Strengthening propaganda to prevent and combat drug abuse in ethnic minority areas

(Baonghean.vn) - This morning, May 7, the Ethnic Committee coordinated with the People's Committee of Nghe An province to organize a workshop to evaluate the results of drug and HIV/AIDS prevention and control in ethnic minority areas in the period 2012-2015 and tasks for 2016-2020.

Attending and chairing the conference were comrades: Le Son Hai, Deputy Minister, Vice Chairman of the Ethnic Committee; Hoang Viet Duong, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Luong Thanh Hai, Head of the Provincial Ethnic Committee. Also attending were representatives of the Ethnic Committee, prestigious people, and village heads from several provinces in the Northern, Central and Central Highlands regions.

Overview of the Workshop

According to statistics from the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee for Crime and Drug Prevention, in 2014 alone, the authorities discovered 21,619 cases; arrested nearly 31,551 subjects; seized 922 kg of heroin; 46.2 kg of cocaine; 32 kg of opium; 442 kg of dried marijuana; 1,248 kg of fresh marijuana; 352 kg and 297,285 synthetic drug pills along with many other means, assets and evidence.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, drug crimes account for 34% of crimes nationwide. Of which, Kinh people commit crimes up to 80%, ethnic minorities account for 20%. In Nghe An, with 77% of the natural area being mountainous and bordering 3 provinces of Laos, with about 400,000 ethnic minority people, in the past 10 years, the drug police force has prosecuted 7,903 cases, arrested 12,426 subjects, of which 917 subjects are ethnic minorities, accounting for 7.81%.

Comrade Le Son Hai, Deputy Minister, Vice Chairman of the Ethnic Committee reported on the results of drug and HIV/AIDS prevention and control work in ethnic minority areas in the period 2012-2015.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Hoang Viet Duong, Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, highly appreciated the necessity of organizing the workshop. This will be an opportunity to exchange experiences in propaganda and mobilization work on drug and HIV/AIDS prevention and control among sectors, cadres working on ethnic affairs, village chiefs, and prestigious people in ethnic minority areas. On that basis, more effective solutions will be proposed to prevent drugs and HIV/AIDS in ethnic minority areas in the period of 2016-2020.

Comrade Hoang Viet Duong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee highly appreciated the organization of the workshop in Nghe An.

Through the presentations at the workshop, delegates frankly mentioned the contents of the current situation of drug crimes, the fight against drugs, HIV/AIDS in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, as well as coordination in propaganda activities against drugs, HIV/AIDS and AIDS associated with hunger eradication and poverty reduction in each locality.

Comrade Ta Duc Ninh - Standing Office of Anti-drug and Drug Prevention, Ministry of Public Security delivered a speech.

The representative of the Political Department of the Border Guard Command clarified the drug crime situation in the border area.

According to the general assessment of the presentations, cross-border drug trafficking in the Northern, Central and Central Highlands regions has been developing strongly. The fact that local people have gone from being exploited for drug trafficking to becoming drug trafficking hubs across the border is an alarming reality. Therefore, along with the fight against and arrest of criminals and criminal networks, it is necessary to promote extensive propaganda on the fight against drugs and HIV/AIDS among ethnic minorities in border areas... That will be the basis for reducing drug and HIV/AIDS crimes in the period of 2016-2020.

Quang An