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Information Sheet N0.A-0820(I)



                         MYANMAR INFORMATION COMMITTEE
                                              YANGON

                                     Information Sheet

                         N0.A-0820(I)       1st   March  1999 	

		This office is presenting a speech delivered by Police Major General of
Myanmar Police Force dated 25th February, 1999 for your information.

Myanmar in forefront in war against drugs, sacrificing many lives
	The following is the 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.

		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:

		"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 Assemble.

		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
		-	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.

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