Dear Friends,

First , may we thank you for your concern and for the support letters you sent in our behalf. Your immediate response to our call for support has reached the right quarters. Although the NDF Negros has not yet recalled its call for punitive action on the Alter Trade leaders, developments leading to the resolution of the conflict are in motion.

The Philippine Office of the Presidential Adviser on The Peace Process (OPAPP) immediately responded to our aid and informed the Norwegian Government and the Norwegian Facilitator to the GRP-NDF Negotiations, Mr. Tore Hattrem.

In the last week of February, Alter Trade leaders were able to meet Mr. Hattrem, who promptly called the NDF International Office in Netherlands . Mr. Hattrem was able to get the Chairperson of the NDF Peace Panel, Mr. Luis Jalandoni, to agree to dialogue with Alter Trade leaders as soon as possible. A letter from Alter Trade requesting for a schedule of this dialogue has reached the NDF International Office.

We are quite heartened that our appeal for support was answered by our partners and friends from overseas (IFAT, FLO, GEPA, Naturland, Alter Eco-France, Alter Trade-Japan, APNET-Korea, European Social Forum, Italian organizations, APFTI) and by more organizations locally (partner growers and NGOs in Negros, Panay, Bohol, Mindanao, Northern Luzon and Metro-Manila, and Human Rights organizations such as CCHR, TFDP, PATH). Friends from the Delegation of the European Union in the Philippines have expressed equal concern.

The emails to the Philippine President and Government Agencies, and to the International Office of the NDF helped in surfacing out the issue of harassment and serious threat on Alter Trade by local rebels.

The full information on the NDF-Alter Trade conflict was also filed before Prof. Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions. Prof. Alston has taken note of the case and he will bring it to the attention of the UN Human Rights Council.

A petition-signing among Philippine NGOs and development organizations in behalf of Alter Trade is still ongoing.

While we are preparing to dialogue with the NDF, we remain vigilant and steadfast on our development work. The threat is still on. Anything can still happen, and the NDF can still refuse to withdraw their threats. The Alter Trade leaders shall not stop in seeking the final resolution of this conflict. We have a right to exist as a development organization. The rest of our staff and personnel shall proceed with our day to day services, to ensure that Alternative Trading among small farmers will continue to sustain and improve their lives.

Again, thank you and best regards.

Norma G. Mugar

Chairperson

Edwin O. Lopez

Executive Director

ALTER TRADE FOUNDATION INC.

Blk 6A Lily St., Bata Subdivision

Bacolod City, Negros Occidental

6100 PHILIPPINES

Fax: 034-441 0057 Tel. 034-441-0051