Progress of Fourth International Heroin Conference Reviewed
 
---------
 
A review meeting on holding of the Fourth International Heroin Conference was held at the Ministry of Home Affairs on 6 March, attended by Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt.
 
In his address, Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt said that while Myanmar is striving for eradication of narcotic drugs, the menace to the entire humanity, with national outlook, it energetically cooperated and hosted the conference.  The US and some European countries criticized the Interpol and made protests against it under the pretexts of democracy and human rights, and persuaded other members not to attend the conference.  He said and added that the nations which attended the conference must be recognized those having done an act of preventing the danger against the entire human race.
 
The Secretary-1 also mentioned the 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 abuse 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 Kumingtang (KMT) troops' monopoly of opium cultivation and production in 1949, terrorist group, Burma Communist Party's collection of revenues on poppy 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 refineries, and traffickers.
 
Seizures made by Tatmadaw, Police Force and Customs department 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                            6239.1221 kilos
        Stimulants                           26,961,843 tablets
        Other chemicals                    43,003.35 gallons and 98 opium refineries were destroyed.

Seized drugs were 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                           23,574,284 tablets were destroyed.

National people 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 powders        2,320.49 kilos

Altogether 82,469.32 acres and 326.83 tons of opium were destroyed from 1988 to 31 December 1998.

He said Myanmar 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.  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, Thailand and UNDCP.  Myanmar became a member of ASEAN, it took part in ASEAN's anti-drug and cooperation programmes.

He spoke on implementation of the 15 years project on eradication of narcotic drugs.