CALD Resolution 3, S. 2019

CALD Resolution 3, S. 2019

CALD resolution commending Hong Kong for the peaceful District Council Elections

and congratulating the victory of pro-democracy candidates

We, the member-parties of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD):

Commending the Hong Kong people for the calm and peaceful conduct of District Council Elections last Sunday, 24 November 2019, where nearly 3 million cast their votes that resulted in a record breaking election turnout of 71.2% – the highest in the history of Hong Kong;

Lauding the landslide victory of pro-democracy candidates, which validates the true voice and aspiration of the people of Hong Kong;

Noting that district councils are elected on four-year terms and are the only official bodies elected by universal suffrage;

Noting further that in this election, all 452 constituencies are being contested compared to before when pro-Beijing candidates ran unopposed in some districts;

Recognizing that the district councils now have more influence in selecting 117 of the 1,200 representative committee that chooses the successor of Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s embattled Chief Executive, in 2022;

Acknowledging that a number of pro-democracy candidates integrated the protest call of “five demands, no one less” in their campaign agenda, which included: 1) the withdrawal the extradition bill; 2) the launch of an independent inquiry concerning police brutality allegations; 3) retracting the categorization of any protest on June 12 as a “riot”; 4) amnesty for arrested protesters; and 5) universal suffrage in electing the Chief Executive and Legislative Council;

Do hereby agree to:

Congratulate CALD Individual Member Chung-Kai Sin and his colleagues from the Democratic Party of Hong Kong and the broader pro-democracy camp for their landslide victory in the 2019 District Council Elections;

Continue to support and work with Hong Kong leaders who promote and stand for democracy, human rights and rule of law;

Call on the Hong Kong government to find compromise in addressing the political conflict and to commit itself to sustainable and democratic political reforms;

Continue to fight for freedom of assembly, freedom of expression and the conduct of free and fair elections based on universal suffrage; and

Strengthen liberal political parties and networks in Asia and across regions to safeguard democracy, defend truth, and uphold liberal principles against authoritarian, illiberal and populist incursions.

Bi-Khim Hsiao, MP
Chairperson

Chih-wei Chen, FRGS
Secretary General

Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats

Categorised in: Resolutions

This post was written by CALD