 |
| THE WARS WITHIN (2020) |
No one who had taken the path to communism was born
an insurgent, or much more an outright communist. For many
of them, the circumstances of their lives pushed them initially
onto unbridled activism but unfortunately, a few ended up
in the murky realm of armed struggle. While many would
commiserate, or condemn them, to their plight, we must first
understand what drove them to be one. What, or who, are the
drivers? What are the modus operandi, the dynamics?
THE WARS WITHIN is an interesting read not only
among students of Social Sciences but also to those studying
natural sciences dealing with Ethology and behavior of people.
What is made abundantly clear in the book is that a definite
understanding of the origins and development of enemy images
against the national government is essential in designing
effective peace interventions to reduce instances of armed
struggle by the local communist movement.
Examining emnification, or the process of how Victor developed enemy images against the state, is important in
determining drivers that either push or pull individuals to being
recruited to the local communist movement. Significantly, the
book highlighted many key aspects of the CPP- NPA-NDF: (1)
how they recruited bright and promising students and impacted
millions of families in the process, (2) how they agitated different
sectoral groups, (3) how they infiltrated different organizations and hijacked their advocacies to push the communist agenda
instead, (4) how the CPP-NPA-NDF runs on favoritism and
corruption, and (5) how resources for the people were, and are
being, used for communist insurgency initiatives. Sadly, tons of
resources were laid to waste in this so-called protracted people’s
war (PPW). Resources that could have been easily used for
development projects that could have benefited those who need
it the most in different far flung communities nationwide.
The timeless wisdom of Gat Andres Bonifacio counsels
us, “Reason teaches us that we must be united in will, united
in thought, and that we might have strength to search out the
reigning evil in our Nation. This is the time for the light of truth
to surface; this is the time for us to show that we have our own
sentiments, have honor, have shame, and have solidarity.” His
words never lost their brilliance – they remain true and relevant
to this day. We, as a nation, have self-flagellated for a long time
already and it cannot go on, not even for a minute longer. An
amenable final resolution must be had for the sake of the future
generations.
This book, THE WARS WITHIN, is one of the many
relevant tools that can be used in peace-building to ultimately
usher prosperity in our country. It fittingly reminds each one of
us that real sociopolitical transformation starts from within us,
and with our respective family and community. The author had
aptly presented the story in a sincere and brotherly manner,
thus giving the reader a pleasant feeling that he is personally
conversing with Victor.
Finally, the courage of Victor is truly commendable despite
the seemingly insurmountable odds that he faced – and will
continue to face in the days ahead. I hope every Filipino will
learn and contribute to a peaceful, progressive and prosperous
country we all love and respect - the Philippines.
--M.A. Torres, PhD
No comments:
Post a Comment