Report made by the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control
Statement given by joint secretary of the central committee for drug abuse control, pol. Col ngwe soe tun at the ceremony on destruction of narcotic drugs, seized by law enforcement agencies on 1st July 1991
Chairman of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control, Secretary-1 and Members of the State Law and Order Restoration Council, Resident Representatives from the United Nations Organizations in Myanmar, Diplomats and Military Attaches in Yangon, Local and Foreign Journalists, Department Heads and Invited Guest,
The objective of the Fourth Destruction of Narcotic Drugs Seized by Law Enforcement Agencies, convened today, is the commemoration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. On behalf of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control, I would like to extend my profound gratitude for your presence on this occasion.
Today, I am presenting two portions. First of all, I would like to include some significant endeavours to fight against narcotic drugs during the period 18th. of September 1988 to now.
Regarding the reconstruction of the lives of poppy growers in order to give up poppy growing, the Chairman of the State Law and Order Restoration Council made a remark which can be used as drug control policy as follows;
"We must implement long-term and short-term projects. As a short-term project, cash crop should be introduced to them for their subsistence, while long-term project should include substitution of perennial crops, together with the social infrastructure development measures. Communication, education and dissemination of information will be also needed. We should upgrade living standard."
In accordance with this policy, income substitution activities such as annual and perennial crops replacement and livestock breeding, treatment, rehabilitation, upgrading social conditions, education and media network are being carried out by the respective sectors, for the progress of the living standard of poppy farmers.
Your Excellencies and Invited Guests,
The Border Areas and National Races Development Central Committee has been constituted on 25th. of May 1989. Since then, border areas and national races development projects have been implemented in five States and one Division and will be extended in the other border areas. "With the development of border areas, poppy growing will be eliminated." At the same time, in line with this aim, the anti-drug measures are being taken with the border areas and national races development programmes and would contribute towards the total eradication of poppy cultivation in border areas. As results of these two parallel projects, the local people in Kokang, Mongko regions and Mongla region in east of Kyaington area started giving up poppy cultivation and poppy refining gradually. You are aware of the fact that insurgent groups in those areas returning to the legal fold and are cooperating with us for the development of their border areas and the elimination of drug menace. In this respect, I am disappointed with a false news, carried recently by a foreign newspaper. It mentioned that we have planned to destroy over 20 thousand acres of poppy fields annually in Kokang region without providing anything to the poppy farmers for their sustenance and they, therefore, fled to other country. Actually, border areas and national races development programme has been introduced in Kokang region.
Setting up villages and towns road construction, opening of schools, hospitals and dispensaries, electric power supply, land development and provision of seeds, seedlings, fertilizers and agro-techinques through existing base and forward stations are being carried out by investing 52.23 million kyats. After the destruction of 1,500 acres of poppy fields by national races, on their own will in Nyophynsapar, Kokang region, a total of 3,500 bags of rice has been distributed immediately to the poppy farmers. Local and foreign journalists were present on that occasion and gathered the news and have disseminated that news to their agencies.
Your Excellencies and Invited Guests,
Altogether 16 representatives from the 8 United Nations agencies made a study tour to Kokang, Wa regions and Mongla in east of Kyaington area for two weeks in March 1991. They held frank discussion with the national races, in poppy growing areas. Evaluating on that study-tour, they are now preparing necessities for the supportive action.
Your Excellencies and Invited Guests,
A firm resolution calling for the community to stop illicit production, trafficking and abuse of narcotic drugs through international or regional or sub-regional co-operation, instead of taking national drug control measures, was passed by the 17th/ Special Session on Narcotic Drugs of United Nations General Assembly held in New York in February 1990 and World Ministerial Summit to Reduce Demand for Drug and to Combat Cocaine Threat held in London in April of the same year. In line with this resolution, Myanmar has entered into co-operation with her neighbours -- People's Republic of China and Thailand. Such co-operation projects will soon be initiated. There are three main objectives in combating narcotic drugs in co-operation with neighbouring countries. They are;
1. to reduce trafficking in narcotic drugs and chemicals used in refining of heroin across the China/ Myanmar. Thai/ Myanmar borders.
2. to eliminate opium poppy cultivation in the areas adjacent to the borders through economic and social development programmes linked to phased eradication,
3. to reduce the demand for the local consumption of narcotic drugs in the areas along China/ Myanmar and Thai/ Myanmar borders.
The detail measures will be carried out as soon as the projects begin.
Your Excellencies and Invited Guests,
The significant fact. I would like to mention, in wiping out drug menace, is that Myanmar has now deposited the Instrument of Accession to the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances with the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 11 June 1991. It is one of the historic events in our drug control efforts. Formerly, some of the countries misunderstood us as we have not made accession or ratification to that International Convention. Now, it Provides for our endeavours in the fight against narcotic drugs and we can stand firmly and brilliantly among the international community without being blamed or misunderstood on us by those countries. Relating this matter, press conference has been held by the respective authorities. For your reference, statement by H.E. U Ohn Gyaw Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, on that occasion, is included in the booklets distributed to you.
Your Excellencies and Invited Guests,
Law enforcement activities such as seizures of narcotic drugs and destruction etc. are shown in the exhibition hall with photographs, slides and graphs and also in your booklets.
Your Excellencies and Invited Guests,
The second part deals with the destruction of narcotic drugs which could be classified in two types.
The first type is that the narcotic drugs seized by Law Enforcement Agencies such as Tatmadaw (Armed Forces), People's Police Force, Customs and others are deposited to the Criminal Investigation Department, after the trial. Among them, heroin, morphine, opium oil, liquid opium, tablets and liquid are destroyed as permitted. Up to now, it has been held for three times and destruction of drugs value at US $ 1,319 million.
The other is supply reduction activity to reduce cultivation and production of narcotics. National races, on their own will, have destroyed poppy fields, refineries, heroin, chemicals, paraphernalia and huts in poppy suitivated and opium produced areas. Such type of destruction has been carried out for one time in 1990 -- in Laukkai, Kokang region --- and for two times in 1991. --- in Mongko region and Mongla region. National project ----- Border Areas and National Races Development Programme ---- has been implemented in these regions and necessary assistance will be provided to them by the international organizations through the United Nations.
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The drugs to be destroyed for the fourth time today are;
Heroin - 76,355 kilogramsMorphine - 28,965 kilograms
Opium Oil - 1,542 kilograms
Liquid Opium - 6,726 kilograms
Marijuana - 377,789 kilograms and
Phensedyl - 2,266,750 kilograms
which value at US$ 192 million (in Myanmar currency kyats 1,206 million.
Your Excellencies and Invited Guests,
Narcotic drugs which have been destroyed for three times value at US$ 1,319 million and if the value of narcotic drugs to be destroyed today includes, it will be US$ 1,511 million while drugs, refineries, chemicals and poppy fields reduced in supply reduction activities in border areas value at US$ 2,819 million. Thus, the total value is US$ 4,330 million. Such amount of narcotic drugs destroyed by us could not be calculated by only money value, but it should be compared with the lives, blood and time, money, medicines, techniques and agonies of the relatives of those who cultivate, produce and traffic narcotics and those of addicts including those suffered by the State. Here, you would find the scourge of narcotic drugs as frightful and disgusting scence. Therefore, please compare measure for control of drugs with valuable lives of the human beings rather than its value.
drug
Your Excellencies and Invited Guests,
As stated in the Motto,
"Let's Join Hands in the Fight Against Narcotic Drugs -- the Menace of Mankind,"
I would like to urge the world community to participate in solving the drug problem not only as a national duty but also as an international cause.
Thank you very much.