Body count rises as Philippines president calls for drug addicts to be killed

Human rights, and more specifically due process, are not 'Western', they've just been formulated there. Do you believe gravity is 'white' or 'jewish' because it was formulated by Einstein?

And societies that 'get' due process objectively do better: tell me, who does better in social development and public safety, Nigeria or Mauritius? Nigeria or Cape Verde? Conversely, when were Latin American countries worse off, during their "military Dutertre" era, or now? Your position has never worked historically.

You can't _claim_ guilt, you need proof, and to get proof you need due process.

Right, let's just say that that is probably not the strongest argument you could have made.

> Think of the war on drugs in the USA, which was a covert operation to kill blacks.

That's an interesting alternative reading. The 'war on drugs' was a misguided attempt at solving a societal problem through confrontational means. Roughly what the article is all about.

It's also an abject failure, and a textbook case of why these things do not work long term. Kill all the criminals is only a good idea if don't want to have a civilized country.

> No they are not. They earned the right to kill drug lords and junkies through democracy.

Ah ok. That makes them lily white.

> With all due respect did you read the article?

Yes. Now with the same respect: Did you study history? At all?

> This isn't some kind of evil tyrant, that guy earned his position through the electorate because he's been using that plan to do away with scum in his own city and it worked well. Citizens are looking forward to cleanse their country and that's what they'll do, I hope.

Oh, you hope. Well, I hope with you. But the fact is that rather than having a bunch of drug criminals and junkies we will now have a population with a large fraction involved in extra-judicial murder. That's not necessarily a preferably situation over the original one and it leaves in place the biggest problem the country had to begin with: corrupt government officials and police force.

See, when you tackle a problem you should tackle the root cause, not the symptoms.

> Sorry for the brevity as I am typing this from my mobile.

That's fine. I'm not sure more of it would make it any better.

> "You brutes have no idea to run a society. We'll come show you how"

And you've just proved my point about democracy and human rights being dismissed as Western colonialism.

What's your alternative to democracy and human rights? A dictatorship that can have anyone it dislikes executed?

Colonialism might have been what brought democracy to many parts of the world - but the two are not one and the same (in fact, colonialism was regarded by many in Europe as being opposed to human rights and democracy). Many former colonies have tossed democracy and the rule of law out the window before - and it hasn't worked particularly well.

> You know the history of your country so I will not have to educate you on the result of preventing people "doing what they like" with regard to their culture and customs.

Well, Australia isn't an authoritarian regime, is it? I'd say that having elections with the government's power constrained by a constitution is going quite well.

> Are you/your ways superior to the people that voted him to do EXACTLY what he is doing? You called his one week old government "totalitarian". Forgetting he was elected for a 6 year term. Is that system they like stupid and petty too? Or should they come take instructions from you? Your country?

Of course I think my political beliefs are superior - that's why they're my political beliefs. I don't go around supporting a political ideology I believe to be inferior. It just so happens that extrajudicial executions are fundamentally opposed to my belief in the goal of a liberal democratic society.

I didn't call Duterte's government totalitarian - I agree that one week is not long enough. But if he's still asking for drug dealers and addicts to be murdered in a year I'll happily call him authoritarian, totalitarian, etc.

I understand he was elected for a six year term. That doesn't justify disregarding the rule of law (the same rule of law that make those elections every six years), nor does it morally justify murder.

The Philippines shouldn't be forced to take instructions from Australia - but that doesn't magically make criticism disappear. I'll criticise Duterte all I like, and I hope the Australian government criticises him too in the future.