CALD hosts Burmese Democracy Activists in Manila

(September 20, 2004/Manila, Philippines) The National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB), an umbrella of 30 pro-democracy and multi-ethnic organizations working towards freeing Burma from its current military authoritarian regime, held a four-day mission to Manila from September 27 to 30, 2004. The mission campaigned to establish a Philippine parliamentary caucus on Burma; bring the Burma issue into the agenda of the United National Security Council; mobilize the Philippines’ diplomatic networks; call for a revival of political dialogue with the National League for Democracy (NLD) leadership and the immediate release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo; and commence the genuine process of National Reconciliation leading to democracy.

The NCUB delegation, composed of Mr. U Maung Maung Aye and Mr. U Kyaw Thwin, both elected MP’s of National League for Democracy (NLD), and Mr. Nyo Ohn Myint from the foreign affairs committee of NCUB, sought the support and solidarity of the people and the elected representatives of the Philippines in the struggle for human rights and the democracy in Burma.  NCUB and the Liberal Party of the Philippines are members of the Council of Asian Liberals & Democrats.

The delegates met with several parliamentarians and Liberal Party MPs during their visit in Manila, including Representatives Henedina Abad, Rodolfo Bacani, Ruffy Biazon and Lorenzo Tanada III of the Liberal Party; the former Liberal Party President, Mr. Florencio Abad; the Chairwoman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago; Senate Majority Leader and Liberal Party Co-Chair Francis Pangilinan;  the Vice Chairman of  House Committee on Foreign Relations, Rep. Jaime Lopez;  and  the Executive Director, Atty. Carlos Medina and the Program Officer, Atty. Ray Paolo Santiago, of the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism. They also had a thirty-minute interview at the ANC News Channel with reporter Yvette Novenario.

A reception was hosted by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and the Council of Asian Liberals & Democrats. During the reception, former Senator and Liberal Party President Wigberto Tanada reported the commitment of the Liberal Party to spearhead the creation of the Philippine Parliamentary Caucus for Burma and to lobby for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and for the meaningful political dialogue towards the democratization of Burma.

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This post was written by CALD