LACK OF RESOURCES HAMPERS FIGHT AGAINST DRUG CRIME IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD

19 October 1995

Press Release
GA/SHC/3307

LACK OF RESOURCES HAMPERS FIGHT AGAINST DRUG CRIME IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD

19951019 Speakers Urge Financial and Technological Help from International Community

The capability of developing countries to combat crime had been seriously hampered by the lack of financial resources and technology, speakers told the Third Committee (Social Humanitarian and Cultural) this morning, as it continued its consideration of crime and criminal justice and international drug control.

The United Nations and the international community needed to promote the provision of financial and technological assistance in the fight against crime and drugs, said the representative of China. Calling attention to the need for that assistance, the representative of Bangladesh said developing countries were particularly vulnerable to becoming sanctuaries for organized and transnational crime.

Stating there was a link between underdevelopment and crime, the representative of Morocco called for cooperation between countries of the North and South, especially in the areas of training, information and technology.

Transit States were an important link in the drug network chain, said the representative of Jamaica, also speaking on behalf of CARICOM. She urged the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to expand its debt- for-drugs swap project to include the provision of debt relief for transit- countries in order to help them in their efforts against the illicit drug trade.

The representative of Costa Rica said an imbalance existed between the mandates adopted for crime prevention, and the institutional capabilities and financial resources available to carrying them out. The United Nations budget for 1996-1997 should guarantee that the necessary resources to fight the problem would be available.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Egypt, Venezuela, Israel, Lebanon and Afghanistan. The representative of Nigeria spoke in right of reply.

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The Committee meets again at 3 p.m. today to continue its consideration of crime prevention and criminal justice as well as international drug control. It will also hear the introduction of draft proposals on the elimination of racism and racial discrimination, and on the right of peoples to self-determination.

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this morning to continue its discussion on Crime and Criminal Justice, as well as issues related to international drug control.

On the subject of Crime and Criminal Justice, the Committee had before it a report of the Secretary-General on the African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders; the Secretary-General's report on progress made in the implementation of General Assembly resolution 49/158 on the strengthening of the United Nations crime prevention and criminal justice programme; the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Naples Declaration and Global Action Plan against Organized Transnational Crime; and the report of the Secretary-General on the Ninth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders.

On international drug control, the Committee had before it the report by the Secretary-General on the implementation of resolution 48/12. (For background information on reports before the Committee, see Press Release GA/SHC/3305 of 17 October.)

Statements

ABDEL-GAFFAR ELDEEB (Egypt) said many precautionary actions were being taken by his government against organized crime. His country had recently hosted the Ninth Congress on Crime in which more than 130 States had participated. It had offered to host a training regional centre for countries of the Mediterranean. The established intergovernmental open-ended working group would discuss all aspects related to the creation of that centre. He hoped the centre could soon become a reality. In efforts against transnational crimes, links between terrorist crimes and organized crime should be considered. To enhance its position, the branch of crime prevention and criminal justice should be made a department. The international community needed to work together in fighting the problem.

He said the intentions reflected in the resolutions related to drug control were not sufficient. The real solution lay in their practical implementation. Countries both in the North and South needed to cooperate with one another in the fight against the drug problem. Adherence by all to the drug related Conventions was essential.

PATRICIA DURRANT (Jamaica), also speaking for countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said the trafficking in and consumption of illicit drugs were on the increase, in spite of the more intensified and sophisticated control measures.

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The CARICOM nations had recently enacted legislation to significantly increase the penalties for drugs offences and to provide for the confiscation of assets of convicted drug dealers. In addition, security had been strengthened at ports of entry, while Customs departments and commercial banks had taken preventive measures to avoid receiving "drug money" deposits.

She said those States were situated directly in the maritime routes from South America to North America and Europe, making them perfect stepping stones or transshipment points for use by the international drug cartels. Those smugglers had taken advantage of the multinational, multilinguistic and historical ties between the Caribbean and certain South American, North American and European countries, in order to assist them in their transshipment activities. Some of the illegal drugs ended up in the region, affecting the local population.

Since drug smuggling involved activity by sea, there should be further meetings such as that of the Working Group on Maritime Cooperation, recently convened by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme. She welcomed the agreement signed with the Drug Control Programme for the establishment, in her country, of a Caribbean regional drug training centre. That centre would serve drug enforcement personnel from 18 English-speaking countries in the area.

She urged the Drug Control Programme to expand its debt-for-drugs swaps to include the provision of debt-relief for transit countries. That would improve the efforts of those countries against the illicit drug trade.

OSCAR DE ROJAS (Venezuela) said that during the Rio Group meeting last September, States had reaffirmed their efforts against the consumption and production of illicit drugs. Finding a solution against the consumption and selling of drugs was imperative. The States where most consumers lived needed to cooperate. In order to cope with the problem, international cooperation was essential. He noted that the Rio Group was planning a 1996 special meeting in Panama to create a centre to fight against the drug problem and related matters.

RAN SHORER (Israel) said the first subregional drug control technical meeting -- under the auspices of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme -- was held from 3 to 5 July, where for the first time in history representatives of Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinians had all attended. The meeting hoped to launch a coordinated effort to stem the flow of drugs into the Middle East, and initial measures of law enforcement cooperation had been identified.

He said Israel's main emphasis in the war against drugs was on reducing demand. Educational programmes were being conducted in 40 per cent of public schools. Programmes for treatment and rehabilitation of drug users provided

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help to 4,500 addicts annually.

MOHAMMAD ZIAUDDIN (Bangladesh) said that transnational and international organized crime could not be addressed by countries in isolation. Collective global efforts and new partnerships were needed to combat it.

He said particular attention should be directed to strengthening the capacity of developing countries, which were particularly vulnerable to becoming sanctuaries for organized and transnational crime. Bangladesh also stressed the need for improvement of juvenile justice system, in consonance with United Nations standards. It welcomed the recommendation made at the Naples Conference to explore the possibility of elaborating a convention against organized international crime.

He said that while addressing the means to combat crime, the international community should also deal with the question of victims of crime. Intensified action for the protection and assistance to victims was required at all levels. Attention should also be given to the illicit trafficking of women and children. The question of prevention of "sex tourism", particularly involving children, also needed to be addressed.

XIE BOHUA (China) said countries were plagued with transnational crime more than ever before. That called for urgent and effective measures from the international community. Many serious criminal activities transcended national boundaries and were, therefore, beyond the capability of many countries to deal with individually. So it was imperative to enhance the effectiveness and capability of the international community through strengthened cooperation.

He noted that the capability of many developing countries to combat crimes had been seriously hampered by lack of financial resources and technology. The United Nations and the international community should, therefore, promote the provision of such assistance.

China had always attached importance to the prevention and combating of crime, he went on, especially organized transnational crimes. It had formulated and improved its legislation in the field of criminal justice, strengthened cooperation and exchange with the judicial authorities of other countries, and taken active part in programmes and projects of the United Nations. It had signed treaties on judiciary assistance with 20 countries and treaties on extradition with three countries.

AICHA EL KABBAJ (Morocco) said the emergence of juvenile crime was related to the illegal trade in arms, and rapid urbanization and increasing unemployment were contributing to the increase of crime worldwide. To halt the problem, developing counties needed help in order to modernize their judicial systems. There was a link between underdevelopment and crime, so

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cooperation between countries of the North and South was imperative, especially in the areas of training, information and technology.

Organized crime and the drug trade were threatening thousands of human lives, because of the resulting corruption and terrorism. Illegal use of drugs threatened all countries in the world. Such trade had become greater than the oil trade. She referred to the AIDS cases that were related to drug use and which had put a heavy burden on medical and social institutions. While close cooperation between the consumer and producer countries was required, major transformations in solving the problem could not occur unless the demand for drugs was reduced.

HASSAN KASSEM NAJEM (Lebanon) said his country had adhered to all drug conventions. A national commission to fight money laundering had been set up in his country. The production of drugs in his country no longer existed and there had been many efforts to combat drug consumption. Forty tons of hashish had been confiscated a year ago, street selling had been curtailed and all ports had been closed to illegal drug trafficking. There were now severe penalties for those with ties to the drug culture. In spite of the improvements, help from other States in the war against drugs was imperative.

MASOOD M. OSMANI (Afghanistan) said the alarming world-wide increase in drug abuse, illicit drug trafficking and drug-related crime was one of the most serious problems faced by the international community today. The increase in drug production in the past 10 to 15 years had been matched by an increase in abuse rather than a decrease in price. Policies against the plague should be formulated and implemented in a coordinated manner at the national, regional and international levels.

He said Afghanistan had adopted a comprehensive and effective policy against drug abuse; a high State commission for control of production, smuggling and abuse of drugs was established three years ago, and was active in different areas of the country to combat the problem. Prevention campaigns had been launched, with the active involvement of religious figures, scholars, lawyers, writers and journalists against abuse of drugs.

While statistics showed that cultivation of poppy fields in Afghanistan had increased in 1994 as compared to 1993, the country's security forces had either confiscated or destroyed large quantities of cannabis, opium and heroin between 1993 and 1995.

He said the long years of war in his country, and lack of a consolidated preventive programme, had created favourable conditions, especially in the frontier regions, for international drug dealers and smugglers to encourage the poverty-stricken farmers to cultivate poppy which would be financially profitable. That fact, together with the destruction of the irrigation system by a foreign aggressor and the existence of land mines, had reduced the

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surface of arable land. That had further encouraged farmers to cultivate poppy instead of crops. The main objective now should be to provide alternative income for the local populations and to assure them of the right to sufficient food, clothing and shelter and to a decent quality of life.

JOSE MANUEL GUTIERREZ (Costa Rica) said it was urgent to get United Nations assistance in efforts against globalized and organized crime. An imbalance existed between the mandates adopted for crime prevention and the institutional capabilities and financial resources that were available to carry them out. He supported the elevation of the crime prevention branch into a division and said the United Nations budget for 1996-1997 needed to guarantee that the resources required for it be available.

Right of Reply

SAM OTUYELU (Nigeria), speaking in right of reply, said labelling other countries had been the stock-in-trade of some. Nigeria had been called a country of fraud by the representative of the United States. He said Nigeria's share of criminal activities was not higher than that of other countries. The United States representative had used the Committee to label Nigeria as a country where fraudsters thrived. In all the scams that had been investigated, Nigeria found that most involved nationals of the United States.

Who was the greater criminal, he questioned, the person who asked another to pay him $10,000 so that he would receive $1 million, or the person who paid the $10,000 with the hope of receiving $1 million. That was something for the international community to judge, and the Third Committee should not be used as a forum for labelling Nigeria as the culprit. Instead, all should work together to address the issue of illegal drug trafficking.

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