Book Review On Asian Values And Human Rights

Chan states that it is beyond dispute that Asian states have committed egregious violations of human rights. More so, it is also the case that Asian states have not lived up to the universally held notion of human rights. The whole controversy surrounding this debate on the Asian values and human rights was generated following the Bangkok Declaration of 1993. The Declaration sought to legitimize the adoption of policies and values that were distinctly different from the Western democracies concerning human rights. As stated by Singapore government spokesman, the Declaration presented the Asian point of view on human rights and values owing to the unique Asian values and historical circumstances. The Asian states also viewed the western ideals of human rights and their central obsession having an ulterior motive mainly that of subjugating them both politically and economically. Such a view by the Asian states has not gone well with western nations as have academics and human rights crusaders who see the same as a cover up for their blatant and continued violation of human rights. While agreeing that human rights record of Asian states is poor, Chan is not also endeared by the west.
This is because he feels that both camps do not offer the chance for those who are not extreme liberals and yet they do not support the aristocratic practices of the Asian states. In its place, Chan offers an alternative perspective that looks into the construction of long term visions of human rights and political morality. He deprecates the common trend in human rights conferences which condemn the practices by Asian states and calls for the observance of the settled vision of human rights recognized globally. On reflection, and as Chan argues, it may be that there is no settled vision of human rights. This is because human rights and values are continually changing. Chan further argues that in order to correct the imbalance, Asian states must work towards transforming their culture and traditions so as to conform to the values and spirit of human rights. Secondly, they must also show how the transformed cultures enrich the debate on human rights.
One question that arises out of this discourse by Chan is whether there is a settled vision of human rights as the western idealists, academics, human rights crusaders and some politicians would have people believe. Asian states have been pelted for failing to uphold and live up to the supposedly settled vision of human rights. Chan proffers that there is no such a thing as settled vision of human rights. At a personal level, I would not go to the extreme end taken by Chan on this issue. The Asian states human rights record is poor partly because they have hidden from the fact that they live way below the minimum standard of human rights which include jailing of political dissidents among other ills. If we adopt the approach taken by Chan that there is no settled vision of human rights then the human rights mantra itself lacks meaning. It is also the case that human rights are universal since all persons are human. They obtain the rights by virtue of their being human. It is also true that these rights keep on evolving as new violations emerge and human development proceeds. Another question that pops up is whether the idea of universal human rights allows for different cultural or ideological interpretations. Chan gives the answer to this question in the affirmative. Again, I respectfully disagree. My take is that the view offered by Chan that human rights, universal as they may be, do allow for cultural and ideological interpretations is wrong. This is because allowing for that would erode the very concept of human rights values. A particular state or community would interpret the same according to their culture and ideology, barbaric as it may be.
A final question in this discourse concerns the issue whether Asian values and cultures have anything to contribute to the debate on human rights. Chan proffers that it does and in fact touts the move as one of the ways to approach the issue of human rights. At a personal level, I agree. Despite the aristocratic practices of the Asian states, it is noteworthy that the states do extol such values as the importance of the family, ethics, individual responsibility as well as racial and religious harmony. Without doubt, these values are part of human rights and as such, are central in contributing to a healthy discourse on human rights.