert Long, the US commander in chief describes this much more powerfully than I can.
I will read you something from a statement he gave to a foreign affairs subcommittee. "The starting point of any discussion concerning strategic value of the US military facilities in the Philippines must be the examination of US interests in the Asia-Pacific region. As you know this region is of vital countdoltance to the United States.
'Our trade last year continued to outpace that of any other region, both I terms of its total dollar value some $136 billion — and as a percentage of all US foreign trade cent. These figures do not include the additional $160 billion of oil oceans last year en route to world markets.
For these reasons, the racınic region represents our sungle largest economic area of interest and i conunues to grow in importance each year 'As our economic and political inlerests increase, so must our interest in its security.. The Philippines sits astride the vital sea and air lanes of the Western Pacific and the gateways to the Indian Ocean. It is in close proxumity to Soviet installations in ' US forces in the Philippines are deally positioned to give flexibility in that part of the The Clark alrbase and the Subic naval base in the Philippines are the largest bases outside the United States itself. Sis race done ran are been like places the Reagan administration are farcos regime?
Of course. In June this year a senior aid was quoted as saying that political instability in the Philippines will endanger access to vital military He said the US embassy is making contacts with the moderate opposiDOn. He explained that this did mean the destabilisation of the Marcos regime, that the regime was entering its twilight.
he sala 'We don't want to find assassination Marcos feared Pacific the did in Iran' Since policy of the HOTC strongly 30 рег which Led.
Pacific play. • Asiament that grows moderate opposition.
cessions to the opposition.
Economic materests or orners DOWCH!
The official US max comedy of the elections.
parliamentary means.
credibility through Do you hold the ground demonstrations. some other choice.
UNIDO has
strengthened their support?
UNIDO has honary not they mobilising causes, cos.
K Students from the Philippines University demonstrate after Aquino's ourselves in the same dilemma as we and Nicaragua, the United States has been link with the porters. moderate opposition in order to have an authority in case a regime in power become so unpopular that it is topplBut if they try to do this in the Phy. Phere othe revolutis nary move other factors come into Sandino, strength works painstakingly to win over this There is a regime which is brutal strength. and desperate and will not make conThrough its greed it is even taking over the To grant concessions in terms of principles would endanger Mar- peasants. cos himself. So the US has found that So position of the moderate opposition is to boycott the up.
The murder Aquino is the death knell of any The dilemma of the US is they see a slim chance of getting the election the through. It Marcos cannot gain more seemingly 'fair' and if the regime cannot against une make .
called demonstrations wise against the Marcos regime, has this grown ilising. strength of course. They are mobilising in cooperation with the revolustrength is tore seen in the realrowing Their growing genuine for popular like the resignation of MarThe NDF see this as positive, we Luis Jalandoni want to encourage all these other forces to mobilise as a mass so that it will be difficult for the Marcos regime to pinpoint who are the NDF sup. Nicaragua shere joined the opposition to the US back.
ed regime and where, in the words of peasants go all the way.
There are similarities. The revoluforces have the principal They the strongest builders of the opposition. Therefore we are able to develop this kind of with the moderate opposition without compromising basic interests the • revoll. tionary land reform. elimination of exploitation of the ocasalll. abolition of landlordism are not given The interests of the workers will From a position of strength we are able to negotiate for cooperation with other including the business sector who would agree to campaign for civil disobedience for the resignation of Marcos, an end to US support for the regime and the 'release of political prisoners The present situation calls for broadening of unity. It would be unNDF to moderde oobosror. don't get the credit now, we are the ones mobilis We contue moo. This will help us topple this dictator and any political tyranny thai may take its place.
Eventually we expect it to lead to independence revolutionary people's coalition ment, an economy without exploitation of peasants and workers. It will specifically Filipino type KALIMANTAN socialist economy. In between, there Will be many steps. There will be the immediate danger military rule.
The revolutionarv movement ir in 56 the support of about 10 million peo ple. It cannot be crushed any longer The revolutionary movement in the urban centres is broader and the fight cal grow sulunger But of course we will have to g through difficulties until we are able to gain more victories and set up a provisional ment, which will be the transition to nationwide victory lurks the danger of US intervention So for us the international the for diplomatic support, as well as international solidarity from the people becomes crucial.
The comrades in El Salvador are able to deflect large scale intervention and Nicaragua aSO. The Latin American struggies against intervention will be of tremenuous assistance. lo us. share networks, tions and analysis then we may be able to deflect US intervention in one of its kev bastions and so contribute to the weakening of US al cas We are just beginning dialogue. I have just comrades Salvador here in the many. I have talked to the African National Congress Do you think there are lessons to be learnt from i the government the LIVELICE use against imperialism?
In various fields of struggle we can learn from each other — international diplomacy, mass of guerilla warfare.
education, MINDANAO NDF. organisation teachers.
peasants and vouth course the revolutionary Then the confidence and we going barefaced conndence that ferent era tionary goverl In between there work the will of the force.
been successful revolutionary developed alu It we could LiNC contacts, organisa- The munist intervention talked to claser • the of the FMLN-FDR of El Britain and in GerNicaraguan up their EI Salvador established mobilisations recognised mobilisation, We want lots of Marcos regime.
Very much so because of the political the organisation of the NDF Eight organisations make up the There is the underground working among Then there is the health association which works among doc tors and nurses. They provide medica care to the guerillas and training to in alternative health pro organise in they own sector. Then we have the student workers in the revolutionary workers' movement and the peasants' movement Christians for National Liberation and the Communist Party of the Philippines.
Are you optimistic for the future?
Oh yes! It is an optimism based on a win. But the sacrifices will be tremendous who had been fighting under the old leadership (of the PKP, the old Communist Par ty) when the programme was wrong and there were many mistakes.
He is now fighting with the NDF New Peoples Army. He said, 'Before, we used to carry heavy packs were walking, walking. We did not know what was in the packs and we did not know where we were Now we are also walking and carrying heavy packs, but we know what is in the packs, it is precious gold, and we know wacle we are going So there is a conviction. There is continuing education, analysis from the grass roots to the top. There is a UȘ imperialism and the regime can be defeated.
Maybe in an earlier time the US could decimate the people. But today they cannot destroy the Salvadorean or Filipino people. We are in a difIt is an era where there are revolu • upheavals throughout the world and even revolutonary strug gles in the heartlands of capitalism The US thought they could break people with superio . This is where thev made thei mistake because they cannot break the will of the people The international struggle will be an integral and enriching part of the theory that is being created by workers peoples al this This was not really there in 1945 comthe PKP, was celebrate their victories and no prepare for the counter attack of the enemy. When they were defeated, in stead of looking at their errors, they started to blame the people This PKP leadership refused to listen to the criticisms of marxist militants who were coming out in 196l and were organising mass mobilisations against US bases and the US intervention in Vietnam. In December 1968 the young militants decided to set organisation, the Communist Communist Party of the Philippines.
Today the PKP organisations are they - send them abroad to Prague and other places. But it is not a political force anymore because it has collaborated with the
Socialist Action 14 October 1983
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'We are in an era of revolutionary upheavals throughout the world'
the rural areas is now spread over 39 guerilla fronts,