Canadian jurist Louise Arbour, a former U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, won this year's Tang Prize in the rule of law. Prior to the award ceremony, she sat down with us for an interview. We talked about issues such as the recent protests in the United States, the global refugee crisis and the importance of protecting the rights for foreign workers in Taiwan. Let's take a look.
==STELLA TU, Good Morning Taiwan Host==
Recently, Protests have evolved in different cities in the US, over the issue of African American citizens being shot by police officers. What is your take on it and how do you think the authorities can strike a proper balance on the basis of protecting the rights of the others?
==LOUISE ARBOUR, winner of the 2016 Tang Prize in rule of law==
This is always, I think a very difficult balance to strike in a democracy, which believes in freedom of speech, freedom of assembly for the freedom to express even forcefully, these views is really important to be protected in a democracy. But on the other hand it's also critical that no incitation or violent should take place on the either side. So sometimes when the repression is too strong or too robust it escalates the violence. It's a challenge for each community and usually the local authorities know better, how to handle these communities.
==STELLA TU, Good Morning Taiwan Host==
Moving more on a global issue. There are currently more than 21 million refugees in the world now. Just last week, the UN convened a major conference on refugee and migration. Do you have any advice to obtain international cooperation between the nations? And how to resolve this problem?
==LOUISE ARBOUR, the winner of the 2016 Tang Prize in rule of law==
I think currently that's exactly what's lacking, it's International cooperation. The burden, if we can call it that. The first response to the crisis, is disproportionately put on the neighboring countries. So I think the strategy should be, for countries that are more distant to step up and say we will take some. And what has been done in Canada I think it's a model that's really worth looking at. It's families, and small communities, villages, neighborhoods sponsoring one Syrian family. So not only let these people in but also look after them help them learn the language, find the job, get their children in school, if we can duplicate that else where it is manageable.
==STELLA TU, Good Morning Taiwan Host==
When refugees come pouring into the country, people are often very suspicious. They're either suspicious about their religion, or worries that they might take over their jobs and even destroy democracy. Do you have any advice to overcome that fear?
==LOUISE ARBOUR, the winner of the 2016 Tang Prize in rule of law==
I think it's incumbent on the political leadership to persuade them, that these people are a lot less criminal than others. As for taking jobs, very often they take the jobs that nobody in the country wants. In fact, the real concern is that they are being exploited. Often by working illegally because they're not properly documented, they're very exploited.
==STELLA TU, Good Morning Taiwan Host==
Adding on to that, there are currently more than 600 thousand foreign workers in Taiwan, many of them encounter labor disputes regarding to their labor contracts or overtime work. Recently there's an incident where the worker was raped by the employer. Do you have any advice for the Taiwanese government or lawmakers to improve working standards and working environment here in Taiwan?
==LOUISE ARBOUR, the winner of the 2016 Tang Prize in rule of law==
You see human rights law is about the protection of those who are the most vulnerable. And foreigners' particularly foreign workers are very vulnerable because they don't have the full series of rights as citizens. Their right to vote and to voice their concern. So, it's absolutely critical that the political leadership, it's hard to mobilize public opinion to protect these people, but it's very fundamental that legislators and the courts stand up and protect these very vulnerable people.
REPORTER：STELLA TU
