Yangon, 3rd March 1995
Participants:
Secretary-1 of the State Law and Order Restoration Council and members, Resident Representatives of UN agencies, Diplomats and Military Attaches, Representatives of the UN Drug Control Programme and PRC Drug Control Division, Foreign Media Personnel, Local Media Personnel, Department Heads and Invited Guest
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REPORT PRESENTED BY POLICE COLONEL NGWE SOE TUN, JOINT SECRETARY OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE FOR DRUG ABUSE CONTROL AT THE NINTH DESTRUCTION OF NARCOTIC DRUGS SEIZED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
Esteemed Secretary-1 and Members of the State Law and Order Restoration Council, Chairman, Vice-Chairmen and Members of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control, Heads of Departments, Resident Representatives of United Nations Agencies, Members of the Crops of Diplomats, media personnel and invited guests,
I am Police Colonel Ngwe See Tun, Director of the Narcotics Division, People's Police Force, and I am presenting this report in my capacity as Joint Secretary of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control.
Let me first convey our thanks, on behalf of the CCDAC, to all of you, for giving some of your valuable time to attend today's significant occasion, at which narcotic drugs seized within the Union of Myanmar will be publicly destroyed for the ninth time. This occasion is even more auspicious as it is conducted as a gesture hailing the Golden Jubilee of the Armed Forces Day.
Esteemed guests,
Today's report will be presented in three parts, the first of which will be by me. The second part, that is the Law Enforcement Portion, will be presented by Police Colonel Maung Maung Than, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department and member of the Law Enforcement Sector. The third will be a special video documentary on the achievements of the State law and Order Restoration Council regarding drug abuse control in our country.
Esteemed guests,
The State Law and Order Restoration Council, since its taking up of state duties, has undertaken drug eradication measures according to the two-point National Strategy for Narcotic Drugs Control. The first strategic aim is to designate drug eradication and prevention activities as a national duty and to perform this duty with added momentum. The second is to gradually eliminate poppy cultivation by promoting the standard of living of the national races. The institution responsible for the achievement of these two strategic aims Is the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC). The CCDAC came into existence in 1975 in accordance with the Drug Law Promulgated in 1974. At that time there were nine sectors under the committee. In 1989, the State Law and Order Restoration Council reorganized the committee to meet the demands of time. Again, when the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law 1993 was enacted, the International Relations Sector was added to the nine existing sectors.
Moreover, supervisory groups were formed in states/divisions, district, and township levels, down to the ward/village tract level. The Central Committee was also expanded to 24 members, including two vice-chairmen. To achieve the first aim of' the National Strategy, the CCDAC is operating in harmony with the ten working sectors as well as with the local bodies in demand reduction, supply reduction and international and regional cooperation.
Esteemed guests,
The Law Enforcement Sector is being assigned to the Tatmadaw, the People's Police Force (PPF) and the Customs Department. The PPF, in addition to its primary duties of ensuring the rule of law and prevalence of peace, is also performing duties in the field of drug control. The list of narcotic drugs and Psychotropic substances seized within the period 18 Sept 1988 and 15 Feb 1995 is as follows:
Opium 12,598.40 kilos
Heroin 1,525,947 kilos
Morphine 126,195 kilos
Opium Oil 49.8636 kilos
Liquid opium 86.5292 kilos
Marijuana 5,445.1748 kilos
Phensedyl 27,523,789 litres
Acetic Anhydride 3,534.74 gallons
and
Other precursor chemicals 1,721.8 litres.
In 23,888 drug offences, 42,638 male and 8,032 female offenders were convicted, making a total 50670.
Esteemed guests,
During the tenure of the State Law and Order Restoration Council, 23,701.973 acres of poppy fields were destroyed, including 23,158.613 acres from Shan States. A total of 20 opium refineries were also destroyed. Narcotic drugs destroyed by the duty-conscious national races residing in the border areas are as follows:
Heroin 397.55 kilos
Morphine 181.00 kilos
Opium 327.28 kilos
Acetic Anhydride 65.00 gallons
Poppy fields 7,336.00 acres, together with other precursor chemicals and 20 opium refineries.
Esteemed guests,
The valiant members of the Tatmadaw, hailing the auspicious occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the Armed Forces Day, has sacrificed a lot of sweat and blood in the task of eradicating the threat of narcotic drugs. During the tenure of the State Law and Order Restoration Council,
Heroin 437.3092 kilos
Opium 4870.3537 kilos
Opium oil/liquid opium 81.5033 kilos
Phensedyl 589,905 litres
Marijuana 319,996 kilos
Acetic anhydride 244,000 gallons
Acid 4,233.60 litres were seized.
19,536.57 acres of poppy fields were mowed down and 6 opium refineries were destroyed.
During the 823 engagements with drug traffickers, 16 officers and 567 other ranks from the Tatmadaw made supreme sacrifice for the country, 55 officers and 1,744 other ranks were wounded in battle, and 153 weapons were lost. Enemy casualties amounted to 720 killed in action (by body count), 118 captured, 221 surrendered and 708 assorted weapons seized. These figures witness how the Tatmadaw, with a fine and glorious tradition behind it, is carrying out drug eradication as a national duty.
Esteemed guests,
For the achievement of' the second strategic aim, the Central Committee for the Development of Border Areas and National Races (CCDBANR), along with its work committees, were formed in 1989. The committee was upgraded to Ministry level in 1992 and a relevant law has been enacted. The Ministry within the five year period from 1989 to 28 Feb 1995, had spent K.2502.25 million for the development of border areas. The 18 subcommittee that are implementing the target plans are being supervised by deputy ministers. The Central Committee had allotted K.5,800,000 to Myanmar/Thai/UNDCP joint programme in Tachilek area, and K. 37,912,859 to Myanmar/China/UNDCP joint programme in Mongyang/Silu/Pangikai area. A further K. 2,064,500 was spent for the development of Wa and Kokang regions.
A pilot project for Hotaung and Mongphyiin in Mongyang Township is also launched. (The expenses are to cover the salaries and living quarters for the employees and for fuel.)
Esteemed guests,
The master plan for a long term 11-year programme for the systematic progress of the border areas was sanctioned by the CCDBANR on 23 June 1994. The various work groups are already in service at the time of reporting.
Three-nation Ministerial conference
On the 13 and 14 Mar 1992, a ministerial conference was held in Bangkok, tended by Myanmar, Thai and Laos. A joint declaration was then issued. The second ministerial conference was held from 9 through 11 Feb 1994 in Yangon, and a similar joint declaration was released.
The third is planned to be held in the People's Republic of China.
The four-nation MoU
Myanmar, China, Laos and Thailand, together with representatives of UNDCP, signed an MoU to control illicit trafficking and abuse of narcotic drugs at the UN Headquarters.
Follow up on MoU
High level officials from the four countries met in Vientiane on 31 June and July 1994 to discuss follow up actions on the MoU. The draft plan drawn up by the NDCP is now being forwarded to the signatory countries.
Participation in UN Conventions
The Union of Myanmar is a signatory to the 1988 UN Convention on 11 June 91, and became a member nation on 9 Sept 1991. The 1971 Convention was carefully scrutinized, and the Union of Myanmar is deposited the instrument of accession to become a member nation on 7 June 1994.
Regional Cooperation
The Union of Myanmar has signed agreements to participate in Myanmar/Thai/UNDCP and Myanmar/China/UNDCP drug control programmes on 12 June 1992 in Yangon.
Joint Executing Committee meetings were held for five times, during which specific plans were drawn up and implemented. Two Anti-drug units were also formed one each in Muse and Tachilek. A demand reduction programme is also under way Muse Namhkam along the Myanmar/China border.
Myanmar/India cooperation
An agreement for cooperation in narcotic drug enforcement between Myanmar d India was signed in Yangon on 30 Mar 1993. The first high level meeting was held New Delhi on 13 Oct 1993 and the second in Yangon on 19 Dec 1994. The first high level officer's meeting was held in Tamu on 28 Feb 1994 and the second in Imphal 30 and 31 July 1994. The third is scheduled in Kalaymyo soon.
Myanmar/Bangladesh cooperation
A delegation headed by the Minister for Home Affairs of Bangladesh arrived Yangon on 1 Dec 1994 to discuss cooperation in narcotic drug enforcement. A ministerial meeting was held at the Ministry of Home Affairs and an agreement for mutual cooperation is signed between the ministers of the two countries.
Myanmar/Vietnam cooperation
There are arrangements between Myanmar and Vietnam to exchange drug-related information and intelligence and a joint programme is expected to materialize in c near future.
Myanmar/Russian Federation cooperation
Myanmar and the Russian Federation have plans to exchange drug-related intelligence and for mutual cooperation.
Myanmar/USA opium yield survey
Officials from the Ministry of Defense, CCDAC, Myanma Agriculture Service id the United States of America jointly carried out opium yield survey in the Shan States in two missions, the first from 14 through 19 Feb 1993 and the second from 19 through __ Feb 1995.
Attendance of conferences, meetings, seminars, workshops and courses relating to drug control
From 18 Sept 1988 to 21 Feb 1995, altogether 201 delegates from Myanmar tended 62 conferences and meetings on drug control. The CCDAC also conducted several meetings with responsible institutions in Yangon as follows:
With Diplomats in Myanmar 46 meetings
With UN Agencies 48 meetings
With foreign media 9 meetings
With individuals from abroad 47 meetings, which makes a total of 150 meetings.
Esteemed guests
I wish you health, wealth and prosperity before I conclude the first part of my presentation.
Thank you.
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REPORT PRESENTED BY POLICE COLONEL MAUNG MAUNG THAN, DIRECTOR OF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT AND MEMBER OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SECTOR, CCDAC
Esteemed guests,
Allow me to carry on with the second part of the report. I am Police Colonel Maung Maung Than, member of the Law Enforcement Sector of the CCDAC and Director of the Criminal Investigation Department.
This part of the report is on the narcotic drugs already destroyed and those t to destroyed today. These were confiscated by the Defence Services, the People's Police Force, the Customs Department and other law enforcement agencies, and after the of cases in court, were handed over to the CID.
Let me begin with the list of drugs that will soon be set ablaze and destroyed in front of your very eyes.
Opium 1455,021 kg
Heroin 143,944 kg
Opium Oil 1,663 kg
Liquid Opium 0,859 kg
Marijuana 312,220 kg
Phensedyl 3,433,682 litres
Cough mixtures containing Codeine manufactured in neighbouring countries 383,667 litres
Codeine 2,065 litres
1 ml Pathedine inj 593 ampules
I ml Morphine inj 210 ampules
Now I will read out the updated list of drugs destroyed in the nine occasions including today's.
Opium 9,675,375kg
Heroin 1,454,586kg
Morphine base 63,435 kg
Opium Oil 69,900 kg
Liquid Opium 117,010 kg
Marijuana 3,884,772 kg
Phensedyl 23,252,347 litres
Cough Mixtures containing Codeine manufactured in neighbouring countries 572,479 litres
1 ml Pathedine inj 593 ampules
1 ml Morphine inj 210 ampules
You are sincerely invited to inspect the seized drugs displayed right before your very eyes before setting them ablaze yourself. I now conclude my report by letting you know how narcotic drugs seized in the future will be similarly dealt with.
Thank you very much.
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