New Delhi - Manchester United star Ryan Giggs has been requested to share the Salford City freedom award with Burma's detained pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, after a row broke out over the councillor's decision on who to honour with the award.
The row erupted when City Councillors decided to honour the Manchester United star with the award, against Salford City Unison leader's nomination of Burma's political prisoner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Ray Walker, a branch secretary of Salford City Unison told Mizzima that they have been campaigning hard to nominate Aung San Suu Kyi for the award, which in 2005 went to the African freedom fighter Nelson Mendela in 2005.
The Unison said, while Giggs is a deserving recipient, with his charity work in the UN children's fund, they have relentlessly worked for Aung San Suu Kyi to be honoured this year.
Despite the Unison's nomination and campaigns, the councillor's decided to name Giggs as the recipient of the award this year.
"We've been told by the leaders of the Council that they have taken a decision to award it to Ryan Giggs instead, and have tried to claim that they decided on giving him the award first," Matthew Egan, a branch Manager at the Salford City Unison told Mizzima in an email message.
In response to this decision, the Unison sent request letters to Giggs, asking him to share the award with Aung San Suu Kyi, as a consideration to highlight the deplorable situation in Burma.
The Salford City Unison said they have for the past two years been doing a lot of work to raise awareness about the appalling situation in Burma through film shows, music nights among others.
But the City Council of Salford , when contacted by Mizzima said the final decision on who to honour has not yet been taken. Giggs and Aung San Suu Kyi are both on the nomination list.
The city council press officer told Mizzima, "We have not decided yet."
In an email message through the press officer, Cllr John Merry, leader of the Salford of City Council, said "Freedom of the City of Salford is obviously a great honour, but as these are personal awards it is not appropriate to discuss individual nominations before all the formal processes have been exhausted."
The City Freedom award of Salford have been given since 1899 and at least 22 individuals including Nelson Mendela have been honoured with the award.
Ryan Giggs, one of the many Manchester United stars that gained popularity among the Burmese football fans, was nominated because he lives in Salford for a long time and has done a lot of admirable charity work for United Nation International Children and Education Fund (UNICEF).
The Burmese pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was nominated by the Salford City Unison for her relentless fight for freedom and democracy in Burma.
