CALD Resolution No. 3 S. 2018

CALD Resolution No. 3 S. 2018

CALD resolution expressing alarm on the deteriorating political and
human rights situation in the Asian region

We, the member-parties of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD), on this occasion of CALD’s 25^th anniversary celebrations and 12^th CALD General Assembly in Bangkok, Thailand;

Recalling CALD Resolution No. 1, S. 2017 which expressed alarm on creeping authoritarianism in the Philippines as a consequence of its continuing war on drugs;

Recalling CALD Resolution No. 3, S. 2017 which conveyed strong concern on the continuing detention of Philippine Senator Leila de Lima on trumped-up drug charges;

Recalling CALD Resolution No. 4, S. 2017 which decried the clampdown on the Cambodia National Rescue Party, non-governmental organizations and independent media organizations;

Recalling CALD Statement No. 1, S. 2017 which condemned the use of political authority to weaken the political opposition in Cambodia;

Recalling CALD Resolution No. 2, S. 2018 which drew attention to the crackdown on civil and political rights in Cambodia and its implications on the credibility of election results;

Recognizing the growing, even worsening, threats to freedom in a number of countries in the Asian region, apart from Philippines and Cambodia, as reported by member-parties in the 38^th CALD Executive Committee Meeting held on 18 November 2018;

Emphasizing that in many of these countries, the issues and problems are linked to global geopolitical shift in the balance of power, and its implications for small and medium-sized states in the region;

Acknowledging that recent trends and patterns in elections and governance suggest a clear recession, even a reversal in democratic development in the region and worldwide, with challenges in the form of authoritarianism and illiberalism fueled by rising sentiments of nationalism and populism, fed on by fear, anger and frustration in reaction to rising inequality and threats of terrorism;

Do hereby agree to:

Continue to work together and support each other, as liberal and democratic political parties, to address the worsening political and human rights situation in the Asian region by protecting and strengthening democratic values, institutions and processes;

Facilitate greater contact and collaboration between political parties and other democratic actors such as non-governmental organizations, the academe, think tanks, media, among others; taking into consideration that such cooperation may be crucial in addressing current threats to freedom;

Resist the deployment of “sharp power” to disrupt the politics of developed countries or “chequebook diplomacy” to buy the loyalty of developing nations, as this is a violation of generally accepted principles in interstate relations; and

Reaffirm that the core liberal and democratic values to which CALD is based on — democracy, human rights, social market economy and the rule of law – remain the best guarantees to achieve peace and prosperity.

ADOPTED in Bangkok, the Kingdom of Thailand, this 19^th day of November 2018.

Abhisit Vejjajiva                                                       Kiat Sittheeamorn

Chairperson                                                                 Secretary General

Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats           Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats

Categorised in: Resolutions

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