eastern horizons eastern hor - unodc.org · cicp.html (general assembly documents: a/55/383). “we...

Eastern Hor

ASEAN and ChinaJoin Forces inPursuit of a DrugFree ASEAN by 2015

Substitute DrugsSuccessful inReducing IllicitHeroin Use

Building CommunityBased Responses toDemand for Drugs

Bob, I’ve Got Cancer

CommercialServicing of PublicSafety and Justice

Demand ReductionEfforts Among HighRisk Groups in China

UNDCP Hosts Fellow-ship Programme inKuala Lumpur

U N D C P

News on the fight against drugs and crimein East Asia and the Pacific

No. 4December 2000

Spinning a Sustainable Way out ofIllicit Crops: Handicraft productionat the Doi Tung DevelopmentProject in Chiang Rai, Thailand

Eastern Horizons

2 • UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL DRUG CONTROL PROGRAMME

global round up

A recent meeting of ASEAN(Association of South East AsianNations) had the issue of HIV/AIDShigh on the agenda.

The meeting opened with experts tryingto devise a common strategy for control-ling HIV/AIDS. Urgency was brought to thetask by warnings of a possible explosionof HIV infection in the region.

Currently, the HIV detection rates arelow among the general population but arequite high among the high-risk groups likeprostitutes and intravenous drug-users.Because these groups do not take ad-equate precaut ions ( i.e. the use ofcondoms or clean needles), there is a ma-jor risk of infection spreading to the gen-eral population. Delegates widely agreedwith a recent World Bank report, whichclaimed that rising intravenous drug useis the main source of HIV transmission in

the region.For example, in Vietnam, the HIV infec-

tion rate among high-risk groups is five percent, whereas among the general popula-tion the rate is less than one percent. Alsoin Indonesia, according to a Health Minis-try study, the conditions for spreading HIVare very favourable, including high-risksexual behaviour, poverty, high prevalenceof sexually transmitted diseases, and in-creasing migration and urbanization.

Delegates warned that HIV infectionremains seriously under-reported in theregion because screenings only cover asmall minority of the population due to thelack of resources. This casts a long shadowover the official figures of HIV infections inthe region. For example, in Laos, figuresindicated that the number of HIV positivepeople is 632; however, only 47,762 per-sons have been tested in a population ofmore than 5 million.

South East Asia facingTHE CHALLENGE OF HIV/AIDS

To globalize the initiative of effectiveDrug Abuse Primary Preventionthroughout the world, the Third Glo-bal Conference on Drug Abuse Pre-vention was hosted by AssociazioneCasa Famiglia Rosetta in Terrasini-Palermo, Sicily, Italy, from 25-29September 2000.

This Conference was a follow-upto previous two International Confer-ences – “The America-Asia Dia-logue” (Lima, Peru, 26-30 May 1998)and the Second Conference hosted bythe Asia-Pacific NGOs (Bangkok,Thailand, 8-12 November 1999).

The Conference was attended bymore than 500 delegates representing72 nations of the world. The partici-pants at the Conference unanimouslyendorsed the Palermo Declarationthat delivers principles and messagestoward drug free societies.

We the members of the Third GlobalConference on Drug Abuse Preven-tion representing 72 nations of theworld do declare that the use of ille-gal drugs suffocates human aspira-tions, pollutes both body and soul,and corrupts society.

We also declare that drug preven-tion is the corner stone of all strate-gies in resolving our global drug cri-sis.

Therefore, we resolve and com-mit ourselves to creating drug free so-cieties throughout the world.

We also advocate no use of ille-gal drugs and no abuse of legal drugs.

Therefore, we oppose and resistall activities that would increase theuse of illegal drugs such as legaliza-tion and harm reduction.

Closing Statement (Led by DonVincenzo Sorce and recited by all theparticipants) 3rd Global Conferenceon Drug Abuse Prevention, 25-29September 2000, Terrasini-Palermo,Italy

“CREATING DRUGFREE SOCIETIES”

Drug AbusePreventionThe problem of HIV/AIDS cuts

across much of the daily work of theUnited Nations. For this reason, it isimportant to find ways to preventthe spreading of the disease andprovide the best possible care tothose who are infected.

One of the most effective ways to spreadHIV/AIDS is by injection with contaminatedneedles. Currently, 114 countries have re-ported HIV infection among drug injectors.Injecting drug abuse is the main or a ma-jor mode for transmission of HIV infectionin many countries including Asia, LatinAmerica, Europe, and North America.

Even though the problem is severe,there are means to improve the situation.Studies have demonstrated that throughAIDS education, access to condoms andclean injecting equipment, and counsellingand drug abuse treatment, HIV transmis-

Preventing the transmissionof HIV AMONG DRUG ABUSERS

sion can be prevented and epidemics con-trolled or reversed in some areas.

However, the programmes must bebroadly based and comprehensive to pro-duce results. Integration into broader so-cial welfare and health promotion policiesis also a key factor. Criminal justice, pre-vention, treatment, and rehabilitat ionshould all be given adequate and balancedattention.

Last but not least, the programmesneed to be based on the actual situationand views of the drug abusers and theircommunities. This can be achieved by ac-tive participation of the target group in allphases of programme development andimplementation.

A position paper of the United NationsSystem, Annex to the Report of 8th

Session of ACC Subcommittee on DrugControl 28-29 September 2000.

III GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON

EASTERN HORIZONS • 3

foreword by the undcp representativeeditorial desk

Information technology andglobalization have generatednew opportunit ies and en-riched the standard of living forpeople, community, govern-ments, and nations across theglobe. The challenge that cur-rently faces the United Nationsmember states is to ensure thatthe benefits of globalization areshared equitably with all peoplebecause globalization has alsobrought an increasing threat tohuman security and encour-aged the spread of crime.

It is for this reason that theAd Hoc Committee, with par-t icipation of 120 countries,unanimously approved thedraft Convention against Trans-national Organized Crime at its

TURNING THE TIDE on

tenth session held in Viennafrom July 17 to 28, 2000.

The Convention, which isintended to serve as blueprintfor countries to strengthentheir abilit ies to f ighttransnational organized crimeorganizations, protect victimsand witnesses, and blockmoney laundering, was subse-quently sent to the 55th Sessionof the General Assembly, theMillennium Assembly of theUnited Nations, where it wasadopted in early November.

The final draft providesclear definitions of “organizedcriminal group”, “seriouscrime”, and “structured group”and would require membercountries to establish in their

domestic laws four criminal of-fenses:

• participation in anorganized criminal group

• money laundering• corruption• obstruction of justiceThe Convention also high-

lights how countries can im-prove cooperation on matterssuch as extradition, mutual le-gal assistance, the transfer ofproceedings, and joint investi-gations. Complementing theConvention will be two proto-cols that outline in-depth mea-sures to combat trafficking inhumans, especially women andchildren, and the smuggling ofmigrants.

Both protocols were final-ized during the eleventh ses-sion of the Ad Hoc Committee,held from October 2-27, 2000in Vienna. Over four millionpeople are moved as human

cargo worldwide with annualearnings reaching an astro-nomical 5 to 7 billion US dollarseach year.

A third protocol on the illicitmanufacturing and trade offirearms, which also poses agrowing threat to human secu-rity and plays an increasing rolein civilian violence, terrorism,and organized crime, is pro-jected to be finalized by early2001.

The Convention, with itstwo protocols, will be open forsignature at a high-level confer-ence held in Palermo, Italy fromDecember 12 to 15, 2000 andrepresents the first legally bind-ing UN instrument in the fieldof crime. A copy of the Conven-t ion can be downloaded athttp://www.uncjin.org/CICP/cicp.html (General Assemblydocuments: A/55/383).

“We can now affirm that the tide is turning oncross-border crime.” Mr. Pino Arlacchi, ExecutiveDirector of the UN Office for Drug Control andCrime Prevention (ODCCP).

Catha edulis is a plant commonlycultivated in Eastern Africa andSouthern Arabia in high altitudes.The plant grows as a shrub,reaching 10 to 20 feet in height, oras a small tree.

To the general public, catha edulis is com-monly known as khat, qat or African Tea.Khat contains two active constituents be-ing psychoactive substances, namelycathine, a relatively moderate stimulantcomparable to ephedrine, and cathinone,which has stimulating and relaxing proper-ties similar to those of amphetamines. Ofthe two, cathinone is several times stron-ger than cathine. In areas where the plant

- The Drug of Choice in Eastern Africa and Southern Arabiagrows naturally, including Ethiopia, Kenya,Yemen, Somalia, and Saudi Arabia, Khat issocially accepted and commonly used likealcohol and tobacco in many other cultures.

The most potent parts of the Khat plantare the leaves found at the tips of thebranches and the young shoots. Typically,it is consumed by chewing the leaves, smok-ing them or through cooking, added as aningredient in stews or ground up andsprinkled on soup as a powder. Fresh leavesprovide the best effects and therefore theyare often wrapped in banana leaves. Com-mon daily consumption is 250-400 gramsper user, and a chewing session can takeup to four hours in order to reach the de-sired result, which in turn can last more than

24 hours. After 20 minutes of chewing, theuser feels euphoria, cheerfulness, and anenhanced imagination. After two hours,these feelings change into anxiety, irritabil-ity and emotional tension.

Many medical problems can also occurincluding peptic ulceration and mental ill-ness and regular use can lead to anorexia,hallucinations, impotence, excitation, andoutbreaks of irrational violence. The use ofKhat increases markedly during the Mus-lim holy period of Ramadan, when it is usedto suppress appetite in order to maintainfasting between sunrise and sunset.

Source: Catha edulis (Khat) by MarkO’Toole. New Zealand Customs ServiceIntelligence Bulletin.

Transnational ORGANIZED CRIME

CATHA EDULIS (KHAT)


international congress

This agreement was forgedduring an international con-gress held on 11-13 October2000 at the United NationsConference Centre in Bangkokwhere in a political declarationmore than 30 governments and16 international organizationsexpressed their strong support.

The International Congress en-titled “In Pursuit of a Drug-FreeASEAN 2015 Sharing the Vi-

sion, Leading the Change” hadbeen jointly convened by RoyalThai Government, ASEAN andthe United Nations Office forDrug Control and Crime Pre-vention (ODCCP) (which iscomprised of the United Na-tions International Drug ControlProgramme (UNDCP) and theCentre for International CrimePrevention).

The Congress was init iated

largely as a result of the 33rd

ASEAN Ministerial Meetingheld in Bangkok three monthsearlier in July.

At that meeting the ASEANMinisters had agreed that drugabuse and drug trafficking con-stituted a threat to the securityand stability of the ASEAN re-gion and had urged membergovernments to enhance theirjoint efforts against drugs, inparticular the newly emergingdrugs including the amphet-amine-type stimulants (ATS).They also agreed to advancethe previously agreed targetyear for realizing a drug-free

ASEAN from 2020 to 2015.

As an indication of the impor-tance the Thai Governmentplaced on the International Con-gress, the meeting was openedwith an address by Prime Min-ister Chuan Leekpai and For-eign Minister Surin Pitsuwan re-sponded to the unanimous re-quest of the gathering to serveas its Chairperson.

Several other delegations werealso led by ministerial level offi-cials and the delegation fromthe People’s Republic of Chinawas headed by the country’sthird highest government offi-

ASEAN AND CHINA Join FoFREE ASEAN by 2015The ten ASEAN Governments and the People’s Republicof China(PRC) have agreed to launch a coordinated Planof Action aimed at eliminating or drastically reducingillicit drugs in ASEAN by the year 2015.


orces in Pursuit of a DRUGcial, State Councillor Luo Gan.In his keynote speech Mr. LuoGan praised the collaborativeefforts of the ASEAN Govern-ments to deal with illicit drugsand expressed China’s supportfor their objective of creating adrug-free ASEAN by the year2015.

In initiating the Plan of Action,entitled ACCORD, ASEAN andChina Cooperative Operationsin Response to DangerousDrugs,” the ASEAN Govern-ments and the PRC haveagreed to strengthen the coor-dination of their efforts in fourmajor areas of activity:

• to promote public aware-ness of the dangers of drugs

and adequate responses withintheir societies;

• to address drug abuseand related HIV problemsamong injecting drug usersthrough improved data collec-tion, preventive and treatmentprogrammes and the sharing ofinformation;

• to attack illicit productionand trafficking through thestrengthening of law enforce-ment efforts and internationalcooperation and the develop-ment of up-to-date legislationand other control measures; and

• to eliminate illicit drugcrops through alternative devel-opment programmes and re-lated community participation.

Key elements of the Plan ofAction are intended to give

In the international congressheld on 11-13 October 2000at the United NationsConference Centre in Bangkok,380 people from 36 countriesparticipated and shared theiropinion and support towards anaction plan in pursuit of a drugfree ASEAN in the year 2015.


international congress

China and the ASEAN states, aswell as other governments andorganizations supporting theexercise, full ownership of theprocess in pursuit of a Drug-Free ASEAN. These include theinclusion of target dates forspecific actions and the estab-lishment of a monitoringmechanism that will measurethe progress of all drug controlactivities in the region under-taken in support of the Plan ofAction.

Two existing major drug controlinitiatives in the region will con-stitute an important part of theACCORD Plan of Action. Theseare: (l) the cooperative effortsamong the ASEAN States nowbeing carried out under aThree-Year Plan of Action and

(2) the Drug Control Memoran-dum of Understanding whichbrings together six states —Cambodia, China, Laos,Myanmar, Vietnam and Thai-land — with UNDCP in a broadprogramme of cooperation todeal with illicit drug production,trafficking and abuse.

In moving forward with the AC-CORD Plan of Action, the Par-t icipating Governments arehopeful that this collaborativeinitiative will help them attractadditional international supportand financing for those regionalprogrammes and new requiredactivities.

In his opening statement at theInternational Congress, Minis-ter Soubanh Srithirath, Chair-

man of the Lao National Com-mission for Drug Control andSupervision, went so far as toindicate that the successfulcomplet ion of the ACCORDPlan of Action would be pos-sible only with increased finan-cial support from the interna-tional community.

With regard to financial sup-port, there has already beensome encouraging signs. First,in what is called the “BangkokPolitical Declaration,” the gov-ernments participating in theInternational Congress com-mitted themselves to considerproviding f inancial supportthrough the existing mecha-nisms of grants to the UnitedNations and ASEAN.

In addition, in a statement dur-ing the International Congresslauding the efforts to create aDrug-Free ASEAN, ODCCP Ex-ecutive Director Pino Arlacchipledged the full cooperationand support of his organization.

Lastly, during a press confer-ence following the InternationalCongress, Mr. Sandro Calvani,Representative, the UNDCPRegional Centre for East Asiaand the Pacific, noted that arough estimate of the externalfinancial requirements for theAccord Plan over the next fiveyears was about $80 million.He added that the representa-t ives of some major donorcountries had told him that theythought the figure might repre-sent an appropriate base fornegotiations.


The Mirror Art Group was founded in 1991by a small assembly of volunteers inter-ested in addressing common social prob-lems rooted in Thailand’s tribal communi-ties. In 1998, the eight members of thegroup developed a pilot project targetingtribal villages located at least 18 km from acity in the following districts —Ban HuayKhom; Tambon Maeyao, Muang District ;and Chiang Rai Province. Seven key socialproblems were identified that were com-mon among the tribal communities:

• Members of a minority group• Lacked Thai nationality• Health problems• Lack of education• Extreme poverty• AIDS and prostitution problems• Drug addiction

The first phase of the pilot project focusedon education. Acting as volunteer teach-ers, the group began a programme for chil-dren who did not have access to the tradi-tional school system because of distanceand lack of transportation to the nearestcity. In order to sustain the successful ini-tiative, the Mirror Art Group made an ap-peal to the international community usingthe Internet to recruit volunteer teachers.Currently, they receive over 2000 applica-tions.

As the pilot project continued, the groupaddressed other problems faced by the se-lected tribal regions through the enhance-ment of vocational skills and communitydevelopment. Intriguingly, a re-occurringtheme began to emerge after each meet-ing with the villagers – drugs. Tragic sto-ries were revealed about men, women, andchildren who had become victims of thedrug trade.

One little girl who was to enter grade threetold the group how she had to quit schoolto work in a factory because her fatherspent all their money on drugs. Another

older girl who worked as a teacher at adaycare center was forced to turn to thedrug trade when the center closed and shelost her job. For these girls and many oth-ers, there were simply no other options.

The root cause of the villager’s drug prob-lems was their lack of nationality status. Aninvestigation conducted by the Mirror ArtGroup determined that a large number oftradit ionally law-abiding cit izens hadturned to drug trafficking in order to “pur-chase” Thai nationality status. Without citi-zenship, most villagers could not exerciselegitimate means to make ends meet.

Consequently, parents began pushing theirolder children into the drug trade becauseof the guaranteed income. Others simplyturned to drugs as an escape from poverty,illness, and reality. Cunning strategies werealso employed to lure villagers into the drugtrade. Dealers would flaunt the huge sumsof cash they collected every day andsamples of pills were handed out to the vil-lagers knowing that it only took one tasteto develop an addiction. Frightened of boththe drug gangs and the police who fre-quented the tribal communities in searchof drugs, the majority of villagers hid in theirhomes, afraid of anyone that approached.

Without diminishing the importance of thevillagers’ drug problems, the Mirror ArtGroup believed that the focus of their in-terventions should not concentrate on thedrug situation as a primary objective. In-stead, the Group chose to employ a com-munity-based approach centered on edu-cation, cooperation, and development.

As a result, families were strengthened, awater irrigation system was built, and thevillage started to create traditional craftswhich, through the Mirror Art Group’s as-sistance, are sold via the Internet. The vil-lagers became united and determined associety to fight drug trafficking and addic-tion. Over 45 drug addicts were detoxified

and through the mental and physical sup-port of their communities, the majority ofvillagers managed to guard against relapseand the temptation of drugs. As a result oftheir efforts, 10 villages who participatedin the pilot project have regained the hopeand solidarity that once represented theheart of their communities.

Based on the Mirror Art Group’s experiencewith the pilot project, several observationsand recommendations were proposed:

• Drug addiction should not be the pri-mary focus of intervention – severalkey factors play major roles.

• Communities must be committed andbelieve in the activities they are imple-menting.

• Communities must discuss and ac-knowledge their problems.

• Community needs must be supportedthrough education, vocational train-ing, and treatment of drug addicts.

• Villagers should be encouraged tosolve problems through their own ini-tiatives, with solutions based uponcommunity traditions.

• Community efforts lead to continuouslearning.

• Strong family values help people fightdrug addiction.

• Development activit ies help bringcommunities together and can serveas a tool for villagers to solve drug ad-diction problems.

• Thai nationality must be available totribal villagers through attainablemeans.

• Governments must work more closelywith tribal villagers to provide servicesincluding health care, education, lawenforcement etc.

Based on an article written byDr. Wantanee Jun – Eam entitled “DrugAddiction Prevention and SolutionDevelopment Process and CommunityDevelopment of the Mirror Art Group”.

SOLUTIONS THROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT– An Alternative Approach to DrugAddiction by the Mirror Art Group

cooperation in fighting drugs


undcp activity update

A. Community based approaches arean integral part of drug control policyCommunity based approaches have beena mainstay of the socio-economic develop-ment process in Thailand’s highlands, andemerging experience in the elimination ofillicit poppy crops has shown these ap-proaches to be essential to the “alterna-t ive development strategy” used byUNDCP and partner governments such asthat of Thailand.

Over the past ten years, communitybased approaches have also been increas-ingly used to achieve drug demand reduc-tion and HIV prevention objectives in Thai-land and other countries in the region. Theexpanded use of the approach and transi-tion from purely economic aims to more in-clusive attention to human development

and resolution of social issues is partly at-tributed to the direct favorable impact ofmany different projects.

B. The overall drug problem in theregion is worseningThe need for community based ap-proaches within these pillars is under-scored by the overall emergence of in-creasing drug problems in Southeast Asia.Despite some evident decreases in theabuse of opium, there continues to be aproblem of heroin abuse in Thailand alongwith rising trends in China, Myanmar andVietnam. Parallel increases in the use ofdrug injection are creating serious risks topublic health through the transmission ofHIV from shared injection equipment andunprotected sex among the infected. Morethan 50 percent of identified HIV carriersin China, Myanmar and Vietnam attributetheir infection to injection drug use.

A further significant contribution to theregional drug problem is the emergenceof trends toward the abuse of synthetic

substances, particularly amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) including metham-phetamine and ecstasy, an amphetaminetype derivative.

These trends suggest the need for avariety of community interventions; somedirected at educational institutions andtheir students; others at selected work-place communities where occupations useof drugs is most evident, and other com-munities that may share economic and cul-tural characteristics, such as those of eth-nic minorities in the highland areas.

C. UNDCP’s experience in a regionalapproach toward community basedinterventions in the highlands hasbeen positiveOver the past four years, UNDCP, in collabo-

ration with the Thai government and nongovernment organizations and other govern-ments of the Greater Mekong Subregion, hasused community based approaches in a spe-cial regional initiative to reduce illicit drug usein the highlands of East Asia. At 16 projectsites in five countries, there have been sig-nificant results with the integration of de-mand reduction activities for primary preven-tion, and the treatment and social reintegra-tion of addicted people into mainstreamcommunity life.

All project communities achieved over90 percent relapse prevent ion at 22months from entry to treatment. This ex-tra ordinary achievement has been sus-tained through individual and collectiveactions in supportive and caring commu-nity environments. The impact on familypoverty has been positive and dramatic;partly attributable to the process of com-munity engagement, integrating demandreduction into community social and eco-nomic priorities and the promotion on mi-cro credit schemes.

D. Sustained success is dependenton participation, partnership andperseveranceThe experience has also highlighted andreinforced the need for some core condi-tions in order to achieve sustained positiveeffects. These include:

• Participation, consensus, commit-ment and action at the individual,family and community levels

• A community managed and ownedprocess

• Empowerment through the provisionof information, programme planningand delivery skills, financing andtechnical support

• Multiple levels of enduring govern-ment support

• A system for prevention, treatment,follow-up home care and socio-eco-nomic rehabilitation that is integratedinto a single community managedprocess

These conditions will be necessary ingre-dients to the ACCORD Plan of Action asASEAN and China move forward in the pur-suit of a drug free region by 2015. The AC-CORD countries recognize that govern-ment intervention by itself is not sufficientfor a reversal and sustained reduction ofthe current drug trends. Communitiesmust be engaged as full partners in theidentification, ownership and resolution ofthe drug problem according to their par-ticular situation.

This process must extend in practiceto non-government and community basedorganizations as well as the private sector.The process of community mobilization asan element of national drug control policyis also critical to success as are operationalprocedures and budgets of concernedgovernment departments to provide ongo-ing support to the process.

By Wayne Bazant, Demand ReductionAdvisor, UNDCP Regional Centre forEast Asia and the Pacific.

Building COMMUNITY BASED

There have been significant results with theintegration of demand reduction activities for primary

prevention, and the treatment and social reintegration ofaddicted people into mainstream community life.

RESPONSES to Demand for Drugs


Methadone maintenance is a widely used,but in many countries it is also a contro-versial method of treatment for heroinaddiction. Heroin addiction is notoriousfor being very difficult to cure and metha-done is used to give the addict a chanceof a relatively normal lifestyle without hav-ing the need to use heroin. One of themain problems with methadone is thatdespite treatment, relapses to heroin arevery common.

A research team led by Dr. Rolley E.Johnson at the Johns Hopkins UniversitySchool of Medicine conducted the studyin which 220 heroin addicts between theages 21 to 55 were randomly assigned tofour different treatment groups – LAAM,buprenorphine, high-dose methadone(60 to 100 mg), or low dose methadone(20 mg). Each group had 55 members.

In all groups, heroin use decreased by90% after entering the programme. Re-markably, all other measures (length oftime remaining in the study, heroin useduring the study, and ratings of drugproblem severity) were better for subjectsin the LAAM, buprenorphine, and high-dose methadone groups than for those inthe low-dose methadone group. All threetreatments succeeded in reducing illicitheroin use significantly and only minordifferences were detected among thetreatment results of the LAAM,buprenorphine, and high-dose metha-done groups.

The study lasted for 17 weeks, and theretention rated ranged from 72.7 percent(the high-dose methadone group) to 20percent (the low-dose methadone group).Also, LAAM, buprenorphine, and high-

dose methadone groups submitted fewerheroin-positive urine samples than thelow-dose group did. The percentage ofsubjects with 12 or more consecutiveheroin-negative urine specimens differedsignificantly across the groups. Morethan one-third of the LAAM patients had12 or more consecutive negative urinespecimens, while only 8 percent of thelow-dose methadone patients achievedthis number. The percentage of high-dose methadone and buprenorphine pa-tients reaching the mark was only slightlyless than the LAAM group.

Patients in the LAAM andbuprenorphine groups were given treat-ment three times a week, whereas bothmethadone groups received treatmentevery day. According to Dr. Johnson,LAAM and buprenorphine had a clinicaladvantage. “Less-than-daily dosing,” hesays, “reduces the need for take-homemedication, requires fewer clinic visitsand allows a more normal lifestyle”.

According to Dr. Alan I. Leshner (di-rector of the NIDA, which provided fund-ing for the research), the “study is impor-tant because it helps to identify the mosteffective treatments for this devastatingaddiction”. These and other new, more ef-fective treatment options may ultimatelybe available to physicians. At the mo-ment, LAAM and methadone are availablefor US clinic ians to prescribe.Buprenorphine is currently under reviewby the Food and Drug Administration andis used only in research studies.

Source: http://www.drugabuse.gov/MedAdv/00/NR11-1.html

SUBSTITUTE DRUGSSUCCESSFULNIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse, USA) reports of a recent study,which showed that levomethadyl acetate (LAAM), buprenorphine, and highdoses of methadone (60-100 mg.) were much more effective in treatingheroin addiction than low-dose methadone maintenance (20 mg.).

Multiple drug use and high riskbehaviour are two common trends in theAsian region, according to a recently re-leased special report on the study of druguse and HIV vulnerability.

The report pointed out that in manycountries throughout the region, there areserious legal and political barriers thatimpede the implementation of effectiveprevention interventions targeting thespread of HIV infection among intrave-nous drug users. Such interventions in-clude needle and syringe exchange/dis-tribution and drug treatment as part of acomprehensive package.

Measures to prevent the spread ofHIV among drug users are frequently lo-calized, short term, under funded and in-sufficient in scope. Moreover, adherenceto traditional values is strong, lendingsensitivity to the debate on HIV/AIDSprevention and sexual behavior.

The report also identified the lowfunding priority toward drug problemsin the region, with the exception of lawenforcement, and the inadequate dia-logue between drug control and HIV/pre-vention agencies. As a result, fewprogrammes in the region directly ad-dress the link between drug use and HIVvulnerability.

On a more positive note, the studyalso showed that governments may beready to review their policies concern-ing interventions to reduce HIV trans-mission among injecting drug users ifthere were mechanisms to build consen-sus and collaborate among the mainstakeholders.

The report was completed in May1999 under the guidance of a regionaltask force of experts in drug control andpublic health. Participating countries in-cluded China, India, Malaysia,Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam.

Its conclusions have been reviewedunder the context of UNDCP’s mandatefor drug control and its status as a co-sponsor of UNAIDS. Subsequently, bothagencies are developing a major new ini-tiative for the reduction of HIV vulner-ability in the Greater Mekong Subregion.Currently, the UNAIDS Asia Pacific In-tercountry Team and the UNDCP Re-gional Centre for East Asia and the Pa-cific are seeking international donor sup-port for the initiative.

INJECTIONDRUG USERSat High Risk ofHIV Infection

in ReducingIllicit Heroin Use


undcp activity update

UNDP and the National AIDSStanding Bureau of Viet Nam arelaunching a new project to combatthe increasing spread of HIV/AIDSin Viet Nam and the Government ofAustralia is providing $820,000 tosupport the initiative.

Since the first HIV/Al DS case was detectedin Ho Chi Minh City in 1990, the diseasehas spread rapidly throughout Viet Nam.The exact number of people currently liv-ing with HIV/AIDS is unknown becausemany people who carry the virus are notaware of their HIV-positive status. How-ever, according to the Joint United NationsProgramme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), anestimated 100,000 people living in VietNam were HIV-positive by the end of 1999.

At the signing ceremony held lastmonth, Edouard Wattez, Resident Repre-sentative of UNDP in Viet Nam, explainedthat the project focuses on providing tech-nical assistance to enhance the capacity ofVietnamese institutions working on HIV/AIDS. UNDP plans to work closely with theNational AIDS Standing Bureau, whichleads the Government’s response to theHIV/AIDS pandemic, to implement theproject. UNAIDS will also be directly in-volved, illustrating the collaborative effortsof UNDP, UNAIDS, and Australia to supportthe government in the battle against thedisease. Mr. Wattez noted that, “Strength-ened capacity and better trained staff willenable Viet Nam to formulate and imple-ment more effective policies and strategiesto raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and toprevent further spread of the disease.”

Australian Ambassador Michael Mannnoted his country’s history of cooperationwith Viet Nam in the fight against HIV/AIDSand recounted Australia’s own domesticexperiences. “The successes of the part-nership model in Australia underscores theimportance of ensuring the views and per-spectives of those most affected by HIV/

AIDS are respected,” said Mr. Mann. Heemphasized how HIV/AIDS also posed aproblem for economic development in anycommunity. “Both Australia and Viet Namrecognize that HIV/AIDS is not just a pub-lic health concern, but presents serioussocial and economic challenges,” he com-mented.

Building on the lessons learned from aprevious UNDP HIV/AIDS project, a com-prehensive evaluation of the Viet Namproject will be undertaken, assessing bothits effectiveness and constraints. Recom-mendations will be offered relating to as-pects of implementation, managementand staff training needs. The ProvincialPeople’s Committees of Hai Duong, LangSon and Da Nang will be directly involvedin the project as implementation agencies.This approach to decentralize the projectwill help step up the fight against HIVIAIDSat the provincial and local levels.

Recently, Australia announced a six-year $120 million Global HIV/AIDS initia-tive that coincides with recent calls forgreater commitment of ASEAN resourcesto address HIV/AIDS. Australia aims towork closely with its ASEAN partners onthis issue, recognizing the threat HIV/AIDSpresents to sustained economic growth inthe Asia-Pacific region.

According to UNAIDS, 34 million adultsand children are infected by the HIV/AIDSvirus worldwide. The overwhelming major-ity of these cases are found in Sub-SaharanAfrica (24.5 million) and in South andSouth-East Asia (5.6 million). In 1999,there were an estimated 5.4 million newHIV infections reported and 2.8 milliondeaths stemming from the deadly disease.

For more information, contact BruceEdwards, Public Information Officer,UNDP Viet Nam.

UNDP and Australiasupport the fight againstHIV/AIDS

Vietnam’s Deputy Prime MinisterPham Gia Khiem has asked the UNInternational Drug ControlProgramme to help the countrycontrol its rapidly escalatingheroin problem.

Official figures show a 50% increase inregistered heroin addicts in the first sixmonths of this year, recording 160,000registered users at the end of June, upfrom 104,000 at the end of last year. Butinternational drug control agencies inHanoi estimate the actual number iscloser to 500,000.

According to internat ional drugagents, Vietnam’s police could do more

VIETNAM appeals for UNhelp with heroin problem

to combat the problem. Although courtshave sentenced 41 drug traffickers todeath this year and in spite of a newtwo-month anti-drug campaign, a lowvolume of seizures and alleged policecorruption have led to doubts that Viet-nam is doing all it can to stop the illicittrade and production of drugs, the SouthChina Morning Post reports.

“There is evidence of drug recycling,where police make seizures but cut theoffender loose and then sell the drugsthemselves,” one foreign drug agent said.

In addition to an already high num-ber of heroin addicts, Vietnam is also in-creasingly being used as a transit coun-try for opiates from Myanmar.

in Viet Nam


ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENTCOOPERATIONAlternative Development Projectsare a cornerstone in the fightagainst illicit opium cultivation.

Presently, South East Asia has a numberof projects throughout the region, includ-ing countries such as Myanmar, Laos, andVietnam. However, no systematic analysisof experience or lessons learned through-out the region has ever been carried outand the formal sharing of best practices is

Rapid Steps Towards Increased

a rare occurrence between projects andcountries.

This is about to change. A new UNDCPproject entitled “Alternative DevelopmentCooperation in East Asia” has taken off af-ter a two-day inception meeting and work-shop held on 26-27 October 2000 at theDoi Tung Development Project in ChiangRai. The meeting was an important firststep in the establishment of a work plan forthe project.

Best practices within the field of alter-native development were also exchangedwith the goal to encourage an increasedflow of information among national insti-tutions, alternative development projects,and other organisations engaged in alter-native development.

Photo and text by Peter Lunding,Programme Officer, UNDCP RegionalCentre for East Asia and the Pacific.

On 29 October, the law enforcement au-thorities at Frankfurt Airport intercepted aTNT air parcel sent from Colombia via Chile,Brazil and Spain. The parcel was found tocontain 31 computer hard drives, exami-nation of which led to the discovery of 2kilograms cocaine.

The TNT package provided aconsignee’s name which seemed to be acompany located at Nadi Airport, Fiji. Fur-ther investigation conducted by Fijian au-thorities revealed that the name of thecompany was believed to be a part of anairport service company comprising por-ters, caterers, passenger handling andramp services. The consignee was believed

to be an employee of the said company.Unfortunately the final destination of

the cocaine has not yet been confirmed.However, previous records suggest thatthere is a possibility that the drug was des-tined for Australia. In mid 1997, the trendof cocaine trafficking to Australia fromSouth Pacif ic Islands including Fijiemerged. A total of 6 incidents, involvingFiji and Tonga as shipping points for co-caine trafficking, were detected at bothBrisbane and Sydney airports.

While the tropical climate makes theSouth Pacific Islands suitable for the culti-vation of cannabis, these seizures sug-gested that these had increasingly been

used by international traffickers as transitpoints for other drugs, particularly cocaineen route to Australia.

This incident in October 1999, is worthnoting because after several years’ inter-val, drug traffickers are again attemptingto smuggle cocaine toward Fiji. However,this time they are going through Europeinstead of using direct routes from SouthAmerican sources in order to prevent de-tection by enforcement agencies.

Source: Stacey Mitchell, Analyst Intelligence,new Zealand Customs Service. The article wasfirst printed in “OCO Regional IntelligenceNetwork Analysis Report, Issue No 4, 2000and has been reprinted with permission.

in East Asia

FIJI POSSIBLY RE-EMERGED TO BE Astepping stone for cocaine trafficking

Drugs Transiting South Pacific Nations:

“Sa” paper production at the Doi Tung Development Project. “Sa” paper decorated with flowers and leaves. View of Doi Tung.


building public awareness against drugs

So do millions of other smokers around the world. An esti-mated 1.15 billion people smoke regularly and every year 4million of them pay for their habit with their lives. By 2030,this number is likely to increase to 10 million annually. Tobacconot only kills people, it creates numerous diseases, bringsenormous losses to national economies, destroys environ-ments, and endangers non-smokers, including children. To-bacco is the only consumer product which when consumed,as recommended by its manufacturers, kills half of its regularcustomers.

WHO (World Health Organization) has stepped up effortsto stop the tobacco pandemic. The WHO cabinet haslaunched a project called the “Tobacco Free Initiative” thataims to focus international attention and resources on theglobal tobacco epidemic. As part of the project, an interna-tional Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) isbeing developed. It would be the first international conven-tion adopted by WHO and provide an extensive basis for coun-tries to formulate their tobacco policies.

The FCTC is expected to address such issues as tobaccoadvertising and promotion, agricultural diversification, regu-lation, smuggling, excise tax levels, treatment of tobacco de-pendence, and smoke-free areas. Full ministerial negotiationsare currently underway and the Convention will be ready forsignature by no later than 2003. WHO has also extended an

invitation of participation to general public by conducting pub-lic hearings on the FCTC, 12-13 October in Geneva. Over 170organizations took part and made a verbal testimony before thehearings panel.

The FCTC will be an international treaty and a legal instru-ment with broadly stated goals on tobacco control. Separate pro-tocols will address each of the goals individually, and define spe-cific measures, including plans and timetables. After joining theConvention, member states can decide which protocols theywant to sign and implement in their own countries.

At the moment only a few countries exercise any compre-hensive tobacco control. It is for this reason that the expectedbenefits of the FCTC are numerous. The Convention would fa-cilitate and encourage states to strengthen their own nationalcontrol policies. As well, it also provides ample opportunities forcountries to share information and work in cooperation witheach other to implement the provisions. This is especially im-portant in the era of globalization when the efforts of one coun-try can easily be undermined by the circumstances of neigh-boring countries. Good examples that illustrate this point aretobacco smuggling, advertising, duty-free sales, tobacco pric-ing, and taxation.

Despite all this, WHO hopes that the FCTC will not remainjust as an ordinary convention – in turn, they hope that it willbecome a public health movement across the world.


undcp projects

Cambodia:Japan to Train Police

The Japanese government is joiningthe struggle to encourage Cambodiancivilians to part with their firearms byimproving the country’s police force.Based on the notion, that in a societywhere people’s social security is notassured, they will never surrendertheir weapons voluntarily, theJapanese aid is to achieve exactly that.The Japanese National Police Agencyplans to send two experts to instructCambodian police in the “Koban”Japanese police-post system, in whichpolice officers operate out of smallposts in many neighbourhoods,instead of patrolling from a centralstation. The system has reduced crimeand boosted arrests in Japan. It hasalso already been implemented inSingapore.

10 New Patrol Boats to HelpScuttle Gasoline Smugglers

The Cambodian Customs Departmentexpects to buy 10 patrol boats tobolster its under-powered fleet andhelp combat increased wet-seasonsmuggling of gasoline on thecountry’s waterways. CustomsDirector Pen Siman estimates thatduring the rainy season US$ 1 millionworth of illegal gasoline comes intoCambodia each month via the rivers.

Samoa:Samoa’s Central Bank Warnsagainst Pyramid Scheme

In August the Central Bank warnedthat pyramid selling schemes areillegal under recent law and hasinstructed local commercial banks notto remit any more foreign exchangefor that purpose. It says that theirinvestigations has revealed that theItalian company involved, FutureStrategies Srl is under investigation bythe United States Securities andExchange Commission (SEC).

The SEC has alleged that the entireoperation of Future Strategies is afraudulent pyramid scheme, designedto bilk investors. Letters to localnewspapers has also warned againstthe scheme. Other Pacific Islandcountries like Papua New Guinea andthe Solomon Islands have reportedlyalready been the victims of pyramidscheme scams.

SHORT NEWS FROM THE REGION

WHO has steppedup its efforts to

curb the tobaccoepidemic, which atpresent is killing 4

million peopleevery year.

Presented are twoof the posters that

WHO hopes willhelp them stop the

killing.


special feature

A story of how a helping hand fromoutside ,when combined withindividual and collective efforts in asupporting environment, can helpfree individuals and an entirecommunity from intergenerationaldrugs and poverty

In August1999, I visited Mr. Suvit (29) athis home in Ban Arlae – an Akha settlementnot too far from Myanmar and on a routeinfamous for drug running. He was seenactive, happy and healthy with his wife andson (see photo B). Also, I met his father andmother who live together in their newlyrepaired shelter of bamboo and thatch onstilts (photo A).

Many neighbors came to greet me.Suvit’s father invited all of us inside, offeredtea in coconut cups and entertained uswith Akha melodies on his home made gui-tar. Inside it was warm and friendly. Out-side, it was cold and raining.

A few months ago, the roof was leaky.Both Suvit and his father were opium ad-dicts then like most of the adult male vil-lagers. There were thirty two opium addictsin thirty five households in Ban Arlae.

Photo ABoth Suvit and his father could not helpthemselves from taking opium daily. In ear-lier years both tried to quit unsuccessfully.Suvit’s father went to treatment in thetown. Upon his return to the village andamidst other addicts he would relapse inno time. At one point, Suvit was prisonedfor drug possession. Father and son couldnot work every day. Most of their cash earn-ings would be spent on opium. Suvit’s wifeand two sisters would work hard to sup-port their extended family. “Suvit could notearn enough nor pay attention to her andto their son” and “there were arguments”– recalled his wife. “Opium took my hus-band away from me and from our son” –

Ban Arlae, Mae Fah Luang District, Chiangrai Province, Thailand

the camp, the whole community and fam-ily members participated in preparingmeals, looking after the addicts and theirwell being day in and day out. “It was verycaring and sharing all around” – Suvit’s fa-ther recalled.

Continuous counseling, home visit, kindcare and support from all around createdsuccess–Suvit, his father and all the recov-ered addicts were able to keep themselvesaway from opium. For good. By collectiveaction, drug pushers ceased their trade. Theproject did something miraculous –changed neighbors and the whole villageinto an energized, determined and very car-ing, supportive community. One fine day,the villagers gathered and repaired theirshelter too. What more, with a small loan,Suvit now operates a mushroom growingand animal raising operation with his father.“Suvit now plays with his son”, “there arerarely any more arguments” – Suvit’s wifetold the reporter with a grin.

she narrated while displaying proudly herhand stitched colorful Akha clothes.

Photo B That was then.Then came along Hill Area DevelopmentFoundation – a local NGO and UNDCPproject on Reducing Illicit Drug Use in theHighlands of East Asia to Ban Arlae. Theproject brought a lot of benefits to the vil-lage: a community centre, a pay telephonebox, clean water, small loans for busi-nesses, revival of Akha culture and valuesamong the youth, integrated farming, irri-gation and watershed management. Highofficials and increased attention to the vil-lage and to its needs followed.

Importantly, the project united thecommunity against drugs and aroundcommunity needs. All the drug addicts andtheir families vowed together to help eachother and organized a detoxification campin the community centre with help from thehealth department and the project. During

AN AIR OF CHANGE ANDRENEWED HOPE

Ban Arlae is now a drugfree village. It isdetermined to remain so. Icame back convinced*.

*The Suvit family wasfollowed up. In February,2000, Thai TelevisionChannel No. 9 interviewedthe family and aired theprogram nationally on 27February, 2000 at 20 hours.In March 2000, a group ofofficials from national andinternational agencies andmedia visited Ban Arlae.Their accounts confirmproject achievements.UNDCP assistance endedin June, 2000. It would beinteresting to know howSuvit family and Ban Arlaeare doing now on theirown.

Photos and originalmaterial filed by: RezaulKarim,Story design andnarration by: Rezaul Karim,Bangkok, August, 1999.

in a remote highland village


Thailand:Impressive Thai FinancialCommitment to Drug Control

The Thai Government has releasedthe official figures for its drug controlefforts. The high priority given to thearea is evident. In this fiscal year(October 2000 to September 2001)the Thai Government allocates fordrug control work 2,006,688,300 Baht(45,919,640 US$).

Approximately US$ 0.8 per capita, soscoring the highest per capita drugcontrol budget in South East Asia andthe Pacific. This budget is given toministries and agencies concerned toimplement drug-related programmesunder their jurisdiction. For theONCB (Office of the NarcoticsControl Board) the total budget forthis fiscal year is 433,026,900 Baht or9,909,100 US$. A contribution to themulti-lateral fight however, has notyet been planned.

Vietnam:New UNAIDS WebsiteLaunched

On June 5 2000, UNAIDS in Vietnamofficially launched its website inEnglish and Vietnamese. The website,http://www.unaids.org.vn gives anoverview on the HIV/AIDS situationin Vietnam ranging from epidemio-logical statistics and Government, UNand NGO responses to the epidemic,to legal tools to fight HIV/AIDS.

In addition, the UNAIDS websiteproposes international best practicesand information on World AIDS Daycampaigns. Also available on theUNAIDS website is a matrixreflecting all major HIV/AIDSactivities supported by the nationaland international entities.

The matrix, geared to UN agencies,NGOs and national partners workingon HIV/AIDS, facilitates the work oforganisations involved in HIV/AIDSwork in the country. For furtherinformation please write [email protected] or check outthe site yourselves.


New research suggests that the tropicaldisease scrub typhus could be used as aninexpensive treatment for HIV/AIDS. Theresearch, carried out in Thailand, indicatesthat the disease can suppress HIV, lower-ing it to undetectable levels.

“No other infectious disease has evershown the effects of reducing HIV viralload,” said Dr. George Watt, a scientist fromthe Armed Forces Institute of Medical Sci-ences, funded by the United States andThailand. The discovery was made “by ac-cident,” he added.

Studies show that the virus count in theblood of people with AIDS was significantlyreduced after contracting scrub typhus, atropical insect-borne disease common in

East Asia and the Western Pacific. Scien-tists are now extending the research to seeif it has the same effects on people withHIV.

“If antibodies of scrub typhus wereused to fight HIV, it potentially could be avery inexpensive method” of treatment,Watt said. Most of the 34 million infectedwith HIV/AIDS worldwide cannot affordcurrent treatments.

Scientists are working to isolate theelement of scrub typhus that counteractsthe virus. They believe that a microbialagent called Orientia tsutsugamushi maybe responsible. However, please note thatno cure exists yet, scientists have justfound a clue of where one might be found.

HIV/AIDS: Tropical DiseaseMay Suppress Virus

short takes

Concerned over the increased drug trafficking along their borders, the India andMyanmar governments have decided to gear up operations to control the situa-tion. The decision was taken at a high level meeting of law enforcement agenciesheld in March in which Myanmar officials reported that their government plans tocontain opium cultivation.

To demonstrate their commitment, anti-smuggling agencies have made sev-eral seizures along the Indo-Myanmar border during the past couple of months andUNDCP is promoting strengthened co-operation in this regard.

INCREASED BORDER COOPERATIONbetween Myanmar and India

The 24th meeting of Heads of National DrugLaw Enforcement Agencies (HONLEA) Asiaand the Pacific was held 14-17 Novemberin Yangon, Myanmar. The participants in-cluded representatives from 19 countries,Interpol, Asean Secretariat, World CustomsOrganization, and UNDCP.

Participants reported on bilateral andmultilateral assistance in capacity buildingwithin drug law enforcement agencies,such as cross-border cooperation, ex-change of operational information, increas-ing use of computer facilities, and posting

HONLEA MEETINGIn Yangon

of liaison officers. Among the major traf-ficking trends identified, it was noted thatthe manufacture, trafficking, and abuse ofamphetamine type stimulants, especiallymethamphetamine and ecstasy, have in-creased in the region and were cause foralarm.

The agenda of the meeting consistedmainly of four different workshops: illicittrafficking and consumption of heroin; im-pact of electronic crime on drug-traffick-ing strategy; control of stimulants; and il-licit trafficking by sea.


special article

By Larry Proud1

Victoria Police Force is an organisation of12,500 men and women with an annualbudget of US$700m. It has undergone sig-nificant upheaval and change in the past20 years to enable it to meet the needs ofan affluent and demanding community.Along the way it has learnt many lessonsand overcome many obstacles to emergeas one of the regions most respected lawenforcement agencies.

Victoria Police achieved this throughmeasuring its performance against thebest law enforcement agencies in theworld. “World best practice” seems clichédbut all institutions and organisation needsome standard by which to judge their ownperformance. Within the last decade otherinternational governments and agencieshave approached Victoria Police for inputinto their own evolution and development.Victoria Police projects and consultancieshave now been delivered to many coun-tries including, Egypt , South Africa,Botswana, Mozambique, United Kingdom,Ireland, Netherlands, Turkey, Vietnam,Malaysia, Cambodia, Fiji and Papua NewGuinea. The consultancies have been smalland as large as US$2m such as the FijiPolice Training Project or the establish-ment of forensic science facilities in Ma-laysia and Vietnam.

In recognition of this demand for po-licing services outside of the core businessof Victoria Police a decision was taken in1999 to undertake a partnership with theOverseas Projects Corporation of Victoria(OPCV) to manage consultancies and part-nerships through a combined entity calledPublic Safety and Just ice Australia(PS&JA).

OPCV is a public unlisted company,wholly owned by the Victorian Govern-

ment. It was established in 1985 to mar-ket and transfer Australian expertise andtechnology through international develop-ment projects. OPCV provides servicesacross a wide range of disciplines (e.g.transportation, public health, education,agricultures, urban development, land in-formation, public safety and justice and theenvironment). OPCV has extensive experi-ence through managing over 300 projectsin fifty countries.

Public Safety and Justice Australia nowcommercially manages Victoria Police’s in-ternational work with OPCV and the coop-eration of the Victorian Department of Jus-tice.

Currently PS&JA has a judicial capac-ity building project in Papua New Guinea,road safety project in Botswana and a di-saster management project in Mozam-bique.

What has this got to do with Druglaw enforcement?Public Safety and Justice Australia has ac-cess to a consultant base which cuts acrossall law enforcement and justice disciplines.It has associations with companies such asChambers Gregan and Associates, whichspecialises in the recruitment and manage-ment of current and former law enforce-ment personnel. PS&JA provides consult-ants from many jurisdict ions, not justVictoria. The majority of our consultantshave extensive international experience ingeneral policing as well as drugs, peopletrafficking, child exploitation, fraud, etc.

Public Safety and Justice Australia isable to provide consultant advice which isbalanced, objective and in tune with clientneeds.

We can assist overseas clients to man-age issues of public safety with profes-sional advice and training on a range of is-

sues relating to law enforcement, correc-tive services and emergency response in-cluding:

• Institutional strengthening and policydevelopment for justice, police andcorrectional services

• General Policing• Investigations• Ethics and standards• Fire fighting organisational manage-

ment• Hazardous material handling• Industrial rescue / community and

counter disaster planning• Development of emergency disaster

plans• Hazard and vulnerability analysis• Road safety policies and strategies• Development of forensic science ca-

pability• Provision of high level fraud and anti-

corruption investigation and training,and forensic accounting expertise

• Provision of high level drug and inves-tigation and training

OPCV and Victoria Police has the capacityto support large public safety and justiceprojects internationally through this jointventure.

Public Safety and Justice Australia isabout helping people build safer commu-nities supported by systems of justicewhich are fair, equitable and just.

Extensive international experience hasequipped us with the attitudes and knowl-edge necessary to ensure approaches toprojects and advisory roles are sensitiveand practical.

1 Larry Proud is Director of PublicSafety and Justice Australia. He is aformer Commissioned Officer withVictoria Police with 30 years in lawenforcement (10 of those years ininternational law enforcement andjustice). You can contact PS&JA inAustralia on +61 3 92589334;fax +61 3 95760899 or email [email protected]

Commercial Servicing ofPUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICEThe traditional models of law enforcement and justice do not always servicethe demand for public safety. Crime is trans-national; it confounds traditionalpolicing and justice models. Successful prosecution of crime requires morethan just inter-national and inter-agency cooperation. It sometimes requiresthe ability to apply new approaches outside the square.


Project Designand ManagementTraining

The training has been organised on acost sharing basis between the participat-ing governments and the on-going subre-gional projects to improve the planning andmanagement capacities of national plan-ners and project staff.

By Dr Sanong Chinnanon, Institutional& Human Resources DevelopmentAdvisor, UNDCP Regional Centre forEast Asia and the Pacific

Kiribati:Cocaine from the Reefs?

Police in the capital Tarawa areexpecting to verify what they claim is30 kilograms of powdered cocainewashed ashore on Butaritari, thesecond largest island in the northerngroup. The package was tightly sealedin waterproof wrappings and wasfound on the rocks at sea by afisherman. Police assumed that thepackage was hidden underwater butwas brought ashore by waves. No onehas been charged in connection to theseizure.

New CaledoniaNoumea Police IntensifiesCrackdown on Cannabis

Police in New Caledonia haveintensified their fight against cannabiswith three separate hauls totalling 1.7kilogrammes and over 2,000 plants ofcannabis throughout the Frenchterritory.

The first haul was made on aninter-island catamaran ferry where thepolice seized 1.16 kilogrammes ofwhat’s believed to be cannabis. In Thio(East coast of the main land), two menwere recently arrested as they weretravelling to Noum_a. Police found550 grammes of cannabis in theirvehicle, and later found another 30plants at a plantation in Tenda.

But the biggest operation was in thePoindimi area (north) on August 10,where 1,911 plants were seized inseveral fields. Police said they hadbeen closely monitoring the area forseveral months, as part of what theybelieve is an organised traffic betweenthis production area and the capitalNoum_a. “Before we stepped in, wealready knew where the plantationswere and who to arrest,” Gendarmecaptain Vian said.

The haul was part of a 50-man strong,joint operation between the Poindimi_gendarmes and reinforcements sentfrom Noum_a. Six people from nearbyHoua_lou village were arrested,charged with cultivating, transporting,selling and consuming the drug. Theywere remanded in custody pendingtheir trial. They face a maximumpenalty of twenty years imprisonment.


undcp training project

As part of the national capacity building ondrug control project planning and manage-ment, the second phase of Project Designand Management training has been carriedout in Thailand, Vietnam and China.

In this second phase, UNDCP provided atraining of trainers workshop to strengthentraining capacity of the national trainers ineach country prior to the national trainingfor drug control planners and project of-ficers who are involved in planning andimplementation of drug control projectsand activities.

The counterpart governments of theMOU countries have taken a major role inorganising and delivering the training ses-sions using national trainers who have beentrained in the training of trainers workshopand in the first phase PDM training.

is Rolling

High expectations to PDM training in Hanoi, Vietnam

Dedicated participation at PDM trainingin Bangkok, Thailand

Enthusiastic Chinese participation in PDM training, Wuhan, Hebei Province, China


on-going activities

UNDCP’s project, SubregionalDevelopment of InstitutionalCapacity for Demand ReductionAmong High Risk Groups (C75), isleading several efforts to addressthe growing drug problem in China.

The project has six project sites in China:Baotou, Xiamen, Nanning, Urumqi, Yili andKashgar. So far three national seminarshave been held this year (Quingdao,Xiamen and Urumqi) and many other ac-tivities, within fields of assessment and in-terventions, are being planned or are cur-rently underway.

School surveys will also be adminis-tered in Urumqi, Baotou and Nanning, tar-geting a total of 9,000 students. XiamenUniversity will carry out data entry andanalysis and an initial report on the surveyswill be ready on 15 December, whereas thefinal report is expected in January 2001.

The Xinjiang sites are a priority for thenon-captive groups. The special problemof Xinjiang is the alarming epidemic of HIV/AIDS among the drug users. For example,in Yining city, Yili prefecture, the HIV preva-lence is more than 90%. Assessments willbe carried out in Urumqi, Nanning and Yili,targeting unemployed and underemployedrisk groups. Structured interviews, focusgroups and participant observation willconstitute the main methods of method-ology and exist ing information ofneighbourhood and district committees,public security, and public health sourceswill be capitalized. The total sample will be1,000 persons at risk and the assess-ments will be done from January to May2001.

Another big problem is high relapserates. As the drug free community ap-proach has succeeded in putting pressureon local communities to address drugs anddrug-related issues, it has led to the refer-ral of relapsing drug addicts to labor campscausing capacity problems and the ac-knowledgment that labor camps can notreduce relapse rates. It is clear that alter-native options have to be considered.

Some solutions have already been pro-

posed and are currently under discussion.First, since the counseling capacity is verylimited, more counselors need to betrained. Again, Xinjiang has been identifiedas an absolute priority. One possible ap-proach is the recently funded ILO/UNDCPproject for regional training in South andEast Asia on Drug Addiction Rehabilitation.The project is about to become operationaland aims at capacity building. The govern-ment of Malaysia is co-sponsoring theproject and the USM (Universiti Sains Ma-laysia) from Penang will be in organizingthe basic training sessions and will also actas an implementing agency. As soon as theproject starts, possibly 3-4 trainees fromXinjiang will be enrolled. Eventually,through training of trainers (TOT) a poolof drug counselors can be established inChina. It is planned that specific trainingmodules, e.g. on HIV/AIDS, will be addedat a later stage.

Second, the Red Cross Society (YouthPeer Education project) of Xinjiang hasproposed a training programmeme of peereducators for high risk groups. The peereducators would consist of ex-drug usersand people with HIV. The programme willbe adapted to their special needs, focus-

ing on drug and HIV prevention. Theproject would be carried out in close col-laboration with UNAIDS. Naturally, coop-eration with community authorities will beestablished, but above that, it is recom-mended that peer educators remain out-side the drug free community programmeand create their own relationship with theirpeers and preserve confidentiality.

Third, a new treatment programme isproposed to be established in Urumqi andNanning, following a successful experi-ment that completed in Malaysia. In the ex-periment, naltrexone was used as relapseprevention support and proved to be quitesuccessful. An adapted protocol could beused in China. The plan is to recruit 400addicts in treatment units in Urumqi andNanning (altogether 800), and to enrollthem after discharge in a communitybased rehabilitation programme.

Further interventions will be consid-ered depending on the outcome of the as-sessments. Furthermore, AusAid is pre-paring a HIV/AIDS Prevention and Careproject in Xinjiang and has asked to explorecollaboration. However, this project is stillundergoing a feasibility study.

Demand Reduction EffortsAMONG HIGH RISK GROUPS in China

The UN Inter-Agency Project on Trafficking inWomen and Children in the Mekong Sub-regionhas launched a newsletter. The first issue has al-ready been published and is available from the UNInter-Agency Project on Trafficking in Women andChildren in the Mekong Sub-region, Office ofUnited Nations Resident Coordinator in Thailand,United Nations Building, 14th Floor, Rajdamnern NokAvenue, Bangkok 1020 0 0, Thailand, E-mail :[email protected], Web page: http://www.un.or.th

NEWS ABOUTCOMBATTING HUMANTRAFFICKING in the Mekong

Region


Asian Tourism Operators form Network with UNAgencyand NGOs

Emergent concerns about the growing demand for illicit drugsin China and the increasing number of injection drug abusers,prompted a special mission by UNDCP to Beijing during thelast week of August.

Wayne Bazant, UNDCP Demand Reduction Adviser, to-gether with Anindya Chatterjee from UNAIDS Asia Pacific In-ter Country Team, reviewed the new regional strategy for thereduction of HIV vulnerability from drug abuse, as well as pro-posing an immediate arrangements to begin applications ofthe strategy in China through the UNAIDS Programme Accel-eration Fund.

The proposal to build partnerships and a joint plan of ac-tion among the Ministry of Health and National Narcotics Con-trol Commission represented a new and direct response tothe problems of injecting drug abuse.

Related discussions with international developmentagency offices in Beijing also pointed to more general con-cerns about the lack of provincial government capacity to planand deliver basic drug demand reduction prevention and in-tervention programmes. Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan, andGuangxi and Chongqing City figured centrally in the concernfor building provincial and city capacities for better programme

effectiveness.The mission also took the opportunity to support the 9th In-

ternational Congress of the World Federation of Public Health As-sociation and its Millennium March for Health to the Badaling Sec-tion of the Great Wall on 31 August. – By Wayne Bazant, Demand

Reduction Advisor, UNDCP Regional Centre for East Asia and the

Pacific

REGIONAL CENTRE CONNECTS WITHUN Theme Group on HIV/AIDS in China

Tourism industry delegates attending atwo-day Workshop at UN headquarters inBangkok committed themselves to work-ing with UN agencies, NGOs and govern-ment ministries to halt child sex tourism inAsia, and to ensure that tourism operatorsfight child sex tourism, not promote it.

The 22-23 August 2000 Workshop, co-or-ganized by the United Nations Economicand Social Commission for Asia and thePacific (ESCAP) and ECPAT Australia (EndChild Prostitution, Child Pornography andTrafficking), was held to increase aware-ness of the growing problem of child sextourism in the region and to enlist the sup-port of the tourism industry in putting astop to it.

According to the Workshop organizers,tourism operators working on the groundare well placed to play a major role in thefight against child sexual exploitation. Ho-tel staff are also witness to offenders re-turning to hotels with children, but often donot know what to do about it or how best toreport the crimes. This is why training‘frontline’ staff to play a role in preventingchild sexual exploitation is so important.

As a result of the Workshop, ECPAT Aus-tralia and ESCAP representatives havecommitted their organizations to workingtogether to help stop child sex tourism inAsia by designing a training programme onsexual exploitation prevention and aware-ness for tourism industry staff and minis

tries. Through this training, tourism opera-tors can help make a significant dent in thebusiness of child sex tourism.

Delegates representing the tourism indus-try and ministries also vowed to get thoseworking on the frontline to take a proac-tive role in bringing sexual offenders to jus-tice, and will work to develop a region-widenetwork of concerned organizations andtour operators to share information on theprevention of child sex tourism.

For more information, please contact theHuman Resources Development Section,ESCAP at tel: (662) 288-1502; fax: (662)288-3031; or via e-mail:[email protected].

TO FIGHT CHILD SEXTOURISM IN THE REGION


undcp regional round up

UNDCP, as a component of theproject “Strengthening of Judicialand Prosecutorial Drug ControlCapacity in East Asia” (C74), held afellowship programme in KualaLumpur from September 4 toOctober 10, 2000.

For six weeks, judges, prosecutors, andsenior law enforcement officers from theMOU countries got an in-depth look intothe Malaysian law enforcement and the ju-diciary system in relation to drug control.Malaysia was chosen as the host countryfor several reasons.

First, it is one of the more advanced le-

gal systems in Southeast Asia outside ofthe MOU region. Second, the Malaysiansystem is based on the British commonlaw system and provided an interestingcontrast to the legal systems of the otherparticipating countries. Finally, languageplayed an important role. English is widelyspoken throughout Malaysia, and for thisreason it was easy to facilitate sessions andactivities given it was the selected lan-guage for the fellowship.

Each participating country was askedto send one judge, one prosecutor and onesenior law enforcement officer, except forChina, which due to the size of the countrywas asked to send six participants. Only

two delegates participated from Lao PDR,but other countries were able to complywith the request. The agenda for the fel-lowship programme was comprehensive,offering a chance to follow every step of theMalaysian system, from prevention to lawenforcement and rehabilitation. Partici-pants visited schools, police headquarters,high courts and rehabilitation centres. Inaddition to the fieldtrips, delegates at-tended lectures by qualified lecturers,which offered a chance for questions anddiscussion. Mutual legal assistance andmoney laundering were also primary is-sues on the agenda.

The fellowship programme was consid-ered to be highly informative and useful.For the first time, the whole spectrum ofdrug related activities was introduced andscrutinized within an intensive programme.One of the most important outcomes wasthe widening of personal contacts betweenthe participants, which will help to facilitatecooperation among the countries. ForUNDCP, valuable experience was gainedconcerning the organizat ion of suchprogrammes for the future.

Although feedback from the partici-pants in general was very positive, someminor problems occurred. First, many del-egates felt the period allocated for the fel-lowship was too long and it was difficult forsome participants to obtain a six-weekleave of absence from their employment.In this regard, future fellowships will besomewhat shorter. Other participants be-lieved the programme concentrated toomuch on Kuala Lumpur, instead of ventur-ing out also to the countryside and othertowns. Last, many participants suggestedthat recreational activities be organized onthe weekends, which would also have fa-cilitated further the development of per-sonal contacts.

In short, the programme offered a lot offood for thought for both the participantsand organizers. Based on the successfulexperience of Kuala Lumpur, future fellow-ships are already being planned for 2001and 2002 and it is possible that the nextprogramme will be held in a western coun-try. Potential host countries include Aus-tralia, France, Italy, Sweden, and Germany.

UNDCP HOSTS FELLOWSHIPPROGRAMME in Kuala Lumpur

A new Narcotics Exhibition Center (NEC),funded by the Royal Thai Government andthe Narcotics Affairs Section (NAS) of theAmerican Embassy in Bangkok, wasopened on September 6 at the Office ofthe Narcotics Control Board, Bangkok.Present at the opening were Mr. JurinLaksanawisit , Minister to the PrimeMinister’s Office, Mrs. Chitra Lubpairee,Director of Drug Demand Reduction Bu-reau, Mr. Sorasit Sangprasert, Secretary-General of ONCB, H.E. Ambassador of theUnited States of America, and UNDCPRepresentative, Dr. Sandro Calvani.

The Center is aimed at youth and pro-vides information with the help of interac-tive equipment including light and soundeffects. The exhibition consists of foursections. The first section explains histori-cal and contemporary drug use in Thai-land. The second highlights the dangersassociated with drug abuse and showsactual drugs and paraphernalia. The thirdsection is dedicated to prevention andpresents a video that relays informationand delivers encouraging messages frompopular singers, actors and sportsmen.Finally, the fourth section emphasizes thatthe decision concerning drug use is theresponsibility of the individual.

Narcotics ExhibitionCenter Opened


The UNDCP Scientifc Sectionpublished a practical guide tomethamphetamine characterization/impurity profiling last August.Copies are available from the UNDCPRegional Centre in Bangkok.

In face of growing manufacturing, traffick-ing and abuse of methamphetamine, es-pecially in East and South East Asia andNorth America, more effective means areneeded to curb the trend. Prepared forlaboratories interested to embark on pro-

METHAMPHETAMINECHARACTERIZATIONand Impurity Profiling

filing activities, the guide offers practicalknowledge on method procedures devel-oped by UNDCP, mass spectral data of se-lected impurities found in seized samplesof methamphetamine and ephedrine, andselected literature references. For ex-ample, profiling is useful to establishchemical links between samples and toidentify their origins. Collected informa-tion can also be used for evidential pur-poses, or as a source of more general in-telligence to identify trafficking patternsand distribution networks.

The Luxembourg Fund for the Fightagainst Drug Trafficking will provide

a contribution of US$ 146,546 to

UNDCP for a project aimed atstrengthening the drug demand re-

duction capacity of governmental in-

stitutions in Central America.

The agreement was signed 17 Sep-

tember 1999 in Vienna. The Fundwill also provide additional funding

worth US$ 500,000 for a vocational

training project in Bolivia and theagreement will be signed before the

end of this year.

According to UNDCP’s Executive

Director Pino Arlacchi, “Luxem-

bourg’s important contribution toUNDCP’s work and programmes is

a tangible sign of the commitment

of the country in the field of drugcontrol. I hope that other countries

will follow Luxembourg’s example.”

So far Luxembourg is the only coun-try which has applied a provision of

the 1988 UN Convention against Il-

licit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs andPsychotropic Substances, inviting

members to provide funds derived

from assets seized from drug-relatedcriminal activities to the UN for its

work in this field.

The Luxembourg Fund has for three

consecutive years provided funds to

UNDCP generated by forfeiture ofassets in drug trafficking cases. The

money was used to eliminate the de-

pendency on opium production inVietnam and Laos, and to train drug

control officials in Argentina, Bo-

livia, Chile and Peru.

LUXEMBOURGSUPPORTS UNDCPIN LATIN AMERICAAND ASIA

The United Nations is putting pressure on Cambodia to identify and prosecute humantraffickers; specifically those responsible for smuggling women from Eastern Europe intoCambodia for the purposes of being sex slaves.

A recent police raid at a hotel in Phnom Penh freed seven women between the ages of18 and 23, who were allegedly forced to work as prostitutes. The women are in UN cus-tody and will be returned home upon completion of police investigations. “Until we seethe outcome (of this case) it is hard to say what we expect,” said Marlene Alejos of theUN’s human rights monitoring and protection unit. “But we are definitely putting a lot ofpressure on the authorities, that’s for sure.”

According to Alejos, the women said they had left Eastern Europe voluntarily afterbeing told they would be able to work as dancers at the hotel. The owner of the hotel andhis manager were briefly detained by police, but they have not been charged and are nolonger in police custody.

No Safe Havens in Cambodia

The United States of America has do-nated an additional US$ 600,000 to theWa Alternative Development Project,which runs in the Shan State inMyanmar. Despite the harsh environ-

Continued AlternativeDevelopment Effortsin Myanmar

mental conditions, the project has al-ready achieved significant results andthis generous donation ensures thatsuccess outcomes will continue. Never-theless, other international support isalso required.

A NEW GUIDE TOUNDCP SCIENTIFICSECTION PRESENTS:


new publications

2000 Annual Report on theState of the Drugs Problemin the European Union, Lux-embourg: Office for Official Pub-lications of the European Com-munities, 20 00. The reportdeals with a wide range of as-pects of drug use in the Euro-pean Union and attempts to an-swer the following questions:

AFGHANISTAN: AnnualOpium Poppy Survey2000, Islamabad: UNDCP Af-ghanistan Country Office,2000. For the seventh con-secutive year, the UNDCP re-port compiled the results ofthis survey in an attempt tobring an overall picture of themagnitude of opium poppycult ivation in Afghanistan.This year, a detailed report on the poppy growing villages andmore precise yield estimates were also included. The report isavailable from UNDCP Afghanistan Country Office, 11th Floor,Saudi-Pak Tower, PO Box 1051, Islamabad, Pakistan, Phone:(+92-51) 823 180, Fax: (+92-51) 279 085.

Early Warning Rapid Response System: HIV Vulnerability Caused byMobility Related to Development, Bangkok:UNDP South East Asia HIV & Development Project,2000. How do you establish programmes that resultin primary prevention of the spread of HIV? This is acomplex question because such programmes musttarget the temporal and spatial factors that create en-vironments fertile for transmission, rather than sim-ply reacting post facto to local trends in HIV preva-lence and incidence.

To achieve this objective, an early warning systemmust be established and the preferred methodologyto meet this goal is the main subject debated in the18 page report. To receive a copy, please contact: UNDP South East Asia HIV & De-velopment Project, United Nations Building, Rajadamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok10200, Thailand, Phone: (+66-2) 288-2205, Fax: (+66-2) 280-1852, E- mail:[email protected], Web page: http://www.hivundp.apdip.net/sea.htm

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Evaluation: a key tool for improving drug prevention(EMCDDA Scientific Monograph, No. 5) Luxembourg: Officefor Official Publications of the European Communities, 2000.The book contains papers presented at the second Europeanconference on the evaluation of drug prevention held inStrasbourg (2- 4 December1999), including the recom-mendations adopted by theparticipants at the outcomeof the meeting.

This volume comple-ments the EMCDDA’s Evalu-ating drug prevention in theEuropean Union (ScientificMonograph, No. 2) and rep-resents a significant step to-wards promoting co-opera-tion in the continuous effortto improve drug-preventionstrategies and how they areevaluated in Europe. “What works?” is a common questionposed in drug prevention and the chapters, each presentingits own specific angle, attempts to address this central in-quiry. While the views expressed do not lead to a definitiveanswer, they do facilitate a better understanding of this com-plex field, a priority of the EU Action Plan on Drugs (2000-2004).

The monograph highlights recent progressions and de-velopments in evaluation, and provides examples of actionsand instruments which, in turn have led to better practice. Italso provides a forum where different players share their ex-periences and adapt their knowledge to different nationalcontexts. It is hoped that the monograph will be both usefuland stimulating for decision-makers and drug-preventionprofessionals alike. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publica-tions of the European Communities, 2000.Luxembourg: Of-fice for Official Publications of the European Communities,2000.

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Why is the problem of drug usein the EU changing? Why is mul-tiple drug use a hot topic? Howis substitution treatment devel-oping? How many people in theEU have tried cannabis?Particularised sections can alsobe found on the special chal-lenges facing women and drugs,children and young people atrisk, as well as trends in AIDSand other drug-related infec-tious diseases. All the informa-tion is supplemented by factsand figures, Member State byMember State. The report isavailable from EMCDDA, Rua daCruz de Santa Apolonia 23-25,P-1149-045 Lisboa, Portugal,Phone: (+351) 21 811 30 00,Fax: (+351) 21 811 30 55, Webpage: http://www.emcdda.org

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II Global Conference on Drug AbusePrimary Prevention, Bangkok: 2000.The extensive report contains all the mate-rials produced and presented at the II Glo-bal Conference on Drug Abuse PrimaryPrevention whichwas held inBangkok on No-vember 8-12,1999. Copies canbe obtained bywriting to: NGO-ANCC/NCSWT257 MahidolBuilding, RajvithiRoad, Bangkok 10400 Thailand, Phone:(+66-2) 245 5522, Fax: (+66-2) 248 1722.

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To be brought togetherwith front page, file:HIV-dev


Understanding and responding to drug use: the roleof qualitative research, Luxembourg: Office for OfficialPublications of the European Communities, 2000. The bookaims to provide a better understanding of drug use, commonproblems, viable solutions, and encourage a wider apprecia-tion of the contribution of qualitative research.

Among the subjects analysed are the Italian Mafia’s involve-ment in drug trafficking and the results contradict popular as-sumption that higher levels of drug distribution are controlledby organised crime. According to the research highlighted inthe book, there is no evidence that Sicilian and Calabrian Ma-fia ever controlled the Italian or European drug market.

In turn, the research proposed that drug related crime isunsystematic rather than organised. Another piece of researchshows how drug dealers tend to operate like a pizza deliveryservice rather than engaging in the traditional way of street dealing of drugs. A very interestingbook that examines preconceived notions in the drug control field while uncovering areas previ-ously left in the dark. The book is available from EMCDDA, Rua da Cruz de Santa Apolonia 23-25,P-1149-045 Lisboa, Portugal, Phone: (+351) 21 811 30 00, Fax: (+351) 21 811 30 55, Web page:http://www.emcdda.org

“Good Practices” andLessons: Reducing IllicitDrug Use in the High-lands of East Asia,Bangkok: UNDCP RegionalCentre Bangkok, 2000. Thereport compiles the experi-ences and lessons learnedfrom the UNDCP DemandReduction Project “Reduc-ing Illicit Drug Use in theHighlands of East Asia”. TheMekong countries are re-nowned for their illicit drugproduction and in the opiumproducing highlands, preva-lence of drug addiction ishigher along traffickingroutes and border areas.The growing number HIVcases is also alarming, aswell as the increased produc-tion, distribution and con-sumption of ATS. The reporthighlights that the burden ofillicit drugs at the personal,family, community, and na-tional levels is severe and itshealth, socio-economic, andlaw and order consequencesare enormous. The reportoffers excellent insight intothe challenges and suc-cesses of one regional initia-tive. To obtain a copy pleasecontact : UNDCP RegionalCentre Bangkok, 14th Floor,United Nat ions Building,Rajdamnern Nok Avenue,10200 Bangkok, Thailand,Phone: (+66-2) 288 2091,Fax: (+66-2) 281 2129, E-mail: [email protected],Web page: http://www.undcp.un.or.th

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From AIDS Epidemic to an AIDS Pandemic:Is an HIV/AIDS Hub Building in South EastAsia?, Bangkok: UNDP South East Asia HIV &Development Project, 2000. Based on the pre-vious work of the UNDPSouth East Asia HIV and De-velopment Project, the pa-per discusses how the cur-rent rapid development ofroad construction and up-grading interacts with otherfactors in such a way thatthe present AIDS epidemicis more effectively intercon-nected, resulting in a multi-plier effect fuelling a SouthEast Asian pandemic. Theproposed theory brings tolight two important issuesfor HIV strategies andprogrammes:

a) primary prevention necessary to disablethe mechanisms behind the theory would largelybe through development interventions. Thiswould represent a major challenge to the na-

tional AIDS programmes of the region;b) the emerging land transport hubs and

networks have a major regional dimension andtherefore require national AIDS programmes to

collaborate with each other tocreate and implement a regionalresponse.

It should be clear that theobjective is not to be alarmist orto cry “wolf”. In turn, the appli-cation of the concept behind anEarly Warning and Rapid Re-sponse System (EWRRS), is anattempt to preempt the possiblenegative consequences of theotherwise posit ive develop-ments in the region. The reportis available at UNDP South EastAsia HIV & Development Project,United Nations Building,

Rajadamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200,Thailand, Phone: (+66-2) 288-2205, Fax: (+66-2) 280-1852, E- mail: [email protected],Web page: http://www.hivundp.apdip.net/sea.htm

UNDCP Bulletin on Narcotics A new issue of the UNDCP Bulletin onNarcotics (Vol L1, Nos, 1 and 2, 1999) has been published. It contains oc-casional papers on various topics including the evolution of internationaldrug control from 1945 to 1995; alternative development; social construc-tion of drugs, addiction, deviance and disease; patterns of Canadian inmatesregarding drugs, alcohol and crime; drug abuse among secondary-schoolstudents in Italy; drug characterization/impurity profiling with special fo-cus on methamphetamine; and a new method for determination of loss ondrying or consistency of opium samples using microwave ovens.

The Bulletin can be purchased and subscribed from Sales and Marketing Office in New York,United Nations Publications, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY 10017, USA.

UNDCP EASTERN HORIZONS is published by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) in Bangkok,Thailand with contributions from the country offices in Vietnam, Lao PDR and Myanmar.

Articles, comments and relevant information with photos or tables attached are welcomed. Submissions should not exceed 500 words.Full name and signature must accompany all letters to the editor. Articles and letters may be edited for purposes of space and clarity.

Editor: Peter Lunding, Tel: (66 2) 288-2537 Email: [email protected] Deputy editor: Kaija Korpi, Tel: (66 2) 288 1996 Email [email protected] editor: Rebecca Miller, Tel: (66 2) 288 2551, E-mail: [email protected]. For further information, please contact: UNDCP Regional Centrefor East Asia and the Pacific, 14th Floor, United Nations Building Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand Tel: (+66-2) 288-2083 Fax: (+66-2) 281-2129Website: http://www.undcp.un.or.th

Not an official document. For information only. Opinions expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the view of the United Nations.

Mr. Jean-Luc Lemahieu the new Representa-tive has arrived at the UNDCP Country Officein Yangon, Myanmar. Mr. Lemahieu previouslyserved at the UNDCP office in Barbados andwill bring valuable experience to the drug con-trol efforts in this region. We wish him successin his assignment.

Ms. Kaija Korpi (Finland) has recently joinedthe Regional Centre as an intern from TampereUniversity. Kaija is assisting us especially withalternative development projects and she isalso conducting research on drug moneylaundering in Cambodia.

Ms. Kemi Nejo is currently engaged as a con-sultant at the regional centre. Kemi is work-ing with us on a regional Demand Reductioninitiative and our Pacific mandate.

Two new computer interns have joined theRegional Centre to work at new areas of thewebsite. They are Mr. Kunakorn Srangsriwongand Ms. Nawarat Chalermpao.

1/2000 Summary of the Meeting on the Regional Centre’sStrategies for the Pacific Region

2/2000 Report of the Conference on Amphetamine-TypeStimulants in East and South-East Asia, Tokyo, Japan,24-27 January 2000

3/2000 Model Drug Enforcement Policy and SuggestedTraining Materials for MOU Countries, I.Intelligence

4/2000 Annual Field Report 19995/2000 Eastern Horizons No.1 March 20006/2000 Reducing Illicit Drug Use in the Highlands of East Asia:

External Sub-regional Appraisal Report7/2000 China Country Profile8/2000 Mission Report on Project Advocacy Mission (B53)9/2000 UNDCP and ASEAN Drug Demand Reduction

Strategies10/2000 Reducing Illicit Drug Use in the Highlands of East Asia:

Project Performance and Evaluation Report, January-December 1999

11/2000 Status of donor contributions to all projects as of endMarch 2000

12/2000 Tripartite Review Meeting (Terminal): Reducing IllicitDrug Use in the Highlands of East Asia

13/2000 Press Clippings News on Drug Control and CrimePrevention in East Asia (Nov. 1999 - May 2000)

14/2000 Eastern Horizons No.2 June 200015/2000 UNDCP Activities Report in East Asia and the Pacific:

Thirty years fighting drugs through leadership andparticipatory cooperation

16/2000 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Seminar on Building Capacitiesfor Fighting Transnational Organized Crime, held inBangkok on 20 and 21 March 2000

17/2000 Model Drug Enforcement Policy and SuggestedTraining Materials for MOU Countries, II. ControlledDeliveries

18/2000 Lights on harm of drug abuse, corruption and violence(press kit), International Day against Drug Abuse andIllicit Trafficking, 26 June 2000

19/2000 Sub-regional Workshop for Cross-Border Law Enforce-ment Cooperation in East Asia(AD/RAS/99/D91), 4-6 July 2000

20/2000 Terminal Report for Interdiction and Seizure CapacityBuilding in Yunnan Province, China(AD/RAS/94/714-968)

21/2000 Terminal Report for Interdiction and Seizure CapacityBuilding between China and Myanmar (AD/RAS/93/713-913)

List of documentspreviously distributedby UNDCP RegionalCentre (Bangkok)

22/2000 Eastern Horizons No.3 September 200023/2000 Report on the Regional Drug Enforcement Strategy

Workshop, Shanghai, China, 25-27 July 200024/2000 Good Practices and Lessons Reducing Illicit Drug Use

in the Highlands of East Asia25/2000 A “World Class” Training Opportunity to Strengthen

Drug Control Measures26/2000 Press Reports - International Congress “In pursuit of a

drug free ASEAN 2015: Sharing the vision, leading thechange”, Bangkok, Thailand, 11-13 October 2000

27/2000 Model Drug Enforcement Policy and SuggestedTraining Materials for MOU Countries, VII. CrimeScene Examination and Evidence Handling

28/2000 Model Drug Enforcement Policy and SuggestedTraining Materials for MOU Countries, VIII. Leadership& Command

29/2000 Model Drug Enforcement Policy and SuggestedTraining Materials for MOU Countries, IV. Surveillance

30/2000 Model Drug Enforcement Policy and SuggestedTraining Materials for MOU Countries, II. ControlledDeliveries

31/2000 Model Drug Enforcement Policy and SuggestedTraining Materials for MOU Countries, III. UndercoverOperations 1. Policy and Procedure Manual 2. TrainingManual

32/2000 Model Drug Enforcement Policy and SuggestedTraining Materials for MOU Countries, I. Intelligence -Policy and Training Manual

speaking of people

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