Role of International NGOs

Writing in the international relations journal Foreign Policy, Bilahari Kausikan (1993, pp. 2441) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore and Aryeh Neier (1993, pp. 4241), executive director of the westernbased Human Rights Watch organization, addressed the issue of the role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in pressing for greater human rights in contemporary Asian societies. The two reached quite different conclusions on the issue. The issue addressed by Kausikan and Neier is examined in this research, and the positions of the two are critiqued.

The role of NGOs is a contemporary and important issue in international relations, regardless of whether human rights is the focus of an NGO. This point was acknowledged by both writers. Similarly, the human rights issue would be significant in contemporary international relations in the absence of an interest on the part of NGOs. This point was not addressed by either of the writers; however, it is relevant to this review and critique. Thus, the underlying positions of Kausikan and Neier on human rights must be addressed in order to effectively critique their arguments concerning the role of NGOs in pressing for human rights reforms in contemporary Asian societies. An effective critique of the issue also requires and understanding of NGOs and their status in the conduct of international relations.

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al environment, and are issues relevant to this review and critique. Cooperation may be considered as a foundation of human civilization; however, cooperation in transnational conflict resolution has traditionally been noticeably absent in the conduct of international relations according to Kausikan (1993, pp. 2441). Effective conflict resolution requires international consensus (Kausikan, 1993, pp. 2441). Neier (1993, pp. 4251) contends that the Universal Declaration represents and international consensus on human rights. Kausikan (1993, pp. 2441) by contrast, holds that the Universal Declaration represents a consensus that is quite narrow in scope that includes opposition to genocide, murder, torture, and slavery. This narrow consensus, however, does not extend to capital punishment, detention without trial, and some curbs on press freedom (Kausikan, 1993, pp. 2441). In fact, according to Kausikan (1993, pp. 2441) the majority of the population in many Asian societies approve of such actions because they value order and good government more so than the western ethos of individualism. Neier (1993, pp. 4251) rejects this argument, pointing to the capitalist barons of Hong Kong as examples of individualists in Asian s
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Approximate Word count = 1510
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

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