Speech delivered by Police Major-General Soe Win, Director-General
of the Myanmar Police Force and Secretary of the Central Committee for Drug
Abuse Control, at the 13th destruction of seized narcotic drugs on 25th February
1999.
---------
Myanmar in forefront in war against drugs, sacrificing
many lives
The presentation today is in two parts. First, I shall present to
you the latest facts and figures concerning endeavours by Myanmar to eradicate
drugs. The second part will be a presentation by Law Enforcement Sector
member Police Colonel Maung Maung Than of the Criminal Investigation Department
concerning drugs to be destroyed today.
Firstly, I wish to stress our efforts in the elimination of narcotic drugs
and the successes we have achieved. This despicable narcotics habit
was first introduced into the country by the British colonialists.
After independence was regained, the divisive seed that was sown amidst the
nationalities by the former rulers resulted in insurgencies that hindered
the progress of the country as well as the fight to stamp out the narcotic
drugs cultivation, production and abuse. Successive governments had
tried to solve this problem but none succeeded.
In 1988, with the advent of the State Law and Order Restoration Council,
a policy of national reconsolidation was adopted and the progress of border
areas and national races was stressed. Belief in the sincere good
will of the State was a driving force in getting 17 groups to return to the
legal fold.
This is fulfilling one of the basic necessities for the development and
progress of the whole country.
Myanmar designated the following two strategies for drug abuse control:
- "the designation of drug control
activities as a national duty to perform with added momentum"; and,
- "to gradually eliminate poppy
cultivation by promoting the standard of living of the national races at the
border areas".
To implement the two strategies the three tactics are applied - Supply elimination,
Demand elimination and Law Enforcement.
The following three methods are practised:
- "For the producer and abuser
of narcotic drugs, to enlighten their belief, conviction and psychological
make-up for the better";
- "For the easy accessibility
and communication between those national races on the highlands and those
at various other places"; and,
- "To develop the socio-economic
condition of the national races at the border areas."
These policies stand testimony that our leaders are truly committed to the
elimination of narcotic drugs. In the past, the national races had been
involved in production and trafficking of drugs but they have now separated
themselves from the storm centre and are proving their true worth by the establishment
of an opium free zone in their midst. The alternative development activities
committed by the government for development of their regions are quite a
help. May I also put on record that assistance provided to us by our
good neighbours, China and Thailand were also very helpful in our border
development and drug control efforts.
In law enforcement, 1996, saw seizures of 1300 kilos of opium, 504 kilos
of heroin, 263 kilos of marijuana, 1709 litres of phensedyl and 5.9 million
tablets of stimulants. The year 1997 saw seizures of 7887 kilos of opium,
1400 kilos of heroin, 288 kilos of marijuana, 896 litres of phensedyl, 5.02
million tablets of stimulants, which was a record seizure for opium and heroin.
1988 seizures amounted to 5393 kilos of opium, 16.02 million tablets of ATS,
403 kilos of heroin, 380 kilos of marijuana and 1286 litres of phensedyl.
The amount of opium and heroin seizures decreased due to the fact that law
enforcement agencies had access to formerly Mong Tai Army dominated areas.
The Armed Forces were able to search and destroy 24 clandestine laboratories
in 1996, 33 in 1997 and 21 in 1988, making up a total of 78 laboratories,
10,187 gallons of precursor chemicals were destroyed in 1996, 19,680 gallons
in 1997 and 20,487 gallons in 1988. There were also seizures of 2420
kilos of ephedrine in 1997 and 3819 kilos in 1998. These actions all
resulted in decreased drug production. Decrease in cultivation acreage
and decrease in production of opium and its derivatives bodes well but we
are now seeing new emerging danger of stimulants. Western countries
are ignoring the advances we are making in the fight against opium and heroin
but are making out as if we were the major producers of stimulants in the
sub-region. The essential precursor in production of stimulants, ephedrine,
is not produced in Myanmar but trafficked illegally in from neighbouring countries.
The equipment and paraphernalia required for the laboratory are also trafficked
in from neighbouring countries. We do not have qualified technicians
and methodologies to process and manufacture stimulants. It can be
said that, to belittle our successes with opium and heroin control, stimulants
are being introduced into the country with an ulterior motive of accusing
us of illicit stimulants production.
In July 1997 Myanmar became a full member of ASEAN. At the ASEAN Summit
Meeting, Senior General Than Shwe, the Prime Minister presented the political,
economic and social situation of Myanmar which included the successful drug
control situation and future plans. Only then did the ASEAN leaders
realize the enormous task Myanmar has undertaken in its fight against narcotic
drugs. The situation was also explained to Mr Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General
when he called on the Prime Minister. The Secretary General appreciated
what Myanmar had done in that sphere and requested permission to send a high
level team to study and discuss the matter. A technical team led by
John Leake visited Myanmar in March and April 1988. The team, combined
with technical experts from Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control and government
department went about the country on a fact finding mission and formulated
a draft plan for the elimination of opium in Myanmar within 10 years.
The plan was formulate with the intention of presenting it at the 20th UN
General Assembly Special Session on Narcotic Drugs. In March 1998,
Under-Secretary-General and Executive director of UNDCP Mr Pino Arlacchi
visited Myanmar, met with the Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development
Council and Chairman of CCDAC and openly discussed matters concerning alternative
development.
I myself as Secretary of CCDAC accompanied Mr Arlacchi on his visit to the
poppy cultivation and eradicated areas. He met with leaders of national
races, local inhabitants and came to practically learn of their desire to
abandon the habit of poppy cultivation, their enthusiasm for alternative development,
their basic human needs and successes the region had obtained in implementing
projects within a specified time frame. Mr Arlacchi congratulated them
on the successes and granted some budgets for small-scale projects in Kokang
and Wa areas. When we arrived back in Yangon Mr Arlacchi stated that
he was agreeable to the 10-year opium elimination project and that he would
present it at the up coming Special Session of the UN General Assembly.
In June 1998 the Chairman of CCDAC, the Minister for Home Affairs attended
the Special Session and presented to the UN General Assembly the drug control
activities, the successes and future plans of our country. Literature
and video tapes documenting our activities were distributed.
UNDCP did not submit the 10-year opium elimination plan but a generalization
of the Global Plan of Action. Afterwards, a UNDCP clearance for 1000
million US$ for Colombia was publicized. We were glad at the news
because it would be of much help to that country.
We suffered because of others' ignorance to our efforts. We could
not understand the attitudes taken by some countries. But then we came
to realize that by not helping us, they were trying to weaken us and by weakening
us, they were ready to point fingers when we do fail in our uphill fight against
narcotic drugs. That strategy will now have become clear to our distinguished
guests.
We firmly believe that with the joining of efforts between our national
brethren, ultimately we shall be successful in the fight against narcotic
drugs, even without outside assistance. This is the reason why Senior
General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, has
given guidance that the odious habit, which had stayed rooted in our society
for 100 years, inherited from colonial times need to be eliminated in 15
years. Starting from 1999, the Plan calls for three five year periods
ending in 2014. Fifty one major opium poppy cultivating townships in
Shan State, Kachin State, Kayah State and Chin State have now initiated activities
for elimination of narcotic drugs. Activities being implemented include:
- Alternative development;
- Livestock breeding;
- Roads/bridges construction;
- Communications;
- Energy;
- Commerce;
- Health;
- Rehabilitation;
- Educating students and youths;
- Public education;
- Enhancing the activities of
law enforcement agencies.
The budget allotted for the Plan, from our own resources, will be in excess
of 33,000 million Kyats (150 million US$).
Prioritized activities for the 15-year plan are:
- Elimination of opium poppy
cultivation and production;
- Elimination of drug abuse;
- Law enforcement;
- Organizing the entire people
to join in the activities; and
- International cooperation.
We firmly believe that Myanmar shall be entirely free from narcotic drug
in 15 years. It is also designated a national duty in which every Myanmar
national will join. It will truly be a drug free world if the international
community collaborate in the endeavour with an open heart.
All the world leaders in June last year at the Special Session of the UN
General Assembly agreed to adopt the Political Declaration which calls for
shared responsibility among both supply and demand countries and recognized
that common action is needed against the world drug problem. But regretfully,
United States, UK and some European countries do not practise what they preach.
Even at the ongoing International Heroin Conference held here in Yangon, they
have chosen to boycott the Conference and ignore the international effort
for cooperation to fight the drug menace. They have put political issues
in the forefront and forsaken the millions of people around the world whose
lives are threatened by narcotic drugs.
We shall go it alone even if no one is ready to join us, though it may take
a little longer. We are hoping that you will be able to join in our
efforts, so that the people in the sub-region, region and the rest of the
international community will not suffer from the menace of narcotic drugs.
Myanmar has always been in the forefront of the battle against narcotic
drugs and gained its successes in the long fight against narcotic drugs only
with the loss of many lives. The scope of the matter may not be covered
in so short a time but the tip of the iceberg may have been grasped by the
representatives to the 4th International Heroin Conference, who will have
the opportunity to see first hand the life of the opium cultivators and alternative
development activities that are being undertaken to change their livelihood.
In closing, may I refer to the motto of the 20th Special Session:
"A Drug Free World - We Can Do It".
The world community, cooperating in the fight against the dangers of narcotic
drugs can make it come true - We can make it a drug free world.
