Progress of Fourth International Heroin Conference reviewed

review meeting on holding of the Fourth International Heroin Conference was held

at the Ministry of Home Affairs this afternoon, attended by Secretary-1 of the

meeting were Minister for Foreign Affairs U Win Aung, Minister for Home Affairs

Col Tin Hlaing, Minister for Border Areas and National Races and Development

Affairs Col Thein Nyunt, deputy ministers, the Deputy Attorney-General, the

Deputy Commander, the Director-General of Myanmar Police Force, officials of the

State Peace and Development Council office, departmental heads, members of the

Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC), members of the Leading

Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt spoke about Myanmar’s hosting of the Fourth International

Heroin Conference from 23 to 26 February with the sponsorship of the Interpol

Myanmar is striving for eradication of narcotic drugs, the menace to the entire

humanity, with national outlook, it energetically cooperated and hosted the

hosting of the conference, the US and some European countries criticized ‘the

Interpol and made protests against it under the pretexts of democracy and human

already resolved for eradication of narcotic drugs with national conviction, the

conference could be organized in Yangon with the encouragement and support of

the Interpol, he said and added that the nations which attended the conference

must be recognized as those having done an act of preventing the danger against

noted that despite some nations’ protests against the conference, 70 officials

of 27 nations, two organizations and the Interpol attended the conference this

opportunity for the delegates to witness the annual destruction of the seized

narcotic drugs, visit Laukkai region where poppy substitute crop cultivation

project is being carried out for eradication of narcotic drugs and study Myanmar

government’s measures for eradication of narcotic drugs and, law enforcement

bodies’ actions for supply reduction so that they can let the world know these

facts through media, and noted that this will automatically turn down the

Police Force had the experience of hosting the six MoU nation meeting in 1995

before organizing the conference and noted that there might be some weaknesses

in the programmes, the conference was successful also due to collaboration of

other related ministers and departments, the Office of the Strategic Studies and

dealt with ancient Myanmar Kings’ efforts for eradication of the deadly drugs,

the British’s distribution of opium in Myanmar brought in from India after the

First Anglo-Myanmar War in 1826, spread of the deadly drugs within three years

after the annexation, the British’s establishment of poppy plantations on Chin

Hills, Kachin region and Shan region after bringing in the seeds from Assam.

India the KMT troops’ monopoly of opium cultivation and opium production in

northern and eastern Shan State in 1968, the successive governments’ endeavours

For control of narcotic drugs and various operations against on opium

the governments’s goodwill and correct actions of the national brethren, 17

Tatmadaw, MPF and Customs Departments From 18-9-88 to 31-12-98 were as follows:

        Opium                              

28,385.891 kilos

        Heroin                              

4,125.3104 kilos

        Marijuana                           

6,606.235 kilos

        Phensedyl                       

33,807.8114 kilos

        Ephedrine                         

6,239.1221 kilos

        Stimulants                         

26,961,843 tablets

        Other chemicals                 

destroyed in Yangon for the 13 times.

        Opium                              

20,523.581 kilos

        Heroin                               

3,291.341 kilos

        Morphine                              

192.469 kilos

        Opium oil                                

126.30 kilos

        Liquid opium                           

85.698 kilos

        Marijuana                           

3,443.457 kilos

        Phensedyl                         

25,112.774 litres

        Injection with opium                  

1,405 bottles

        Comethazine                        

6,708.95 litres

        Stimulants                         

themselves destroyed the following narcotic drugs in border areas for 19 times.

        Poppy plantation                                 

7,836 acres

        Opium refinery                                       

21 nos.

        Opium                                         

3,122.383 kilos

        Heroin                                           

405.905 kilos

        Morphine                                         

245.67 kilos

        Phensedyl                                        

689.75 litres

        Low grade opium                             

59.472 kilos

        Stimulants                                      

715,492 tablets

        Acetic anhydride                                

4,159 gallons

        Other chemicals                                 

5,973 gallons

        Other chemicals powder                 

carried out above-mentioned anti-drug activities in her own way and with the

cooperation of international communities. Myanmar signed international

conventions such as: The International Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961; The

Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971; and The United Nations Convention

against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988, he

Myanmar cooperated with DEA of the United States beginning 1974. It has also

signed bilateral narcotic drugs control agreements with India, Bangladesh,

Vietnam, the Russian Federation, LPDR and the Philippines and Memorandum of

Understanding on narcotic drugs control in the Sub-region with China, LPDR,

after Myanmar became a member of ASEAN, it took part in ASEAN’s anti-drug and

cooperation programmes. Myanmar is committed to supply control and demand

implementation of the 15-year project on eradication of narcotic drugs in accord

with the guidance of Senior General Than Shwe, active participation in the

narcotic drugs crackdown under ancient Myanmar kings and after regaining the

independence and Myanmar’s determination to implement the present project

Hlaing recalled the offer to hold the Fourth International Heroin Conference in

Myanmar by International Criminal Police Organization, formation of Leading

Committee and Sub-committees, cooperation of respective departments, holding of

the 13th ceremony to destroy seized narcotic drugs, arrangement on study tour to

Lwe Hsat Village near Laukkai and Mongyaw for delegates to the conference and

officials of Interpol, success of the conference, delegates’ satisfaction on

arrangements and gaining benefits in international cooperation and related work

Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung reported on emergence of opportunity to

hold the conference and measures undertaken for successfully holding the

Police Maj-Gen Soe Win reported on preparations and measures undertaken and

a concluding speech. He said the Leading Committee and various sub-committees

had successfully carried out works on the conference. In holding international

meetings and State-sponsored ceremonies, the main department has to implement

the work with the assistance of other departments and such practice is

successful. He learnt that conference delegates witnessed the difference between

what they beard through some broadcasting stations and what they saw in Myanmar.

He said some broadcasting stations are attempting to downplay the true situation

in Myanmar and the government’s anti-narcotic efforts without reporting the

delegates would distribute authentic news and true situations in Myanmar when

they were back in their respective regions and they knew Myanmar’s efforts being

Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein arrived at the construction site of two-storey

narcotic drug treatment unit (200-bed) of Psychiatric Hospital in Dagon Myothit

welcomed there by Deputy Minister for Health Dr Mya Oo, Deputy Minister for

Construction UE Tint Swe, directors-general of departments under the Ministry of

Health, Director (Architecture) of Public Works U Win Zaw, Medical

Superintendent of Psychiatric Hospital Dr Toe Aung, Dr Khin Maung Gyi in charge

(Architecture) U Win Zaw and Deputy Superintending Engineer U Kyaw Lwin reported

instructions on completion of construction works as soon as possible, meeting

the set standard and minimizing loss and wastage, and later inspected the

Drug Abuse Control Chairman of Monitoring Committee for Working Groups of CCDAC

Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung attended a work

coordination meeting between the chairman of monitoring committee and chairmen

and secretaries of working groups in the meeting hall of the office of the

Maj-Gen Soe Win reported on arrangements to upgrade Wethtikan and Shwepyiaye

Working Group for Anti-drug Information Deputy Minister for Information Brig-Gen

Aung Thein, senior military officers of the Ministry of Defence, secretaries of

working groups and departmental officials.