Remembering September 2 and the struggles for peace

September 2 is a distinct date in that two peace agreements were signed on that day.

The first was the 1992 Hague Joint Declaration between the government and the National Democratic Front, which represents the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People's Army. This document laid down mutually agreed principles that guide the talks especially the four sequential agenda on reforms that would lay the ground for the finalization of a comprehensive peace pact.

The other one was the 1996 Final Peace Agreement between government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) headed by Chairman Nur Misuari. The agreement created the Southern Philippine Council for Peace and Development and paved the way for Misuari to run as Armm governor.

Significantly, these agreements were signed under the presidency of Fidel Ramos, one of the implementers of Marcos’ Martial Law but his administration paved the way for peace.

One wonders if these agreements hold light to our path to peace especially in the state of wars the government has launched?

Many see the MNLF peace pact as a failed agreement, with Misuari's governance failing to address poverty and the call for Muslim autonomy. Misuari’s frustrations on government’s lack of support came boiling over on several occasions, the last of which led to a military standoff in Zamboanga City in 2013 that scarred Moro communities in that city.

On the talks with the NDFP, the Joint Hague declaration was able to set mutual principles for both parties which concerns the addressing of the roots of conflict such as human rights, and socio-economic inequity. Both panels were able to sign in 1998 the first agenda by the Hague, which is the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (Carhrihl).

Carhrihl has become more familiar to the public as rights advocates point out the violations of human rights perpetrated by the military against civilians and activists. The NPAs also cite their implementation of Carhrihl as basis for their release of captured soldiers and police officers without subjecting them to torture and harassment.

After years of the negotiations being on-and-off, the Duterte administration paved the way to begin talks last July on the second agenda of the Hague which is the socio-economic reforms.

There is now a working draft that laid down the major economic problems such as agrarian reform and national industrialization. But the talks are now off again last April, as Duterte insists on signing a bilateral ceasefire as a condition to continue the talks. The Hague stipulates that no ceasefires or preconditions must be set for the talks, but negotiators though said ceasefires and other actions such as the release of