Drug abuse behind rising crime in Mandalay

Although there has been an increase of arrests and seizures of illicit drugs coming from the China border and Northern Shan State, traffickers often use detour routes as the area is difficult to control. 

Shan State Minister, Sai Aung Myat urged mobile police teams in the area to pay special attention to cyclist drug couriers.

“It is needed to focus  more on cyclist couriers. Some also carry weapons in Northern Shan State. We have found out that these cyclist also act in gangs,” said the minister.

The consumption, buying and selling of illegal substances is becoming widespread and can easily be spotted in areas of the ancient city. In Thinpan Kone new ward, Nya Nya quarter, Min Lwin despairs at the increasing drug use in young people in schools. 

“Even the students of Grade 9 and Grade 10 use the drugs,” he said. 

One million kyats (more than Bt33,000) worth of drugs seized by police last month were recently destroyed at the local Aye Yeik Nyein Cemetery.

 

Police deny capture of terrorist suspects in Myeik

Police officials have denied online news reports claiming the capture of three terrorist suspects who arrived by sea in Myeik Township in Tanintharyi Region, Southern Myanmar.

Reports on Sunday and Monday claimed that security forces had arrested three suspects after a tip-off on August 22.

“When I saw the news about the capture of the terrorist trio, I called the Tanintharyi regional police office and learnt that the news was incorrect,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Min Aung, from the Security Department of Myanmar Police Force.

Police Colonel Kyi Linn of Tanintharyi Region Police Force also confirmed that the news report was merely false rumour.

“We haven’t received full confirmation that the three terrorists are in Myeik, but we have tightened the security in Tanintharyi Region and are investigating,” he said.

“I don’t know where this news comes from. We will make an announcement after we have captured them,” said a police officer in Myeik.

Government sources have also confirmed that the news report was wrong.

 

Parliament to discuss rights of temporary citizens 

Members of the Upper House  have agreed to discuss a bill to amend a law on the rights offered to temporary citizens. 

Parliament consented to discuss the bill submitted by Upper House MP Aye Maung, chairman of Rakhine Nationalities Development Party, on August 23. All the military representatives in parliament voted “yes” despite earlier opposition from the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).

“We showed our support [for the bill] because this is a law which needs discussion. If we support or oppose, we always do it with the outlook of national politics which is supposed to serve the national interests. We do not seek individual or party interests,” MP Brigadier General Kyaw Oo Lwin told Daily Eleven. 

The bill aims to amend the Political Parties Registration Law, which critics say allows temporary citizens, or white-card holders, to vote or establish political parties. Many white-card holders were allowed to cast votes in Rakhine State during the last elections in 2010, allowing members of the ruling party to win parliamentary seats. The number of white-card holders  in Rakhine State is thought to be 500,000 or more. 

Aye Maung, who proposed the bill, said: “How can non-citizens guarantee our national objectives? How can we know they can be loyal to the state sovereignty?”