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Series 1, Number 8 (Spring 1997): Transitional Justice in East Asia and its Impact on Human Rights

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The focus of this volume is on how transitional societies—those experiencing a transition from a repressive regime to a more democratic society governed by the rule of law—in North and Southeast Asia have responded to, or might respond to, allegations of gross human rights violations by the preceding or extant regimes. Authors from Korea, Cambodia, and the Philippines comment on their country's experience of transitional justice, while others from Indonesia, Burma, and China shed light on the prospects for transitional justice should reform or a regime change occur in the country. A final piece on Japan's struggle to acknowledge and compensate World War II "comfort women"offers a perspective on accountability and moral responsibility for past abuses that transcend a single country.

Articles

Introduction: Transitional Justice in East Asia and its Impact on Human Rights - 03/05/97
Authors comment on their country s experience of transitional justice, as well as shed light on the prospects for transitional justice should reform or a regime change occur in their country.

Bringing Justice to an Unjustified Past in Korea - 03/05/97
With the recent verdicts against two former presidents accused of human rights abuses and corruption, Korea now appears as a harbinger of democracy and justice for its neighboring Asian nations.
Author(s): Park Won Soon

The Sensitive Question of Transitional Justice in Indonesia - 03/05/97
Andreas Harsono examines whether Indonesian President Suharto would take the risk of stepping down for democracy and allow himself to be prosecuted for human rights violations of the past.
Author(s): Andreas Harsono

Elusive Promise: Transitional Justice in the Philippines - 03/05/97
The Philippine case demonstrates the challenges of transitional justice even in a country where a new democratic government was brought into existence through massive popular support.
Author(s): Jefferson Plantilla

Human Rights and the Cambodian Past: In Defense of Peace Before Justice - 03/05/97
Kassie Neou and Jeffrey C. Gallup detail how the transitional government has handled the human rights abuses of the past, particularly the Khmer Rouge and its leaders.
Author(s): Kassie Neou, Jeffrey C. Gallup

A Reassessment of Peace and Justice in Cambodia - 03/05/97
His Excellency Kem Sokha discusses transitional justice, as he focuses on the greatest violator of human rights in Cambodian history: the infamous Khmer Rouge.
Author(s): His Excellency Kem Sokha

Ethnic Reconciliation and Political Reform Before Justice in Burma - 03/05/97
Maran La Raw questions whether the governmental framework proposed by the future transitional government is capable of resolving the ethnic and political problems that have bred division to date.

Post-Deng China: Justice with Chinese Characteristics - 03/05/96
Ping Yu analyzes post-Deng Xiaoping China and how it has dealt with justice. Yu also touches on Japan's execution of justice with regards to "comfort women."
Author(s): Ping Yu

About Human Rights Dialogue

Human Rights Dialogue promotes a global discussion of human rights ideas and practices by presenting firsthand accounts of human rights issues as they arise within specific real-life contexts. In so doing, it helps to clarify the significant and ongoing evolution that is taking place within the human rights movement to make the human rights framework more relevant and effective in addressing the social, economic, and political challenges of the twenty-first century.

The entire publication is online, or you may purchase individual print copies.

Series One (1993–1998)examines all sides of the Asian values debate—the argument that Asian cultural values imply different human rights standards and priorities from those in the West.

Series Two(2000–2005)addresses the problem of the “human rights box”—the constraints that have enabled the human rights framework to gain currency among elites while limiting its advance among the most vulnerable. Specifically, the essays aim to locate the barriers to greater public legitimacy of human rights and to demonstrate how those barriers can be overcome.