Participants:
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.