National Workshop on
Community Based Drug Demand Reduction lessons from Projects on Reducing Illicit
Drug Use in the Highlands of East-Asia
YANGON, 6 Jan – National Workshop on Community Based
Drug Demand Reduction Lessons from Projects on Reducing Illicit Drug Use in the
Highlands of East-Asia jointly sponsored by Central Committee for Drug Abuse
Control and the United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) under the MoU
signed by six countries on the project on drug control in the sub-region opened
at Hotel Equatorial on Alanpyaphaya Road this morning.
Secretary of CCDAC Director-General of Myanmar
Police Force Police Maj-Gen Soe Win, Resident Representative of UNDCP Mr Richard
Dickins and Adviser on Reducing Illicit Drug Use Mr Wayne Bazant made speeches.
Projects on Reducing Illicit Drug Use are being
implemented from 1997 to 1999 in six villages in Muse Township in northern Shan
State and Momauk Township in Kachin State.
Advisers, experts and departmental officials
including project managers of UNDCP Regional Office in Bangkok will discuss
matters relating to Community Based Drug Demand Reduction.
Present on the occasion were officials of the
Ministry of Defence, CCDAC, Information and Public Relations Department, Border
Areas and National Races Development Department, Health Department Social
Welfare Department Basic Education Department, Union Solidarity and Development
Association and implementers at the project areas, and Myanmar
Anti-Narcotics Association.
The workshop continues tomorrow.
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Second Myanmar-Thailand
cross-border meeting held on narcotic drugs suppression and prevention
YANGON, 15 Jan – Second across border meeting on
narcotic drugs suppression and prevention of Myanmar and Thailand was held at
the Golden Triangle Hotel in Tachilek at 8.00 am on 13 January.
Myanmar delegation led by member of the Central
Committee for Drug Abuse Control Deputy Director-General of Myanmar Police Force
Police Brig-Gen Hla Tun, Thai delegation led by Deputy General Secretary of
Narcotic Drug Control Committee of Thailand Mr Sorasit Sangprasert, Adviser to
Bangkok-based Regional Resident Office of United Nations Drug Control Programme
Mr Yngve Danling and party.
The meeting focused on prevention and suppression of
narcotic drugs, exchange of information, sharing of experience and cooperation
between two countries.
After the meeting, the leader of Myanmar delegation
met representatives of Thailand TV Channel 3, 5 and 7, ITV and Bangkok Post, and
gave an account of narcotic drugs suppression efforts of Myanmar.
He also replied to queries raised of the
representatives. In the morning of 12 January, the first day of the meeting,
groups for drugs prevention and suppression at the grassroots level discussed
matters related to exchange of information and promotion of cooperation between
the two sides.
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Secretary-1 attends special
meeting of Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control
YANGON, 16 Jan – The Central Committee for Drug
Abuse Control held the special meeting No 1/99 in the meeting hall of the
Ministry of Home Affairs today, with an address by Secretary-1 of the State
Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt.
Also present on the occasion were member of the
State Peace and Development Council Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and
Development Council Commander Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than, Minister for Foreign
Affairs U Win Aung, Minister for Home Affairs Col Tin Hlaing, Minister for
Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs Col Thein
Nyunt, Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Brig Gen Maung Maung Thein, Minister
for Education U Than Aung, Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein, Minister at the
Prime Minister’s Office Brig-Gen Lun Maung, deputy ministers, deputy
attorney-general, senior military officers, Director General of the State Peace
and Development Council Office Lt-Col Pe Nyein, department heads, chairmen and
secretaries of working groups, specially-invited guests and representatives of
State/Division Peace and Development Councils.
In his address, the Secretary-1 said some Western
countries are making false allegations and disseminating fabricated news in
connection with politics and narcotic drugs in Myanmar.
It can be found that as regards prevention and
suppression of narcotic drugs, the use of opium, marijuana, intoxicating brew
and liquor had been prohibited by issuing royal decrees and orders since the
time of ancient monarchs.
Later, some Western countries where science and
technology developed disseminated the methods of production of narcotic drugs
and distributed equipment to the developing countries; now they are accusing
these developing countries of producing narcotic drugs.
In Myanmar, at the time the country was under
servitude, colonialists introduced poppy cultivation; it can be found that
neo-colonialists are giving encouragement with a view to gradually upgrading
poppy cultivation up to production level.
Though narcotic drugs elimination activities
including Moehein Phase 1 up to Phase 12 have been carried out at the cost of
lives, blood and sweat of the Tatmadaw men, efforts to acquaint the
international community with these activities have been weak; this being the
case, it would be necessary to fully compile records on involvement of some
Western countries in narcotic drug production and endeavors resolutely made by
Myanmar for prevention and suppression of narcotic drugs.
Armed groups of national races returned to the legal
fold and are speeding up efforts for prevention and suppression of narcotic
drugs as well as implementation of development work for border areas.
Thanks to cooperation of leaders of national races;,
Mongla region, Special Region 4 of Shan State East, could be declared to the
world as opium free zone.
The remaining organizations of national races are
also striving to be able to declare their regions as opium free zones.
In consonance with implementation of the projects
for progress of border areas and national races, efforts for elimination of
cultivation and production of narcotic drugs are being made too.
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Over 2,346 acres of poppy
fields destroyed in Shan State
YANGON, 19 Jan – Over 2,346.36 acres of poppy fields
were destroyed in northern, southern and eastern Shan State from 14 November
1998 to 30 December 1998 in the government’s efforts in eradicating narcotics
with high momentum.
Under the leadership of Tatmadaw columns discharging
regional security duties, members of Defence Services Intelligence and Myanmar
Police Force and local people jointly destroyed 513.25 acres of poppy fields in
Mongko Township, 237 acres in Hsenwi Township, 88.25 acres in Kunlong Township,
20 acres in Kutkai Township, 13.6 acres in Tangyang and 13 acres in Hsipaw
Township in North-East Command area.
The combined forces also destroyed 182.95 acres in
Panlong Township, 1,267.31 in Phekhon Township and 11 acres in Mongton Township
in Eastern Command area.
The Tatmadaw columns are destroying poppy fields in
remote areas.
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Over 2,346 acres of poppy
fields destroyed in Shan State
YANGON, 19 Jan – Over 2,346.36 acres of poppy fields
were destroyed in northern, southern and eastern Shan State from 14 November
1998 to 30 December 1998 in the government’s efforts in eradicating narcotics
with high momentum.
Under the leadership of Tatmadaw columns discharging
regional security duties, members of Defence Services Intelligence and Myanmar
Police Force and local people jointly destroyed 513.25 acres of poppy fields in
Mongko Township, 237 acres in Hsenwi Township, 88.25 acres in Kunlong Township,
20 acres in Kutkai Township, 13.6 acres in Tangyang and 13 acres in Hsipaw
Township in North-East Command area.
The combined forces also destroyed 182.95 acres in
Panlong Township, 1,267.31 in Phekhon Township and 11 acres in Mongton Township
in Eastern Command area.
The Tatmadaw columns are destroying poppy fields in
remote areas.
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3,546 drug-related cases
exposed in 1998
YANGON, 20 Jan – Personnel of the Tatmadaw, the
Myanmar Police Force and Customs Department exposed 3,546 drug-related cases in
1998.
The authorities seized 5,393.6293 kilos of opium in
410 cases, 403.8048 kilos of heroin in 1,425 cases, 380.9704 kilos of marijuana
in 337 cases, 1,286.9051 litres of Phensedyl in 73 cases, 312.2521 kilos of
low-grade opium in 143 cases, 95.78 kilos of morphine, 206.073 kilos of opium
oil in 38 cases, 177.178 kilos of opium liquid, 6.0624 kilos of opium powder in
four cases, 16,026,688 stimulant tablets in 172 cases, 3,819.0988 kilos of
ephedrine in 13 cases, 160.3 litres of cough syrup in 27 cases, 1,604.8187
gallons of acetic anhydride in 14 cases, 18,803.79 gallons of other chemicals in
25 cases, 789 cases of failure to register and 76 other cases.
The battalions and units seized 2,105.7507 kilos of
opium, 211.5489 kilos of heroin, 81.7489 kilos of marijuana, 238.625 litres of
Phensedyl, 282.7305 kilos of low-grade opium, 78.77 kilos of morphine, 175.6755
kilos of opium oil, 176.98 kilos of opium liquid, 173,750 stimulant tablets,
470.5 gallons of acetic anhydride and 16,052.972 gallons of other chemicals.
Seizures made by MPF were 3286.7126 kilos of opium
in 407 cases, 189.9353 kilos of heroin in 1,423 cases, 299.2215 kilos of
marijuana in 337 cases, 1,045.7801 litres of Phensedyl in 72 cases, 29.4196
kilos of low-grade opium in 143 cases, 17.1 kilos of morphine, 24.4975 kilos of
opium oil in 38 cases, 0.198 kilos of opium liquid. 6.0624 kilos of opium powder
In four cases, 15,852,325 stimulant tablets in 171 cases, 3,965.5988 kilos of
ephedrine in 12 cases, 160.3 litres of cough syrup in 27 cases, 803.3187 gallons
of acetic anhydride in 13 cases, 2,750.818 gallons of other chemicals in 25
cases, 789 cases of failure to register and 76 other cases.
Seizures made by MPF and the Tatmadaw were
2,620.2748 kilos of opium in 103 cases, 163.7526 kilos of heroin in 138 cases,
4.85 kilos of brown opium, 9.048 kilos of opium oil in one case, 1.3084 kilos of
low-grade opium in one case, 15,415,984 stimulant tablets in 64 cases, 3,349.169
kilos of ephedrine in five cases, 11.61 litres of cough syrup in three cases,
442.417 gallons of other anhydride ill two cases and 1,427.88 gallons of other
chemicals in four cases.
Seizures made by Customs Department were 1.166 kilos
of opium in one case, 2.3206 kilos of heroin in two cases, 2.5 litres of
Phensedyl in one cause, 0.102 kilos of low-grade opium, 5.9 kilos of opium oil,
613 stimulant tablets in one case, 253.5 kilos of ephedrine in one case and 331
gallons of acetic anhydride in one case.
Action was taken against 4,845 persons including
4,003 men and 842 women involved in 3,546 cases in 1998.
The battalions and units, while performing security
duties in the region, seized chemicals and paraphernalia from five ether
refineries and 16 opium refineries.
Altogether 44,479.35 acres of opium were destroyed
in 1997-98 and 1,307.95 acres in 1998-99.
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Tatmadaw men, national
people destroy 3,23231 acres of poppy fields
YANGON, 20 Jan – Members of the Tatmadaw Columns,
Defence Services Intelligence Units and Myanmar Police Force, together with
local people, are destroying poppy fields in far-flung areas of Shan State.
A total of 885.95 acres of poppy fields including 25
acres in Hseinwi Township, 287.70 acres in Iangyong Township, 44.50 acres in
Kunlong Township, 31 acres in Kutkai Township and 4975 acres in Muse Township,
the northern part of Shan State, were destroyed on 31 December 1998.
The Tatmadaw destroyed 3,232.31 acres of poppy
fields in Shan State during the period from November to 31 December 1998.
The Tatmadaw, regarding the duty to stamp out the
danger of narcotic drugs as national duty and joining hands with the national
people, continues to destroy poppy fields.
Co-ordination meeting on
ensuring active participation of media in drug education held
YANGON, 27 Jan – A coordination meeting on ensuring
active participation of media in drug education was held at the meeting hall of
Myanmar Motion Picture Asiayon on Wingaba Street in Bahan Township this
afternoon.
Present on the occasion were Chairman of Drug Abuse
Control Work Committees Supervisory Committee and Chairman of Printers and
Publishers Registration Board Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura
Myint Maung, directors-general and managing directors, officials of Myanmar
Police Force, department of Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control, Drug
Treatment and Research Centre(Yangon) and Myanmar Anti-Narcotics Association,
media persons, publishers and guests.
Deputy Director-General of MPF Police Brig-Gen Hla
Tun reported on narcotic drug eradication work.
Authors Dr Tin Tun Oo, Maung Yin Kyaw, Tekkatho Sein
Tin and U Myint Tun Oo and printer and publisher U Myint Maung took part in the
discussion.
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3,582.61 acres of poppy
destroyed Nov 98 to Jan 99
YANGON 29 Jan – The government has resolved to
eradicate narcotic drugs as a national duty and the combined teams of members
and personnel the Tatmadaw columns, regional intelligence units, Myanmar Police
Force and local people with the leadership of the regional commands have been
incessantly destroying the poppy plantations illegally grown in the remote areas
of Shan State, Kachin State and Kayah State.
In January 1999, altogether 350.30 acres of poppy
plantations: 53.5 acres in Namkham Township, Shan State (North), 21 acres in
Kutkai Township, five acres in Hsenwi Township, 55 acres in Mon-koe Region, 55
acres in Waing-maw Township, Kachin State, and 160.8 acres in Moebye Township,
Kayah State-were destroyed.
The data on destruction of narcotic drugs from
November 1998 to January 1999 are as follows:
(a) Monkoe Region
568.25 acres
(b) Muse Township
497.75 acres
(c) Namkham Township 53.50 acres
(d) Kutkai Township
72.00 acres
(e) Hsenwi Township
267.00 acres
(f) Kunlong
132.75 acres
(g) Tangyang
301.30 acres
(h) Hsipaw Township
13.00 acres
(i) Pinlaung Township
182.95 acres
(j) Pekhon Township
1267.31 acres
(k) Mongtong Township 11.00 acres
(l) Waingmaw Township 55.00 acres
(m) Moebye Township 160.80
acres
Altogether 3,582.61 acres of poppy plantations
illegally grown in Shan State (North), Shan State (South), Kayah State and
Kachin State have been destroyed, and efforts are going on to search and destroy
the illegal poppy plantations.
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