10th Destruction of Narcotic
Drugs Ceremony , 9-Feb-96, Yangon
Participants:
- Secretary-1 of the State Law
and Order Restoration Council and members - Resident Representatives of UN
agencies - Diplomats and Military
Attaches - Special Guest Mr. Giorgio
Giacomelli, Executive Director of the UN Drug Control Programme - Representatives of the UN Drug
Control Programme - Foreign Media Personnel
- Local Media Personnel
- Other Guests
Report presented by Police Colonel Ngwe Soe
Tun, Joint Secretary of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control at the
Tenth Destruction of Narcotic Drugs seized by Law Enforcement AgenciesHONOURABLE HIS
EXCELLENCIES AND DISTINGUISHED GUESTSEsteemed Secretary-1 and
Members of the State Law and Order Restoration Council, Vice-Chairmen and
Members of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control, Heads of
Departments, our special guest Mr. Giorgio Giacomelli, Executive Director of
UNDCP, Resident Representatives of United Nations Agencies, Members of the
Corps of Diplomats, media personnel and invited guests;Let me first convey our
thanks, on behalf’of the CCDAC, to all of you, for giving some of your
valuable time to attend today’s significant occasion, at which narcotic
drugs seized within the Union of Myanmar will be publicly set ablaze for the
tenth time.Esteemed guests,
Today’s report will he
presented in two parts. the first of which will be by me. For the second
portion, I will give the flooi to Police Colonel Maung Maung Than, Director
of the Criminal Investigation Division and member of the Law Enforcement
Sector.Esteemed guests,
I will first bring to your
notice that the Union of Myanmar has undertaken drug eradication measures
according to the Two-point National Strategy for Narcotic Drugs Control. In
doing so, the CCDAC has delegated its authority to ten sectors and to
regional supervisory groups I-roni the state/division down to the village
levels.In accord with the two point
National Strategy, the CCDAC has outlined three principal duties, naiiicly
supply reduction, demand reduction and last but not the least, law
enforcement. In today’s presentation, achievements in the law enforcement
sector will necessarily be given emphasis.The State Law and Order
Restoration Council promulgated its Law No.1/93, which is the Narcotic Drugs
and Psychotmpic Substances Law 1993, to meet the demands of time. Sections
(7) and (8) of Chapter Four of this law provides for the formation of a Law
Enforcement Supervisory Cornndttee, the Law Enforcement Sector and special
narcotic task forces.The Conunittee for Management
of Administrative Reforms In the Myanmar Police Force, in resolution 3/94 of
Its coordination meeting held on 24 June 1994, specified narcotic drugs
control as an objective of the Myanmar Police Force, In addition to its
primary duty of ensuring the role of law and prevalence of community peace.Therefore, combating the
scourge of narcotic drugs has become the prime task of Myanmar Police Force
both by virtue of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law 1993,
and also by mandate.In practice, the Defense
Services has taken the leading role in striving for a drug-free land, hand
in hand with the Myanmar Police Force, the Customs Department, regional
authorities and the entire public. This is to say that drug eradication is
given top preference as a national duty.Esteemed guests,
The list of narcotic drugs
and psychotropic substances seized from traffickers within the period 18
September 1988 and end of 1995 is as follows;- Opium 13,808.29 kg
- Morphine 126.20kg
- Heroin 1,815.82 kg
- Opium oil 58.15 kg
- Liquid opium 91.66 kg
- Marijuana 5,673.44; kg
- Phensedyl 29,834.91litres
- Cough mixtures containing
Codeine 446.47 litres - Acetic anhydride 4,694.24
gallons and - Other precursor chemicals
1,721.80 gallons - In 26,223 drug offences,
46,997 male and - 8,948 female offenders
were convicted, making a total of 55,945.
Esteemed guests,
During the same period,
26,370.24 acres of poppy fields were destroyed countrywide, including
25,258.26 acres from Shan States. A total of 20 opium refineries were also
destroyed.Narcotic drugs destroyed in
14 separate occasions by the duty-conscious national races residing in the
border areas are as follows;- Heroin 379.5529 kg
- Morphine 181.00 kg
- Opium 328,913 kg
- Phensedyl 689.75 litres
- Acetic anhydride 65.00
gallons - Poppy fields 7,336.00
acres,
together with other precursor
chemicals, various refineryqitensils and 20 opium refineries.Esteemed guests,
Allow me to elucidate to
which extent the Myanmar Defence Services has sacrificed life and limb in
the noble task of eradicating the threat of narcotic drugs. During the
tenure of the State Law and Order Restoration Council,- Heroin 443.6759 kg
- Opium 5131.7496 kg
- Opium oil/Liquid opium
81.5033 kg - Phensedyl 807,405 litres
- Marijuana 327.8344 kg
- Acetic anhydride 970.74
gallons - Acid 4,233.60 litres were
confiscated.
26,370.24 acres of poppy
fields were mowed down and 6 opium refineries were destroyed.During the 857 engagements
with drug traffickers, 16 officers and 569 other ranks from the Tatmadaw
(Armed Forces) made supreme sacrifice for the country; 55 officers and 1,771
other ranks were wounded in battle.Enemy casualties amounted to
759 captured dead, 135 captured alive, 275 surrendered and 787
assortedweapons seized.These figures stand witness
how the Tatmadaw (Armed Forces), with a fine and glorious tradition behind
it, is carrying out drug eradication as a national duty. These relentless
efforts and deliberate offensives brought about the unconditional
renunciation of armed struggle by the Mong Tai Army (MTA) led by U Khun Sa
very recently. Updated to 31 January 1996, a total of 12,690 members of MTA
have brought in 7,5 10 assorted arms and returned to legalfold. Many more
are also coming in daily.Esteemed guests,
I would like to quote the
Secretary- 1 of the State Law & Order Restoration Council, who, in his
capacity as the Chairman of the National Health Committee, addressed his
immediate audience at the opening session of the 42 nd Myanmar Medical
Association on 18 January 1996. He said;” Let me, at this
opportune moment, expound the efforts of the State in eradicating the abuse,
supply and trafficking of narcotic drugs, which are the cardinal causes of
deterioration of the health, physical fitness and moral character of the
entire new generation.Poppy cultivation, operation
of opium dens and trading of opium was first legalised by the imperialist
administration. Later on, renegade KMT troops which were forced out of
mainland China trespassed our borders, and with the clandestine assistance
of a self-styled “champion of democracy” superpower, camped within
Myanmar territory and took to destructive acts. They made easy living by
growing poppy, processing opium and trafficking it out of the country, thus
greatly promoting the drug trade.These malicious super powers
were soon alarmed when the destructive impact of narcotic drugs knocked on
their own door; only then they took to the evil option of heaping the blame
on our country.Furthermore, these derogatory
elements took pains to belittle, hinder and slander the efforts of the State
Law & Order Restoration Council as regards narcotic drugs control. They
even stood in the way so as to seal off international assistance in this
direction.The international conununity
is well aware of our efforts exerted in a national scale, not excluding the
gallantry of the Myanmar Defence Services ; the lives and limbs they had
sacrificed in the cause of making this country a drug free land.
Irrespective of the hardships encountered, the Defence Services have
dauntlessly stood in the vanguard of narcotic drug control, and will keep on
doing so.In the closing days of 1995,
our Defence Forces launched a major offensive in the Myanmar-Thai border
regions infested by U Khun Sa’s Mong Tai Army. This group not only
understood the futility of armed conflict against the Tatmadaw (Armed
Forces), but also the abhorrent nature and the evil impact of drug
trafficking on humanity; they began to realize the benevolent volition of
the government on the national brethren and the vindictive nation-building
endeavours that are bearing fruit day by day. Thus the MTA, commencing 5
January 1996, unconditionally turned in their arsenals to the government and
entered the legalfold. The international community should indeed rejoice in
this event which would certainly lead to the reduction of drug trade to a
considerable extent.We have leant that the United
States spent millions of dollars in drug control measures taken along the
Myanmar-Thai border for the last thirty years. The effectiveness of these
measures can be gauged by the volume of narcotic drugs finding their way
into the world drug market. The renunciation of drug trade by the MTA is a
feather in our cap; the Myanmar government, standing on its own feet, has
achieved the total eradication of opium cultivation and drug trafficking in
Loilang and Homain regions along the Myanmar -Thai border. The truth is
glaring right into our faces. Our success in causing U Khun Sa’s return to
the legalfold amounts to delivering humanity from the horrid threat of
narcotic drugs.The Union of Myanmar will
carry on with her dedication to the total elimination of drugs from the
surface of the earth; on the other hand, we welcome U Khun Sa’s MTA, who are
our own blood brethren. We will look after them well on humanitarian grounds
and for the sake of national spirit.I would like to exhort all
medical practitioners not to lose sight of the govemment’s efforts aimed at
the health and physical fitness of the next generation; to keep in pace with
the objective situation and recent developments in the field of drug abuse
control; to see through the wily schemes designed by vicious elements
lurking behind drug cartels; and to ward off attempts to undermine our
diligent efforts in drug eradication.The State Law & Order
Restoration Council, with complete reliance on the unity within the country,
is determined to carry out the nation-building task it has set out for,
regardless of whatever obstacles that lie en route. I invite all the social
volunteers of Myanmar Medical Association to lend us a hand and join in this
noble task with full vigour and vitality.”Esteemed guests,
Only when the standard of
living of the national races residing in the farflung border areas is
promoted, then there can be gradual elimination of poppy cultivation in
those localities. To this end, the government has drawn up and implemented
border area development projects on an extensive scale. Up to 21 January
1996, the government expenditure for the development of border areas is K
3,353.61 million.The Central Committee for the
Development of Border Areas and National Races (CCDBANR) had spent K.5.8
million on Myanmar/ThailUNDCP joint programme in Tachilek/Ahdee/Santu areas,
and K.37.912 million on Myanmar/China/LTNDCP joint programme in Mongyang/Silu/Pangkai
areas.A pilot project for the
development of southern Wa region, i.e. Hotaung and Mongphyan in Mongyang
Township, is also launched. A 5-year project will soon follow.Recognizing the sincere
efforts of the Goverment to develop and upgrade the socioeconomic status of
the border areas , the national races residing in those areas have responded
by designating the whole of Kachin State, and Pang Kham, Wam Tip, Ho Tan, Na
Wee, wing Kaung, Lai Saw, ban Ti in the Wa Region; Maing La, Maing Ma, Nam
Pan, Wan Kyin, Sam Tamk in the Eastern Shan State Region as “OPIUM FREE
ZONE” and combatting narcotic drugs with momentum.Esteemed guests,
I will now go on to the
international relations sector. The Union of Myanmar became a state party to
the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 on 29 July 1963; to the
Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 on 20 December 1995; and to
the 1988 UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and
Psychotropic Substances on 9 September 1991. Myanmar had also cooperated
with UNFDAC for 15 years, from 1976 till 1991, and still doing so with UNDCP.Esteemed guests,
The Union of Myanmar sent
delegates to the 17th special session of the United Nations General Assembly
convened at New York in February 1990 and the World Ministerial Sunmiit held
in London in April of the same year. It was resolved at these two sessions
that all participating countries should cooperate in drug control matters on
subregional, regional and global scales.In line with the resolutions,
Myanmar, in addition to domestic endeavours, cooperated with her next-door
neighbours, People’s Republic of China and Thailand. Our efforts gained
recognition at, the 36th session of the UN Narcotics Commission held in
Vienna, Austria, on 29 March 1993.Esteemed guests.
The Union of Myanmar has
signed agreements to participate in Myanmar/Thai and Myanmar/ChinaMDCP drug
control programnies on 12 June 1992 in -Yangon. In addition to these two
main projects, a pilot project as proposed by UNDCP was implemented in
southern Wa region within the period October 1994 to October 1995. Then the
project was extended for another six months. A multifaceted 5-year plan is
now under way for the development of this region.Esteemed guests.
Myanmar, China, Laos and
Thailand, together with representatives of UNDCP, signed a MoU to control
illicit trafficking and abuse of narcotic drugs at the UN Headquarters, New
York on 26 October 1993. High level officials from the four countries met in
Vientiane on 31 June and I July 1994 to discuss follow up actions on the MoU.
The draft plan drawn up by the UNDCP has now been agreed upon by the
signatory countries.Esteemed guests.
The ministerial conference of
the four member nations was held in Beijing, People’s Republic of China, on
27 May 1995. The highlight of the conference was thejoining in of Cambodia
and Vietnam, elevating the four-nation subregional endeavour to regional
status.At this conference UNDCP
outlined 6 enforcement programmes, 2 on supply reduction and 3 on demand
reduction, making a total of 11. Out of these, the Programme for Reduction
of Drug Abuse among Hill Tribes in East Asia and the Programme on
Controlling Precursor Chemicals are under perusal by member nations
including Myanmar.Esteemed guests.
While cooperating with UN
agencies as well as countries in the subregion, the Union of Myanmar has
also signed agreements with her immediate neighhours, namely India,
Bangladesh and Vietnam. Myanmar and the Russian Federation have made plans
to exchange drug-related intelligence and for mutual cooperation.Esteemed guests
Before I conclude the first
parl of the presentation, I would like to make a clarion call to our good
friends ;” Countries of the world unite-to fight the scourge of
narcotic drugs’.Thank you.
Report presented by Police
Colonel Maung Maung Than, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department
and Member of the Law Enforcement Sector, CCDACEsteemed guests,
I am honoured to be allowed
to carry on with the second part of the report. I am Police Colonel Maung
Maung Than, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, Myamnar
Police Force, and member of the Law Enforcement Sector of CCDAC.The Myanmar Defense Services,
the Myanmar Police Force and the Customs Department, in their line of duty
to eradicate drug abuse in our country, has confiscated a substantial amount
of narcotic drugs, which were handed over to CID after the trial of cases in
court.I will first present to you
the list of narcotic drugs soon to be set ablaze for the tenth fim in your
esteemed presence.Opium
1471.372 kg
Heroin
82.707 kg
Opium oil
12.131 kg
Liquid opium
0.876 kg
Marijuana
197.396 kg
Phensedyl
1918.552 litres
Cough mixtures containing
opium 112.336 litres
Injections containing opium
150 ampoulesEsteemed guests,
Now I will read out the
accumulated list of narcotic drugs already destroyed in the nine previous
occasions plus those to be destroyed today.Opium
11,146,752 kg
Heroin
1,537,293 kg
Morphine
63,435 kg
Opium Oil
82,031 kg
Liquid opium
117,888 kg
Marijuana
4,082,168 kg
Phrawdyl
25,170,899 litres
Cough mixtures containing
opium 672,295 litres
Injections containing opium
953 ampoulesEsteemed guests.
Please feel free to inspect
the seized drugs displayed before you prior tc torching these drugs with
your own hands. I will now cut my report short for the great event, with a
solemn promise that drugs seized in the future will be similarly dealt with.Thank you very much.