Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06CHENGDU1249
2006-12-07 12:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Chengdu
Cable title:  

MIXED MESSAGES ON NARCOTICS TREATMENT IN KUNMING

Tags:  SNAR PGOV PHUM CH 
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VZCZCXRO8923
RR RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHCN #1249 3411206
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 071206Z DEC 06
FM AMCONSUL CHENGDU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2321
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEABND/DEA HQ WASHDC
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 2793
C O N F I D E N T I A L CHENGDU 001249 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM
STATE ALSO FOR INL/THOMAS BROWNE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/7/2016
TAGS: SNAR PGOV PHUM CH
SUBJECT: MIXED MESSAGES ON NARCOTICS TREATMENT IN KUNMING

REF: CHENGDU 1083

CLASSIFIED BY: James Boughner, Acting Consul General, Chengdu,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



C O N F I D E N T I A L CHENGDU 001249

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM
STATE ALSO FOR INL/THOMAS BROWNE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/7/2016
TAGS: SNAR PGOV PHUM CH
SUBJECT: MIXED MESSAGES ON NARCOTICS TREATMENT IN KUNMING

REF: CHENGDU 1083

CLASSIFIED BY: James Boughner, Acting Consul General, Chengdu,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (C) Summary. Officials from the Ministry of Public Security
(MPS) in Beijing recently visited Kunming's Daytop Drug Abuse
Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (Daytop) Director facilities
to learn more about its treatment and counseling centers, in
addition to methadone maintenance clinics and needle exchange
programs funded by other donors. However, Daytop officials tell
of routine arrests and harassment by local security officials of
narcotics users attempting to visit their "drop-in" treatment
and counseling centers. End summary.


2. (SBU) During a November 30-December 3 visit to Kunming by INL
Training Coordinator Thomas Browne, Econoff met with officials
from the Yunnan Institute for Drug Abuse (YIDA) and visited
Daytop's main treatment facility and a "drop-in" center located
in an area of Kunming notorious for drug use. The purpose of
the visit was to observe Daytop's current operations, to discuss
possibilities for expansion of the Daytop model to other areas
in China, and to discuss with YIDA the possibility of using that
agency's facilities for training of rehabilitation therapists.
A previous visit to Daytop was reported reftel, and included a
full explanation of Daytop's operations and treatment model.


3. (C) Daytop Director Yang Maobin told Econoff and Browne that,
the day before their arrival, several officials from Beijing
(whom Yang identified as coming from MPS) had visited Kunming.
Yang said he had accompanied them to Daytop's residential
treatment facility, and the visitors had taken many photographs
of the facility, as well as talking to staff.


4. (C) However, during a visit to one "drop-in" counseling and
treatment center located in an area of Kunming notorious for
drug trafficking and use, Yang and center staff complained of
arrests by local police of drug users just outside the center's
exit. According to Yang, this has resulted in a significant
drop in the number of drug users taking advantage of the
center's services. During Econoff's visit, the only activity
was a meeting of a Narcotics Anonymous chapter, consisting of
addicts in recovery who have supposedly ceased using drugs.


5. (C) Comment: Daytop's treatment model may be getting welcome
attention from China's central government, but local police
intent on fulfilling arrest quotas still see users as easy
targets, even when those users are seeking help. The short
message is that, in drug treatment as in other areas of
government activity, lack of coordination between central
government policy and local government action can hinder
implementation of what on paper could be effective policies.


6. (SBU) This cable has been cleared by INL Training Coordinator
Thomas Browne.

BOUGHNER