The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2022 under the theme ‘Better Knowledge for Better Care’ was observed across Manipur.
In Tengnoupal, the day was jointly organised by the Kuki Students Organisation Moreh Block and the Moreh Youth Club in Moreh on Saturday. Students, teachers and leaders of various CSOs took out a silent rally against the illicit drug trafficking in the town
The rally started from Moreh Forest Gate and proceeded towards Moreh Bazar, custom station, Moreh Gate No 2 and concluded at HTC office Moreh. Placards that read ‘No to drugs, Yes to life’ and ‘Against the drug traffickers’ were used in the rally.
CO 5 Assam Rifles, Moreh Colonel Raza Israil; additional SP (Law and Order), Moreh O Sukumar; superintendent LCS, Moreh SK Gangte along with leaders from Hill Tribal Council, Meetei Council Moreh, Tamil Sangam Moreh, Gorkha Samaj Samiti, Manipuri Muslim Council Moreh, Kuki women Union and Human Rights, Kuki Chief Association, Tengnoupal, Kuki Khanglai Lawmpi, HTC unit 1-13 and Kuki Chief Associationn, Moreh block, Moreh Pastor Fellowship attended the programme as presidium members.
Colonel Md Raza Israil in his speech said that Moreh comes under a part of drug traffickers’ zone. He stressed that the people of this town must remain free from drug users and drug traffickers. He also said that he will not remain silent to the issue of drugs and drug traffickers as a law enforcing agency. He further requested to make Manipur a drug free state and thanked the organisers for such an event at the border town.
HTC president Victor Limthang Touthang and superintendent Land Customs Station Moreh SK Gangte spoke on the various ill effects of drugs on students and grown up youths. They also spoke about the vulnerability of youths and students at Moreh from falling prey to drugs since the border town is a major transit point of drugs transported from the infamous Golden Triangle to India. They also shared about the role of parents to save their kids from the menace of drugs.
President MCM M Thoiba stressed on the importance of holding the programme at Moreh. As everyone knows that Moreh is in the list of Drug trafficking zones of the country, every organisation should jointly come out together to fight against drug traffickers and dealers, he said.
Different student organisations, youth clubs and different CSOs have come out to fight this drug menace, he said. Even the UGs have issued public notice to stop drug related business in the town, he added. He observed that many drug traffickers are caught by the government agencies but the kingpins have not been arrested yet. He further appealed to the present state government to work more to arrest the kingpins.
Different CSOs leaders also commented on how they can work together to stop drug traffickers and to end the drug menace of the town. The laid stress that every organisation should jointly come out to stop drug trafficking and highlighted that proper rules should be framed so that every community can follow.
MYC president made an appeal to the Assam Rifles, Police and District Administration to contact their Myanmar counterparts and destroy the Drug Dens within two weeks.
While appealing to the authority concerned to take up initiatives for busting the drug dens and labs, Philip K Khongsai said that life of many youths and students will be ruined if the labs are not traced and destroyed at the earliest.
As a part of the event, KSO and MYC jointly submitted a memorandum to the government official and leaders of different CSOs to give full cooperation and support to the activities taken up by the two organisations in fighting the drug traffickers and drug users.
Inmates and board members of Drug Rehabilitation Centres - Adullam Rehab centre, Hope Centre and Asha Bhawan also joined the programme. Students and teachers from different schools of the town also took part in the event.
Kangpokpi Police observed the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
Kangpokpi police joined the nation in observing the day by taking out a rally on Saturday morning.
The rally organised under the motto, ‘Nasha se Azadi Pakhwada’ was held under the aegis of SP Kangpokpi. It was participated by hundreds of personnel and officials of Kangpokpi police station including women police personnel, reserve line Kangpokpi and personnel of 4th IRB Kalapahar Outpost.
The district police cops who took part in the rally held placards that read, ‘No to Drugs, Yes to life’, ‘Let’s save our youth’, ‘Let’s make Kangpokpi district a drug-free society’, ‘Health is Wealth’, ‘Let’s join anti-drugs campaign’, etc. during the rally from Kangpokpi police station to SP Kangpokpi office via the Trans Asian Highway No.1 which returned via the same route to culminate at the station.
The rally aimed to raise awareness of the major problem that illicit drugs represent to society and also to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving the goal of a world free of drug abuse.
The Kangpokpi police under its female police chief SP Kangpokpi Amrita Sinha and her subordinate officers remarkably made three major drug hauls during the past few months in the district apart from other seizures under the state Government’s ‘War on Drugs 2.0’ campaign and even received recognition and reward from the state government.
The day was also observed at Kangchup Police Station by organising a rally from Singda Bazar to Tuikun bazar with the participation of 22 Assam Rifles, Kangchup COB, and villagers of Tuikun which culminated at Tuikun village.
The participants held banners and placards that read, ‘Drugs no more’, ‘The more you use, the less you live’, etc.
Around 55 personnel took part in the event.
At New Keithelmanbi Police Station, an awareness programme was conducted with the participation of the village chiefs, KSO volunteers, local youth club members, women union leaders, and 10 Assam Rifles Noney Battalion, Kotlen COB.
The participants pledged for a drug-free society during the awareness programme and declared support for the Government’s ‘War on Drugs’ campaign.
More than 60 personnel participated in the event.
Saikul Police Station will organise a similar rally on June 26 along with CSOs Saikul and the local youths to commemorate the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and also conduct an awareness programme at Saikul Hill Town after the rally.
Gamnom-Saparmeina Police Station will also organise an awareness programme as part of the observance of the day on June 27 at the premise of the police station with the participation of the chiefs’ association and women union of the area.
