Deadly Anachronism

You may think Communist guerrillas are a thing of the past. Communism is so yesterday. Even the Chinese are becoming capitalist. North Korea and Cuba and just backwater mini-states that no one really cares about, all of Kim Jong Il’s huffing and puffing aside.

Only someone forgot to tell the NPA. The New People’s Army has been fighting in the Philippines for 50 years, trying to establish a Marxist-Leninist-Maoist government. If nothing else, they’re persisitent.

The Sunday Times has a somewhat sympathetic article about the NPA. It includes all the bad things done by President Arroyo and her persecution of leftists. The NPA are a little out of date and a little misunderstood.

My own view of the NPA is a bit different. My family has long had connections with the Philippines and with Christian ministries, something the NPA, being Marx-Leninist, isn’t real positive about.

When I was in the Philippines in 1981, my father was taken deeping into the Bicol region to preach an evangelistic meeting. There were about 500 conversions that night and a local pastor was sent in to start a church. The NPA told the pastor to stop preaching and leave the area. He refused. He was warned two more times. He refused. Then they beheaded him.

So hopefully you’ll forgive me if I’m not as sympathetic toward the NPA.