Cambodia Asks the US Embassy to Create an Office for the Enforcement of the Anti-Drug Law in Cambodia

Posted on 9 August 2008
The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 572

“Phnom Penh: The National Authority for Combating Drugs has asked the US Embassy to create an office for the enforcement of the anti-drug law in Cambodia, in order to train the Cambodian anti-drugs authorities in different skills, and in order to help them to combat drugs worldwide.

“Mr. Lour Ramin, the secretary-general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs, said, ‘Previously, we had asked the US embassy to create an office for the enforcement of the anti-drug law and to combat drugs in Cambodia. However, this request has not received a response from the US Embassy in Cambodia.’ Although there is no response from the US embassy, Mr. Lour Ramin said, ‘Before, the National Authority for Combating Drugs has cooperated well with the US anti-drug office in Bangkok, Thailand, to implement the laws, as well as in other sections related to combat drugs.’

“Mr. Lour Ramin explained, ‘The creation of an US anti-drug office in Cambodia would not only benefits Cambodia, but also the United States would gain advantages; both sides would benefit, because drugs relate to international border crossing crimes, and drugs target the United States as one big drug market in the word. Therefore, the United States has also an obligation to combat drugs.’ Mr. Lour Ramin added, ‘Because Cambodia does not have much experience and human resources in this work, we need help from the United States in the field of techniques, human resources, and other fields, and we need international cooperation.’

“The interest for an US administrative office to combat drugs in Cambodia by anti-drug officials of Cambodia was acknowledged by the US Embassy, but there is no official letter from the government of Cambodia. Mr. John Johnson, the new spokesperson of the US Embassy in Cambodia, explained to Khmer Sthapana clearly in Khmer on Thursday, ‘We have not received an official request from the government of Cambodia for the creation of an US anti-drug office in Cambodia. However, we have cooperated well with the anti-drug office in Bangkok. Therefore, if there are drug related activities in Cambodia, the office in Bangkok will intervene.’

“Mr. Lour Ramin reported about the drug situation in Cambodia nowadays, ‘We see that drug problems in Cambodia decline after the election. However, it does not mean that criminals stop their actions, because there are still places related to drugs; the Golden Triangle and Golden Crescent still continue to grow drug plants and produce drugs, so drugs continue to appear. As long as there is drug production, the authorities still continue to combat drugs and will never disregard them.’”

Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #68, 8.8.2008

The Golden Triangle is one of Asia’s two main illicit opium-producing areas. It is an area of around 350,000 square kilometers that overlaps the mountains of four countries of Southeast Asia: Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand.

The Golden Crescent is the name given to Asia’s principal area of illicit opium production, located at the crossroads of Central, South, and Western Asia. This space overlaps three nations, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, whose mountainous peripheries define the crescent.

Source: Wikipedia
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:Friday, 8 August 2008