PRESS RELEASE from Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats
The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD), on the sidelines of the UK Liberal Democrats Annual Conference currently being held in Liverpool, UK, has awarded the honorary individual membership plaque to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Laureate, Burma’s leader of the opposition, and one of Asia’s most revered icons of democracy. The plaque has been received on Daw Suu’s behalf by Ms. Zoya Phan, International Coordinator of the Burma Campaign, UK.
CALD’s Executive Committee (Execom) previously decided to bestow the honorary individual membership title to Daw Suu in its meeting held in Makati City, Philippines, on June 29, 2010. She is the first person to be awarded such title by the organization.
CALD, founded in 1993, is a regional alliance of liberal and democratic political parties in Asia. Apart from the Liberal Party of the Philippines, its other full members include the Democrat Party of Thailand, the Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan, the Liberal Party of Sri Lanka, the Sam Rainsy Party of Cambodia, the Singapore Democratic Party, the Malaysian People’s Movement Party (Gerakan), the National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB), and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). The Liberal Forum Pakistan is an associate member while Hong Kong legislators Martin Lee and Sin Chung-kai are individual members. The observers of CALD include the Democratic Party of Japan, the Nation Awakening Party of Indonesia (PKB) and Civil Will Party of Mongolia.
In bestowing the honorary individual membership title to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, CALD once again affirms its unwavering support and solidarity to the people of Burma in their continuing struggle for justice, freedom and democracy.
Reference
CELITO F. ARLEGUE Executive Director Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Unit 410 4/F La Fuerza Plaza 2, 2241 Don Chino Roces Avenue, corner Sabio St., Makati City 1231 The Philippines Telephone: 63 2 4961388
Email Address: lito_arlegue@cald.org