Facts and figures showing the reduction of opium cultivation and production were not gathered by the government of Myanmar, but UNODC in cooperation with local police forces and anti-drug squads Information Committee of State Peace and Development Council holds Press Conference No 7/2005

YANGON, 23 Oct— The Information Committee of the State Peace and Development Council held the Press Conference No 7/2005 on clarifications of matters relating to instigation and allegations with deceitful political polys portraying Myanmar in worst shape from pessimistic point of view calling on the Security Council to act in Myanmar and matters related to the case-496 in which Myanmar Police Force and the National Narcotics Control Commission of the People’s Republic of China seized 992 blocks of heroin weighing 496 kilos at the meeting hall of the Ministry of Information on Theinbyu Road here at 12.30 pm today.

It was attended by Chairman of the Information Committee Minister for Information Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan, Minister for Home Affairs Maj-Gen Maung Oo, Maj-Gen Khin Aung Myint of the Ministry of Defence, deputy ministers, Director General of Myanmar Police Force Brig-Gen Khin Yi, members of the information committee, heads of department, officials of Myanmar Writers and Journalists, U Sein Win of Kyodo News Agency, Patron U Hla Htwe, President U Sao Kai Hpa and members of Myanmar Foreign Correspondents Club, editors of domestic magazines and journals and specially invited guests.

First, Brig-Gen Khin Yi clarified matters pertaining to the case-496 in which Myanmar Police Force and the National Narcotics Control Commission of the People’s Republic of China seized 992 blocks of heroin weighing 496 kilos.

(The clarification of Brig-Gen Khin Yi is reported separately.)

Next, Minister Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan clarified matters relating to instigation and allegations with deceitful political polys portraying Myanmar in worst shape from unpessimistic point of view calling on the Security Council to act in Myanmar.

(The clarification of Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan is reported separately.)

Afterwards, local and foreign journalists raised queries.

In asking questions, U Ko Ko of Yomiuri Shimbun said facts and figures show that the cultivation of opium has been reduced.

But, he said he wanted to know whether the opium cultivation on the ground has actually been reduced since about half a ton of heroin has been seized now. Although the production of opium and heroin has been on the increase, stimulant tablets that can be trafficked easily are penetrating into the human society. That’s why, he said, he would like to know if the State sees the danger of stimulant tablets as a future challenge of the nation and what the government has prepared and is preparing to address this challenge.

In response to the questions, Director General of Myanmar Police Force Brig-Gen Khin Yi said the facts and figures showing the reduction of opium cultivation and production were not gathered by the government of Myanmar, but they were collected by the UNODC in cooperation with local police forces and anti-drug squads after conducting surveys on narcotic drugs in regions of the country. Myanmar has already launched an illicit crops monitoring programme.

According to the programme, UNODC issued a global report that the opium cultivation fell by 29 percent and heroin production by 54 percent from 2002 to 2004. Similarly, according to the data gathered by satellites and sophisticated gadgets, the Crime and Narcotic Centre that was established in 1993 in America reported that the cultivation of opium in Myanmar fell to 81 percent when compared with that year (1993). CNC also reported on the 84 percent reduction of opium production. Brig-Gen Khin Yi said as the above-mentioned reports were issued officially and put on record of World Drug Report, it is sure that Myanmar has seen the significant reduction of its opium cultivation and heroin production.

Generally, it can also be reviewed that the opium production has actually reduced according to the surveys conducted in the 14 states and divisions by local authorities, members of the MPF and anti-drug squads in collaboration with the public. The question about the seizure of about half a ton of heroin in September 2005 should be taken into account regarding the decrease in opium cultivation.

According to formulas, 10 tons of opium is required to produce one ton of heroin. That also means 10 kilos of opium can produce only one kilo of heroin. That is why, he said, the seizure of 496 kilos of heroin accounts for 4960 kilos of opium. As 4.4 kilos of heroin can be produced through the cultivation of one acre of opium, 496 kilos accounts for the cultivation of 1127.27 acres of opium. According to the UNODC it is estimated that there are 67959 acres of opium cultivation in Myanmar. Thus, 1,000 acres is very few when compared with the number of acres mentioned above. Another fact is that the 1,000 acres of opium might be cultivated collectively in a single place or sparsely in many places.

In addition, the seized heroin might be produced in this opium season or other previous seasons. It is questionable whether the amount of seized heroin is large. Brig-Gen Khin Yi said that assessing all the facts, the cultivation and production of opium have actually been reduced to a certain degree.

Concerning how to address the future challenge, he said, the nation as well as the entire world has regarded amphetamine-type stimulant tablets as a future challenge after crushing the danger of narcotics and heroin.

In Myanmar also, after fighting the threat of heroin, the danger of stimulant tablets is coming to a head. He added that the chemicals control committee led by the deputy director general of MPF had been formed. In developing countries like Myanmar, amphetamine-type stimulant tablets cannot be produced because of lack of precursor chemicals. The country has prescribed 25 kinds of controlled chemicals such as Ephedrine and caffeine.

As the nation cannot produce precursor chemicals, no stimulant pills can be produced whatsoever. It is only the duty of the country to prevent inflows of the tablets from neighboring nations. The chemicals control committee comprising representatives of the ministries concerned was formed.

The board supervises the imported chemicals in order not to divert them from proper use. The chemicals can be utilized both in production of narcotic drugs and production of medicine. The CCDAC held workshops on where and how to use chemicals five times in Yangon and two times in Mandalay.

In connection with this, UNODC provided educative videos to the country and the CCDAC distributed Myanmar version videos to border areas and educative talks were held about ten times. Precursor chemicals needed for production of stimulant tablets came from neighboring countries. Control tasks were carried out in order to prevent smuggling of precursor chemicals into the country under the bilateral agreements among Myanmar, China, India and Thailand. Myanmar and China signed MoU on precursor chemical control on 21 September 2001. The government regarded the issue as a future challenge and is undertaking the control tasks.

U Thet Khaing of Myanmar Times journal asked how many persons related to seizure of heroin had been arrested. He continued to ask if the seizure of heroin was the largest single seizure in Myanmar, and what was their final destination.

Director-General of Myanmar Police Force Brig-Gen Khin Yi replied that there were altogether 84 culprits of Myanmar. Two culprits were handed over to the People’s Republic of China. The destination led to Thailand through the border area between Myanmar and China. However, they were arrested in the area of Myanmar.

Seizure of the heroin weighing 496 kilos was the second largest amount in Myanmar. The largest single seizure was in Ye Township, Mon State, in 2004.

At that time, a constable of the police station in Kawtut Village in Ye Township inspected a suspicious person in the region. As a result of the further information, the largest amount of heroin was seized. The amount of the seizure was over 592 kilos of heroin worth about K 47 billion or US$ 74.5 million. The present seizure of the heroin was valued at US$ 62 million.

The press conference ended at 3.15 pm.

Later, the reporters and journalists studied documentary photos displayed at the press conference featuring those who escaped from the forced new recruitment of SSA’s Ywet Sit led insurgents and murders of innocent villagers, organizational tasks and destruction carried out by the SSA, seizure of 496 kilos of heroin and the State’s efforts for development of national races and human resources.