Tough issues in hard drug-pushing

It is with heightening consternation and anxiety that the majority of the public views a seemingly continual inflow of hard drugs to Sri Lanka. The very latest instance in such trafficking centred on the surreptitious ploy to smuggle hashish into this country in parcels containing journals. More dramatic and sensational were the attempts by some visitors to this country to smuggle in hard drugs by swallowing them; that is, by veritably carrying the drugs in their tummies.

Hard drug abuse has been stubbornly persisting in this country over the years and it is also quite some time since Sri Lanka came to be recognized as an important transit point for drug smuggling in the Asian region. Drug pushing was also an important source of the LTTE's ill-gotten gains and this process helped to propel to the consciousness of the world the dreaded phenomenon of Narco-Terrorism. The Sri Lankan authorities as well as the public are quite aware that the issue of drug-pushing and abuse has been growing to some proportions in this country over the decades and there is no denying that the systems are in place to fight the menace to the extent possible. Yet, the drug abuse and trafficking issue could in no way be said to be on the retreat.

It is, admittedly, a problem which cannot be contained in a hurry on account of the myriad devious and not easily detectable ways in which drugs could be smuggled into the country and transported within it. The recent detection of hashish in manually-tampered journals was a very smart one on the part of the Postal authorities but, generally, the guile and ingenuity of the smuggler are of such a heinous kind that their wrong-doing could very well be going undetected. Accordingly, our hope is that the authorities would remain vigilant to the trickery of the drug pusher but it is an uphill task in that they would have to be on a high state of alert continuously.

The issue of hard drug abuse in this country is compounded by the fact that in very many instances some powerful persons and groups are embroiled in the process of pushing and distributing the deadly merchandize. There is the Kahawatte double murder case which threw up the involvement of some local-level politicians in drug-pushing. This factor of the influential being involved in the drug trade makes eradicating the blight of drug abuse difficult.

This has to do with the criminalization of politics and it is to the extent to which the state could decriminalize politics and prevent politicians from involving themselves in crime and anti-social activities that could render the problem of drug abuse more amenable to resolution. Therefore, hopefully, the state would crack the whip on these fiendish politicians and bring them to heel. Ideally, these errant politicians should be shown the door by all political parties and organizations that involve themselves in the matters of the public.

However, some disconcerting facts stare us in the face on the issue of drug abuse in this country. If drugs are available locally, it is because there is a demand for them in Sri Lanka. Since the number of detections of drug smuggling is tending to be sizeable the conclusion is inescapable that those abusing these drugs are also considerable in number. These issues call for in-depth research and investigations and one cannot hazard unstudied answers on the matters at issue but it is our hope that the number of drug addicts in this country are not on the rise.

Drug addiction, however, is a matter of national importance. If the lure of drugs could be successfully fought by the totality of the public, including parents, elders, religious organizations, schools and civil society organizations, besides, of course, the state, a huge dent could be made in the problem. Essentially, what needs to be done is to strengthen the character and resourcefulness of particularly the young against the evil attraction which is hard drugs.

No doubt, these projects are of a long term nature. But if successfully conducted their positive outcomes could prove to be of a durable nature. Therefore, we need to get back to our basics. We need to build persons with sound character inasmuch as we have to establish and foster good homes. These are the essential building blocks of the nation.