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(June 20,
2007/ Bangkok) The Council of Asian Liberals & Democrats (CALD)
extended last night to Nobel Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi its
warmest greetings on the occasion of her 62nd
Birthday and renewed its support to the leading light of Burma’s
freedom movement.
“On this
auspicious occasion, we reiterate our support to and solidarity
with the people of Burma in your struggle to achieve freedom and
democracy in your strife-torn country,” the CALD statement
declared.
 The message,
signed by CALD Chairman, Senator Franklin Drilon, was delivered
by Hon. Alongkorn Ponlaboot, Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party
of Thailand and former CALD Secretary General, during the Women
of Burma Day and Aung San Suu Kyi’s Birthday celebrations last
night at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Bangkok, Thailand.
The occasion
was one of the major international events to commemorate the
Nobel Peace Laureate’s birthday. It was attended by
parliamentarians from the Association of South East Asian
Nations and international media and civil society. One of the
major organizers of the event is the National Council of the
Union of Burma (NCUB), a member of CALD.
CALD members
including the Democrat Party of Thailand, the Liberal Party of
the Philippines, the Malaysian People’s Movement Party (Gerakan)
and the Sam Rainsy Party of Cambodia are actively engaged in the
ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Caucus on Myanmar (AIPMC).
As Burma
celebrated its women’s day, CALD noted that “women are most
vulnerable in your country. (It is) alarmed by the dismal
conditions of the people of Burma, especially women and
children, who continue to suffer under the brutal military
regime of the State Peace and Development Council.”
CALD urged
the SPDC for Suu Kyi’s immediate and unconditional release from
house arrest as well as the immediate and unconditional release
of the estimated 1,500 political prisoners who continue to
languish in various prisons across Burma. It expressed alarm
over the increasing human rights violations of political
dissidents and the general population. CALD criticized the
military regime’s practice of ethnic cleansing.
Mr.
Ponlaboot also read the letter of Lord Alderdice, President of
Liberal International (LI). Suu Kyi was the 1995 recipient of
LI’s Prize for Freedom.
“Your
life-long commitment to democracy for democracy for the people
of Burma and your unwavering leadership…continue to give hope to
your people and all those around the world.” the LI statement
said.
The
London-based international federation of liberal political
parties called on the military junta for the immediate release
of Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners and for the start
of negotiations with pro-democracy activist for a constitution
that leads to democracy for all Burmese citizens.
Also
attending the Bangkok event were Dr. Buranaj Smuthraks and
Dr. Boonmark Sirinaovakul
of the
Democrat Party of Thailand, Mr. Soe Aung of NCUB, Friedrich Naumann Foundation Regional
Director Hubertus von Wleck and his colleague, Ms. Krittiya
Sintupongphan and Mr. Brian Gonzales, former CALD Program
Officer.
Please click
here for the CALD
statement. |
