Tribal leader urges gov’t, communist rebels to resume peace talks
By Delfin T. Mallari Jr. Inquirer Southern Luzon

LUCENA CITY, Philippines—A tribal leader in the Sierra Madre mountains in northern Quezon appealed to both the government and communist rebels to resume peace talks to stop turning their mountain habitat into a “bloody playground.”

“The communist rebels and the government should stop focusing on their differences and instead face each other again at the peace table with a sincere intention to end the armed conflict,” Ramcy Astoveza, an Agta leader, said in a phone interview.

Astoveza, executive director of the Tribal Center for Development Foundation Inc. based in Infanta town, said representatives of the indigenous people should be included in the peace talks.

“We want to be represented in the peace negotiation. We want to know what kind of peace they are  talking because most often they are using our mountain habitat as playground for their bloody war games,” he said.

Citing the 2010 Indigenous Peoples Policy Agenda, Astoveza said  indigenous people should be consulted and given proper representation in the resumption of peace talks between the government and Muslim secessionists and between the government and communist armed groups.

Read full article @ newsinfo.inquirer.net

Related articles

• Battle lines drawn over “indigenous” label (jummacommunity.wordpress.com)
• Aquino cautioned on reopening Laiban dam project (newsinfo.inquirer.net)
• World Indigenous Business Forum to Feature Val Kilmer, Opportunities to Build Networks (indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com)
• Philippines, communist rebels to resume talks (sfgate.com)