"This is a conflict that has been lasting for far too long," Norwegian Foreign Minister Boerge Brende told the meeting, saying there now seemed to be a "historic momentum" building to end the conflict, according to Reuters. "I'm really crossing my fingers," for progress, he told the parties, each represented by six negotiators.
Talks brokered by Norway between the government and the Maoist-led rebels' National Democratic Front stalled in 2012 over the government's refusal to free communist leaders who had been in jail for decades. Both sides declared a truce at the weekend to pave the way for the week-long talks in Oslo. Last week, Manila also freed 17 captured communist guerrilla leaders in the Philippines so they could attend the talks in Norway.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had previously ended a unilateral truce with the communist New People's Army late last month as rebels did not respond to a deadline to reciprocate the government's truce. The 3,000-strong New People's Army, the armed wing of the communist party, operates mainly in the eastern and southern regions of the country.
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my 10 year old daughter and i spent a month in mindanao last year in digos, which is in the davao region. we climbed mt. apo, shopped at the local markets, went to public swimming pools, beaches... not once did i feel threatened, intimidated, or fearful for our well being. the stories of, respect of, and outright love of this guy is an awesome experience. the people are his power... sincere, honest, honorable. coming back to the political scene in america is like watching a bad episode of the twilight zone on LSD. people of the world would benefit much by paying attention to the epic change happening in the philippines at this time. :-)