The Effects of Ceasefires in Philippine Peace Processes

The use of ceasefires by belligerent parties varies greatly across conflicts. In some cases, parties agree to a continuous stream of largely ceremonial ceasefire agreements that have little or no effect on the violence. In other conflicts, parties fight on for years without an agreement, but then develop a relatively stable and effective agreement that quickly reduces or terminates hostilities. This PRIO Paper will examine the use of ceasefires in two significant conflicts in the Philippines and analyze their effects on the level and extent of violence.