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Mizzima: UN links democratic govern
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UN links democratic governance with reduction of drug production
New Delhi, February 22, 2001
Mizzima News Group (www.mizzima.com)
The latest UN World Drug Report has linked a country?s political
environment with its record of progress in reducing illicit crop
cultivation. And the success of ?alternative development? to drug
problem depends to a great extent on the quality of governance and the
rule of law in a country.
The alternative development, defined by the report, is the
implementation of a coordinated set of programs with the intended
objective of addressing the factors, which are at the heart of the drug
problem.
The report points out that illicit crop cultivation, whether in Burma,
Afghanistan or Peru, is often driven by specific groups that have a
common ethnicity, or language, or socio-economic profile. ?The stigma
attached to involvement in such activities is such that, should the
ruling powers be associated with the same groups, there is the risk that
no significant action will be taken due to reluctance of representatives
to alienate their so-called ?in-group.?
?The introduction of pluralistic, democratic governance dilutes this
risk of selective application, for it devolves decision-making power to
a broader cross-section of a country?s ethnic and regional interests?,
said the report.
?While an elected official from one part of a country known for illicit
poppy cultivation may be reluctant to call attention to the region?s
top, albeit illegal, income earner; there may be other representatives,
or a free press, that is willing to do so out of competing
self-interest?, it continues.
The military ruled-Burma is one of the world's two largest
opium-producing countries named by the report. Afghanistan and Burma
combined account for about 90% of global illicit opium production over
the last few years and nearly 95% in 1999.
The report has also advised that the international community?s
assistance to these drug producing countries should go hand-in-hand with
a convergence of political, economic and social factors.
?Armed conflict is also another important political dynamic with
implications for alternative development activities. Illicit drug
production in Afghanistan and Myanmar, for example, has evolved
alongside military conflict.?
The United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP) recently launched the
World Drug Report 2000, which is published by the United Nations Office
for Drug Control and Crime Prevention.
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<center><u><font face="Arial Black"><font color="#000099"><font size=+1>UN
links democratic governance with reduction of drug production</font></font></font></u></center>
<p><font size=+1>New Delhi, February 22, 2001</font>
<br><font size=+1>Mizzima News Group <a href="http://www.mizzima.com";>(www.mizzima.com)</a></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>The latest UN World Drug Report
has linked a country?s political environment with its record of progress
in reducing illicit crop cultivation. And the success of ?alternative development?
to drug problem depends to a great extent on the quality of governance
and the rule of law in a country.</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>The alternative development, defined
by the report, is the implementation of a coordinated set of programs with
the intended objective of addressing the factors, which are at the heart
of the drug problem.</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>The report points out that illicit
crop cultivation, whether in Burma, Afghanistan or Peru, is often driven
by specific groups that have a common ethnicity, or language, or socio-economic
profile. ?The stigma attached to involvement in such activities is such
that, should the ruling powers be associated with the same groups, there
is the risk that no significant action will be taken due to reluctance
of representatives to alienate their so-called ?in-group.?</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>?The introduction of pluralistic,
democratic governance dilutes this risk of selective application, for it
devolves decision-making power to a broader cross-section of a country?s
ethnic and regional interests?, said the report.</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>?While an elected official from
one part of a country known for illicit poppy cultivation may be reluctant
to call attention to the region?s top, albeit illegal, income earner; there
may be other representatives, or a free press, that is willing to do so
out of competing self-interest?, it continues.</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>The military ruled-Burma is one
of the world's two largest opium-producing countries named by the report.
Afghanistan and Burma combined account for about 90% of global illicit
opium production over the last few years and nearly 95% in 1999.</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>The report has also advised that
the international community?s assistance to these drug producing countries
should go hand-in-hand with a convergence of political, economic and social
factors.</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>?Armed conflict is also another
important political dynamic with implications for alternative development
activities. Illicit drug production in Afghanistan and Myanmar, for example,
has evolved alongside military conflict.?</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>The United Nations Drug Control
Program (UNDCP) recently launched the World Drug Report 2000, which is
published by the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention.</font></font>
<p> </html>
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