POWER OF TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS CORRUPTS INSTITUTIONS, STATES, THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD IN CONTINUED DEBATE ON CRIME, DRUGS
Press Release
GA/SHC/3359
POWER OF TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS CORRUPTS INSTITUTIONS, STATES, THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD IN CONTINUED DEBATE ON CRIME, DRUGS
19961021 Criminal enterprises were replacing legal commerce, corrupting democracy and undermining social institutions, the representative of the United States told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) this morning, as it continued its general debate on crime, criminal justice, drug prevention and the elaboration of an international convention on transnational crime. Those criminal groups needed pliable host States to facilitate their work, and several such countries had begun to emerge, he warned.Illegal drug organizations, like other enterprises, sought to maximize profits, diversify holdings and expand operations, he continued. The United Nations International Drug Control Programme could not possibly match funds with such criminal organizations, and States should take up the slack and protect its citizens. Some countries tried to divert attention from their own inaction by calling for new declarations, but the three existing Conventions on drug control promoted a framework for further action.
Several other speakers called attention to the threat transnational crime posed for national stability, security and sovereignty. The representative of Swaziland, on behalf of the South African Development Community (SADC) States, said the problems of drugs and crime must be addressed collectively by the international community. Technical cooperation and support was indispensable for building and supporting democracy and effective criminal justice system, she added.
The representative of Egypt expressed concern over the financial difficulties of the United Nations African Institute for Crime Prevention and Treatment of Offenders. The representative of Uganda said the Institute had continued to create and build African cooperation in the field of transnational crime.
Statements were also made by the representatives of the Republic of Korea, Israel, Venezuela, Syria and Algeria.
The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m today to continue its debate on crime and drug prevention. A draft resolution on the role of cooperatives in the light of economic and social trends will also be introduced.
Committee Work Programme
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this morning to continue its examination of crime prevention and criminal justice, international drug control and the question of the elaboration of an international convention against organized transnational crime. (For background, see Press Release GA/SHC/3357 of 18 October.)
Statements
PAUL MUKASA-SSALI (Uganda) said his delegation was pleased to note that in its 1996 report the Economic and Social Council welcomed the use of international standards and norms in implementing crime prevention and criminal justice programmes, especially in the fields of juvenile delinquency and the elimination of violence against women.
He said the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders was rightly commended by the General Assembly for its efforts in fulfilling its mandate. The Institute had continued to distinguish itself in the field of creating and building African cooperation in the fight against transnational crime, which was a task beyond the capacity of individual governments. The Institute had been able to build and strengthen relationships with agencies, other institutes and academic communities as an advisory body in many areas, including policy development and technical cooperation. He said his Government had continued to fulfil its obligations to the Institute and recommended that other African States do so as well.
SUNG-JOO CHOI (Republic of Korea) said, in today's world, crime posed a severe threat to efforts to achieve democracy and sustainable development. The average crime rate had increased up to 5 per cent annually over the last few years. The liberalization of markets around the world had opened the way for transnational organized crime to engage more freely in their illegal activities. In the face of such challenges, the United Nations coordinating role should be strengthened. His Government appreciated the special efforts of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division and other related agencies.
Turning to the issue of international drug control, he said it was disappointing that the global situation on drug trafficking had shown only limited progress so far this year. It was of great concern that the drug problem was growing in complexity and intricacy to the point that it was becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between transit, consumer and producer issues. Traffickers were constantly seeking new markets and had become successful in infiltrating national boundaries and laundering their money. A comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach was essential, and the United Nations International Drug Control Programme played a pivotal role. Inter-agency cooperation should be streamlined to enhance efficiency and avoid
Third Committee - 3 - Press Release GA/SHC/3359 7th Meeting (AM) 21 October 1996
duplication. Countering money laundering was the most promising way to hamper criminals that controlled the illicit drug businesses.
KARIM WISSA (Egypt) said his Government attached great importance to crime prevention, and it applied the rule of law -- a principle which it held dear. Justice was essential for the maintenance of democracy and social stability. Egypt was instituting programmes to combat all forms of crime, particularly terrorism. He welcomed Poland's introduction of a draft convention on transnational organized crime. It should emphasize the increasing links between terrorism and organized crime.
He also welcomed the efforts made at the ninth United Nations Conference on Crime held in Cairo last year. Crime was a serious threat to international security and stability, and the international community was showing increasing awareness of the threat. However, there was still no solid framework for dealing with it that was linked to particular incidents. The world needed to face up to the multidimensional aspects of international terrorism. All countries should keep up their efforts to translate the Naples Global Action Plan (adopted by the World Ministerial Conference on Organized Transnational Crime in Naples, Italy, in November 1994), so that the present momentum would continue. Regional cooperation was important, and it should be supported to combat serious crime. He noted the technical assistance capacities of the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division. His Government was concerned with the financial difficulties of the African Institute for Crime Prevention. Its ability to encourage and support efforts by African countries was being seriously affected.
SHLOMO GAL (Israel) said that drug abuse did not become a significant problem in Israel in the last decade. Before then, Israel was believed to be merely a transition country on the international route of drug trafficking, but in 1994 that notion was no longer valid. It was now seen as a country where drugs were consumed. Israel's Anti-Drug Authority was established as a national bureau for planning, coordinating and promoting activities in combating the drug scourge. Since its establishment, the Authority had developed a network of services -- social, educational, medical, training, research -- to curtail drug use. However, the trends in drug abuse were getting worse. More young people were experimenting, while the number of adults who used drugs was holding steady. Because of these trends, the Anti- Drug Authority recently took a new approach and put emphasis on youth and populations at high risk. Each new initiative will be followed by evaluative research to find out which approaches were effective. The time was ripe for a fresh and innovative approach.
Israel was willing to share its accumulated knowledge in all aspects of the war against drugs, he said. The Government was making, and would continue to make, every effort to establish international cooperation. Unfortunately, due to developments in the past decade such as the opening of borders, it was
Third Committee - 4 - Press Release GA/SHC/3359 7th Meeting (AM) 21 October 1996
also now easier to commit transnational crimes. Therefore, it was vital that States create effective international cooperation that could assist in reducing and preventing the possibility of transnational crimes. Only through subregional, regional and international cooperation could the spread of the scourge of drugs be stopped. Israel supported the recommendation to strengthen the cooperation between the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Branch and the United Nations International Drug Control Programme.
NEIZA PINEDA (Venezuela) said that not enough was being done to combat the devastating effects of illicit drugs, particularly their effects on young people. The 1998 United Nations special session on drugs should focus on such problems. Her Government had been making efforts to combat trafficking of illicit drugs and had set up a commission to deal with it. It had also reformed the 1993 narcotics and psychotropic substances act and criminalized money laundering. Guidelines for Venezuela's drug control efforts were reflected in its national plan and were supervised by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme. Those plans emphasized prevention.
She said her Government was gravely concerned with the use of Venezuela as a transit for drug traffickers and the penetration of its financial system. It was also concerned with the impact of social and technological changes which had impeded the campaign against the drug scourge. The scale of economic returns was vast, and criminals involved in drug trafficking were now investing, trading and taking other financial actions to hide the origin of their profits. International determination to combat drug trafficking must include cooperation between consumer, transit and producer countries. The international community should not give way to fatigue on the issue. Increased international cooperation should be free from conditions and not impinge on the sovereignty of countries involved.
ROBERT S. GELBARD (United States) said that criminal enterprise were replacing legal commerce and, in the process, corrupting democracy and undermining social institutes. Criminals had an unfair advantage in this struggle because they were not constrained by laws. Transnational crime not only threatened external and internal interests, it also destroyed national sovereignty. Because these criminal groups needed host States which could be made pliable, States which facilitated criminal organizations had begun to emerge. His Government was alarmed by the institutionalization of drug- producing and money-laundering interests and called upon the rest of the international community to step up its efforts against this scourge. The United Nations needed to make new and expanding threats by criminal groups a top priority and work to strengthen the efforts of governments fighting against the proliferation of drugs while bringing uncooperative countries into the fold.
Real zero tolerance meant giving no aid and comfort to the drug traffickers who poison children, he said. Illegal drug organizations were
Third Committee - 5 - Press Release GA/SHC/3359 7th Meeting (AM) 21 October 1996
like other enterprises in that they sought to maximize profits, diversify holdings and expand operations. A top priority must be assigned to promoting collective efforts to undermine these organizations. Some States tried to divert attention from their own inaction by calling for new declarations and actions, but the three existing conventions on drug control promoted a framework for further action -- the Simple Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961); the Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971); and the Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988). His Government called on three primary coca source countries to honour their obligations through the Conventions and eliminate that crop with urgency. Even with the political support of each Member State, United Nations agencies, like the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, could not be expected to match funds with criminal organizations. It was up to the Member States to take up the slack and protect their citizens. No nation could afford to evade or ignore these responsibilities. Collectively, States had the power to deny illicit drug criminals their profits by adhering to the Conventions already established.
NONHLANHLA P. TSABEDZE (Swaziland), on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) States -- Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, said in the last year the problems associated with crime had increased at an alarming rate. It was more disturbing that decisions had not been implemented because of a lack of resources, especially for developing countries. Yet the constant escalation of drug abuse that threatened the well-being of people, especially the young, was not diminishing. It seriously threatened socio-economic and political systems, as well as the security, stability and sovereignty of an increasing number of countries. The problem of drugs and crime must be addressed collectively.
She said the efforts of the SADC governments were hampered by a lack of human, financial and material resources. She appealed for increased international assistance. There was a rise in urban crime, particularly among the young. Technical cooperation was indispensable for building and supporting democracy and an effective criminal justice system. The SADC had recently established the Southern African Regional Police Chief Co-operation Organization which aimed at regional cooperation in crime prevention and detection; crime information; and training of police. The organization was showing success in dealing with arms smuggling, drug trafficking and motor vehicle theft. She drew attention to the financial difficulties being faced by the United Nations African Institute for Crime Prevention and Treatment of Offenders. Given its good work in furthering national efforts, the international community should help.
FAYSSAL MEKDAD (Syria) said that crime and illicit drug trafficking posed a growing threat to humanity and future generations. The coordination of international efforts to curb criminality, enforce laws and technical
Third Committee - 6 - Press Release GA/SHC/3359 7th Meeting (AM) 21 October 1996
assistance to States were vitally important factors. Elaboration and implementation of international models were effective tools for remedying the complex aspects of crime. International cooperation could be more effective through the improvement of technical expertise and the investigation and confiscation of illicit gains.
Syria tried its best to achieve its goals in fighting drug-related crimes, he said. The government organs in Syria, along with those of other Arab States, were trying to put an end to the abuse of drugs. There was no manufacturing of drugs in Syria, and the League of Arab States was cooperating with international organs to implement the targets of drug control. Political will to combat the transfer of drugs through Syrian territories was quite firm and it would not budge in its beliefs. In addition, the Government rejected and deplored terrorism which was perpetrated to achieve criminal gain. It reiterated this belief because Syria drew a distinction between terrorism and the just struggle of people for liberation. The crime of occupation was a kind terrorism, if not a greater crime.
AMINA Z. MESDOUA (Algeria) said there had to be a coordinated approach to deal with the scourge of drug use and trafficking. Isolated international action would not yield results, and it was important to encourage coordinated global efforts to prevent and stamp out the phenomena. The United Nations was the ideal framework for such efforts. She praised recent efforts by the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) to have organizations integrate consideration of the drug problem in plans and programmes for its system-wide approach to the drug problem. The United Nations International Drug Control Programme should be strengthened and given adequate resources. Universal ratification of international treaties was also important.
She said that in less than a decade Africa had seen a dramatic increase in trafficking and had become a major transit for illicit drugs. The Declaration adopted by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) should be given more attention at the regional level, as it was an important aspect of the work of the Drug Control Programme which had been involved in drafting it. In Algeria, some 75 per cent of drugs seized were in transit through the country, and there was an increasing use of psychotropic substances. She called attention to the indisputable link between drugs and international terrorism. Her Government was making efforts to stamp out the phenomena of drug abuse, and, in addition to its own programmes, it was also working with non- governmental organizations. Prevention focused on raising awareness among young people, and the media was supporting the Government's campaign. There were strict laws and harsh penalties for traffickers. Only a global and coordinated approach could stamp out the drug scourge, and her Government strongly supported efforts to prepare for the 1998 special General Assembly session.
* *** *