1st Destruction of Narcotic Drugs Ceremony

1st Destruction of Narcotic Drugs
Ceremony (13th February 1990), Yangon.


Participants:

  • Secretary-1 of the State Law
    and Order Restoration Council and members
  • Resident Representatives of UN
    agencies
  • Diplomats and Military
    Attaches
  • Representatives of the UN Drug
    Control Programme
  • Foreign Media Personnel
  • Local Media Personnel
  • Invited Guests

    Report made by the Central
    Committee for Drug Abuse Control

    HONOURABLE HIS
    EXCELLENCIES AND DISTINGUISHED GUESTS

    First of all, I would like to
    express my gratitude having this opportunity to give a brief expatiation on
    behalf of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control.

    There will be two portions I
    have to present drug abuse control in Myanmar and facts on this ceremony.

    It is worthy to recall that
    after 1885, abuse of opium was infiltrated into Myanmar, along with the
    migration of foreigners. The 1878 Opium Act was enacted by the British
    Government and allowed to sell opium legally. Opium poppy cultivation was
    also permitted in the eastern part of Than Lwin river. Since then,
    cultivation of poppy and abuse of not only opium but also cocaine, morphine
    and marijuana became widespread in Myanmar. It was planned to eliminate
    abuse of opium within 5 years in February 1948, after gaining independence.
    But, it was in vain due to the insurrection in the country. Myanmar had
    signed 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs on 30 March 1961 at United
    Nations. It was ratified on 29 July 1963 under the administration of
    Revolutionary Council. Member countries implemented the work regarding
    promulgation of laws and order international co-operation and permission of
    production and use of narcotic drugs for scientific and medicinal purposes
    in accordance with the Convention.

    The Revolutionary Council
    adopted the 1974 Narcotic and Dangerous Drugs Law on 20 February 1974. The
    law bans cultivation, production, preparation, transportation, transfer and
    trafficking of narcotic drugs. The penalty for the violators of the Drug Law
    is 10-year imprisonment to death sentence in maximum. The law provides
    proper medical care for the drug addicts and who fail to do so are reliable
    for punishment.

    Myanmar , with her might, is
    carrying out measures to control drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking. In
    this regard, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control taking awareness
    of the menace of narcotic drugs as a national concern, implements the
    sector-wise measures—- law enforcement, crop substitution, livestock
    breeding, medical treatment, rehabilitation, education and mass-media
    information. In every year achievement in all aspects has been gained. In
    1976, five-year project agreement was signed with United Nations Fund for
    Drug Abuse control in implementing sectorwise measures. Now, the programme
    is under the third five-year project. During the programme with UNFDAC, 163,
    091 acres had been substituted with the cash crops in lieu of poppy while
    animals had been provided to the farmers. A total of 3,173 addicts had been
    provided medical treatment by opening six hospitals and 19 treatment centres
    for the drug dependents. Then, 2,780 cured addicts had been sent to their
    society by rehabilitating. Education and mass-media programmes were also
    carried out respectively.

    Regarding law enforcement
    activities, measures had been taken since adoption of the 1974 Narcotic and
    Dangerous Drugs Law. To take effective action against the traffickers, Task
    Forces were initiated in 1985 in Yangon, Mandalay, Taunggyi, Kyaingtong and
    Lashio. These Task Forces had taken suppressive measures against the
    violators of the drug law.

    Let’s take a notice on the
    statistics of drug seizures. From 1974 to 1989, it shows over 50 thousand
    kilos of opium, over one thousand kilos of morphine, over three thousand
    kilos of heroin and over 151 thousand kilos of marijuana. The seizures value
    at Kyats 1,450 million (or) US$ 220 million.

    Apart from People’s Police
    Force’s efforts, Tatmadaw (Armed Forces) had launched operations against the
    drug trafficking insurgents. The main operation is Moe Hein which had been
    launched from Phase I to Phase XII. During Moe Hein operations, 15
    refineries had been destroyed. Tatmadaw (Armed Forces) had seized over five
    thousand kilos of opium, 345 kilos of morphine, 160 kilos of heroin, over
    two thousand gallons of opium liquid, other chemicals and paraphernalia.
    Tatmadaw (Armed Forces) had captured 249 assorted arms, 2,364 assorted
    bombs, over 70 thousand ammunition and 19 telecommunication sets. During
    operations, 109 Tatmadaw (Armed Forces) men lost their lives and other 572
    were wounded. On the other side, 205 insurgents were captured death and 18
    alive. A lot of insurgents were absconded with injury. Tatmadaw (Armed
    Forces) had also made seizures of over 7 thousand kilos of opium, 538 kilos
    of morphine, 224 kilos of heroin and 257 gallons of Acetic Anhydride in the
    engagements with the armed caravans.

    Eradication of poppy fields
    had been carried out by man power and aerial spraying. It totalled over 207
    thousand acres of poppy fields —- reducing 913 tons of opium at the value
    of Kyats 5.4 billion (or) US$ 810 million. A total of 10 thousand tons of
    marijuana was also destroyed and the value is Kyats 10.27 billion (or) US$
    1.15 billion.

    After the strike in 1988, law
    enforcement activities are continuously carried out. In 1988, another three
    Task Forces had been opened in Monywa, Katha and Kalay. In 1989, another
    four had been established in Myitkyina, Mingaladon airport, Sittwe and Myeik.
    It is now planning to open another two Task Forces in Pathein and
    Mawlamyaing. Let’s see the statistics of drug seizures during the
    administration of State Law and Order Restoration Council. The seizures show
    699 kilos of opium, 5 kilos of morphine, 179 kilos of heroin, 616 kilos of
    marijuana, over three thousand litres of Phensedyl, over four thousand
    tablets of Methaqualone 207 thousand tablets of cough tablet, over one
    thousand ampules of Morphine Injection, 197 gallons of Acetic Anhydride,
    over seven thousand tabl-ets of Codeine Phosphate, 602 bottles of Glycodine,
    over two thousand tablets of TWC. 22 bottles of Discepin. In 1989, Mya Seinn
    operation for destruction of marijuana was launched in Bago Division
    destroying 61 tons. You can prove that we are taking relentless measures in
    drug abuse control by seeing them.

    As a second part, I wish to
    present the facts on this ceremony. Since 1977, the narcotic drugs seized by
    the law enforcement agencies were sent to the Criminal Investigation
    Department of People’s Police Force after the trial. The deposited drugs
    from 1977 to 31 January 1990, are — over 10 thousand kilos of opium, over
    nine hundred kilos of morphine, 163 kilos of heroin and over two thousand
    gallons of acetic anhydride. kewise, Tatinadaw had also deposited over seven
    thousand kilos of opium, over five hundred kilos of morphine, over two
    hundred kilos of heroin and over two hundred gallons acetic anhydride. Among
    them, 18 thousand kilos of opium and over one thousand kilos of morphine had
    been sold to the Pharmaceutical Industry at the value of Kyats over 15
    millions (or) US$ 2.5 million. Other less morphine content drugs had been
    destroyed board. CID had received over eight thousand kilos of Phensedyl.
    Update over eight thousand kilos of Phensedyl had been destroyed. The
    remained 54.4 kilos of Phensedyl had been destroyed today.

    Today we have to destroy the
    remained narcotic drugs in CID, excluding 933 kilos of opium and 189 kilos
    of morphine to, be sold to Pharmaceutical Industry. The drugs to be
    destroyed today are 209 kilos of heroin 14 kilos of opium resin, two kilos
    opium liquid and 54 kilos of Phensedyl.

    We have taken international
    co-operation in combating narcotic drugs. We have returned delegations to
    the seminars, training seminars and meetings. Recently, we have .returned
    from Vienna, after attending 11th. special session of Narcotic Commission.
    We also pIaned to send Myanmar Delegation to the UN General Assembly in
    which 17 -special Session on Narcotic Drugs will be held.

    Myanmar will continue her
    fight against narcotic drugs not by destruction of poppy fields but by
    developing the poppy growing areas slid upgrading the spirit of the poppy
    growers. At the time when the areas were developed and they have full
    knowledge of illicit poppy, they will entirely give up poppy growing. Now, r
    country is taking border area development programme in the border regions
    where most of the poppy are grown. In parallel with this border area
    development programme, poppy growing area development and crop substitution
    scheme will be implemented as new trend in drug abuse control in Myanmar.,

    In conclusion, may I express
    my opinion on drug abuse control. I dare say a certain period the areas will
    be developed and cultivation of poppy will be driven out of our country.