I welcome the entry of Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi into the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD), a prestigious organization of liberal political leaders in the Asia.

In a meeting in Manila recently, on the occasion of the conference “Asian Liberal Parties in Power: Getting There, Remaining There” held on June 28-29 at the  Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati, the CALD Executive Committee (Execom) made a decision to bestow an honorary individual membership title to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Laureate and one of Asia’s most revered icons of democracy.

As a former CALD chairman, I am hopeful that the entry of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi into this council of Asian liberals can hasten the return of democracy in Burma through the initiative of dialogue and peaceful negotiations.

I recall that President  Cory Aquino, President Noynoy Aquino’s mother and the Philippines’s own democracy icon, was very close to Suu Kyi and even represented the jailed Burmese leader in various international events. Cory’s heart was close to Suu Kyi. Cory believed that Suu Kyi can lead the Burmese in its fight for freedom and democracy.

CALD can serve as the vehicle for Suu Kyi and her aspirations to bring back democracy in Burma through the unwavering support and solidarity of the international community with the people of Burma in their continuing struggle for justice, freedom and democracy.

Founded in 1993, CALD is a regional alliance of liberal and democratic political parties in Asia. Besides the Liberal Party of the Philippines, other 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).