| Submit your comments on this article |
| Southeast Asia |
| Manila promises to free Maoist rebels ahead of talks |
| 2011-01-20 |
| [Straits Times] THE Philippine government has agreed to release a dozen Maoist leaders to lay the ground for negotiations next month to help end a long-running communist insurgency, an official said. Alexander Padilla, head of the government's peace panel, said his team met with members of the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Oslo this week and agreed to launch formal talks to end the conflict that has killed 40,000 people. 'We promised to work for the release of rebel leaders involved in the peace talks as a sign of goodwill,' he said in a statement. Since July 2010, the rebels have been demanding release of a dozen Maoist leaders whom they said served as consultants in the negotiations. The NDF says the government is holding more than 300 political prisoners. The two sides will observe a ceasefire during the talks that will run from Feb 15-21, Mr Padilla said. The Maoists want the administration to adopt their social and economic agenda including land redistribution, nationalisation of industry, and a ban on mining. |
| Posted by:Fred |