Asylum seekers in Hong Kong deserve our respect at the very least

Whenever an article appears in the media about the plight of asylum seekers and asks for better treatment, you can expect an outpouring of scorn, racial discrimination and downright abuse from the public. When such blatant discrimination is combined with an ignorance of the facts, it is time for alarm.

When we disagree with another person's opinion, we should be able to speak out strongly in opposition without fear of recrimination or victimisation. We must not demonise, slander or vilify our opponents but instead treat them with respect.

Everyone needs and deserves respect, regardless of their views and situation. But respect is a reciprocal relationship; it is hard to respect people who violate your dignity and worth. Freedom of speech is a hard-won human right, but that does not give a person the right to use it to vilify others.

In Hong Kong, asylum seekers are damned without being heard.

When asylum seekers enter Hong Kong, we need to treat them with the same respect as everyone else. That is why we have a screening process designed to determine their status. We expect to be treated equally under the law and we expect to be considered innocent until proven guilty. Unless we honour those principles, regardless of circumstance and extend them to asylum seekers, we run the risk of devaluing them altogether.

The society we inherit is the society we build from the values we generate and honour. This is our responsibility as part of civil society and not the task of the government or human rights lawyers.