On June 1, 2020, the President Office released a statement related to drug arrests reported to the ‘Special Anti-drug Reporting Center.’ According to the statement there have been 18 drug arrests but there have been no reports filed from Mon State.
“Mon State ranks high in drug problems. But why was there no report? Frankly, people don’t trust the reporting mechanism,” said an activist from Ye Township.
According to the activist who wishes to remain anonymous, the authorities do not protect the security of those making reports.
If there is a report to the ‘Special Anti-drug Reporting Center’, the President’s Office should not instruct local authorities to make an arrest, rather they should directly handle the case, said an activist from Mudon Township.
“If the upper authority does not come to do the arrest but instead instructs the local authorities to do so, it isn’t effective,” said the activist.
According to those at the community level, they are not even aware of the existence of a ‘Special Anti-drug Reporting Center’ and for those who may have heard of the Centre, they are unfamiliar with the reporting mechanisms.
“I think it’s better if the government launches a special operation run by the State budget for drug education,” said an activist.
According to the President’s Office statement, since the establishment of the ‘Special Anti-drug Reporting Center’ on June 26, 2018, there were 1,156 drug arrests as of May 30, 2020.
The President Office states that, people can report incidents of illicit drug use to the Ministry of Home Affair and the State or Division governments and as a special case, people can safely report to the ‘Special Anti-drug Reporting Center’ of the President Office via telephone 067-590 200, or fax 067-590 233 within office hours, or by email antinarcotics@presidentoffice.gov.mm .
