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Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts Volume IV, Number 13 May 2 - 8, 2004 Quezon City, Philippines |
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Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts Volume IV, Number 13 May 2 - 8, 2004 Quezon City, Philippines |
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BY
BULATLAT.COM A group of men and women washing clothes in the river. A young woman baking bread. Two young men playing with spiders. Several men playing basketball in a half-court. These are some of the scenes depicted in a rare collection of 140 black and white photographs launched quietly last April 30 at the Balay Kalinaw, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. What
makes the collection rare is the fact that the men and women in the pictures are
New People’s Army guerrillas. Published
by the Public Information Bureau of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the
photobook is called “Pulang Mandirigma (Red Fighters): Images of the New
People’s Army.” In
the foreword, Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal, CPP spokesperson, said the
photobook was in response to the clamor by comrades and allies. He
said: “In selecting pictures, the aim has been to show the breadth of
activities of the NPA: crossing fields, mountains and the heart of forests to
travel from one barrio to the next; the masses offering their homes; the
enthusiastic greetings and steaming hot coffee welcoming the comrades; the Red
fighters as students and teachers, friends and advisers, cooks and bakers,
dentists and medics, fighters, and partners in the people’s struggle.” During
the launching, Rosal stressed in a phone patch address, the relevance of the
book in view of the terrorist tagging of the NPA by the United States. He said
that the real terrorists are the Armed Forces of the Philippines, citing various
cases of human rights violations. He also pointed out how the Akbayan party-list
is being campaigned by the AFP while committing violations against Bayan Muna
and other leftist political parties. Coni Ledesma of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace negotiating panel also talked about the actions of the U.S. aimed to demonize Jose Ma. Sison, CPP founder and NDFP consultant. The launching was attended by selected media and members of people’s organizations. Bulatlat.com We want to know what you think of this article.
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Red Fighters in Black and White