Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PHNOMPENH391
2009-06-11 07:38:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Phnom Penh
Cable title:  

MINI-DUBLIN GROUP DISCUSSES CAMBODIA'S DRUG

Tags:  SNAR PGOV ASEC PREL EAID CB 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #0391/01 1620738
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 110738Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0817
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 0168
RUEHNA/DEA HQS WASHDC
RHMFIUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMUNB/JIATF WEST
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PHNOM PENH 000391 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DJ, EAP/RSP, INL/AAE -- BRANDON NEUKAM
BANGKOK FOR DEA, TCAO -- SCOTT ROLSTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV ASEC PREL EAID CB
SUBJECT: MINI-DUBLIN GROUP DISCUSSES CAMBODIA'S DRUG
PROBLEMS

REF: A. PHNOM PENH 377

B. PHNOM PENH 203

C. 07 PHNOM PENH 515

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PHNOM PENH 000391

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DJ, EAP/RSP, INL/AAE -- BRANDON NEUKAM
BANGKOK FOR DEA, TCAO -- SCOTT ROLSTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV ASEC PREL EAID CB
SUBJECT: MINI-DUBLIN GROUP DISCUSSES CAMBODIA'S DRUG
PROBLEMS

REF: A. PHNOM PENH 377

B. PHNOM PENH 203

C. 07 PHNOM PENH 515


1. (SBU) Summary: Representatives from the embassies of
Australia, U.S., France, EU, Japan, and Denmark met with
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Royal
Government of Cambodia (RGC) officials June 4 to discuss the
current situation, policies and donor coordination in
relation to drugs in Cambodia. Identified needs for
improving the drug control system included measures to
advance overall governance and fight corruption. Post
outlined current U.S. efforts to improve the RGC's capacity
to combat illicit druges. While the majority of the
discussion focused on issues related to enforcement and
prosecution, donors also raised the need for more
coordination in the area of prevention, especially in the
often neglected areas of treatment and rehabilitation. End
Summary.

Current Situation
--------------


2. (SBU) Although the exact number of drug users in Cambodia
does not exist, the National Authority for Combating Drugs
(NACD) estimates 5,900 users, the National Center for
HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STD (NCHADS) estimates 13,000, and
in 2004 UNAIDS estimated that there were 46,000 illicit drug
users. According to NGOs and law enforcement experts working
in the field, the actual figures are likely to be much higher
than any of these estimates. The main drug of choice is
yama, which is the tablet form of methamphetamine, although
crystal meth use ("ice") is surging. According to NACD, 77%
of drug users are below the age of 26. Data now indicates
that the drug problem in Cambodia has spread further into the
rural areas, with the highest usage in the provinces
bordering Laos and Thailand. Surprisingly, according to NACD
statistics, Phnom Penh falls into the mid range of illicit
drug use, with Siem Reap falling into the low range. The HIV
prevalence rate among general drug users is only slightly
higher than the national average. However, among injecting
drug users (IDUs),it is estimated at 24.4%.


3. (SBU) Given Cambodia's porous borders, corruption, and

weak law enforcement, it has historically been an easy target
for traffickers of illicit cargo. Heroin made in Burmese and
Lao drug labs as well as cocaine and ecstasy are trafficked
through Cambodian international airports, land and maritime
borders. The arrest of Chinese nationals involved in large
narcotics cases suggests linkages with transnational criminal
syndicates. A surge of activity related to West African
organized crime elements is of concern to the Cambodian
Anti-Drug Department. An NGO contact told Poloff that the
West Africans have introduced glass pipes to Cambodians for
smoking ice and other drugs. The recent discovery of large
scale clandestine laboratories (Refs B & C),small scale
tableting operations, and evidence of safrole-rich oil
production all suggest that Cambodia has evolved from merely
transit to production. UNODC contends that the majority of
meth tablets feeding the growing domestic demand are produced
by mixing methamphetamines manufactured in other countries
with local adulterants which generate higher quantities of
lower grade drugs.

Weaknesses
--------------


4. (SBU) Ideally, increased drug consumption is tackled by
both enforcement and prevention. However, drug users have
historically been seen as criminals rather than victims in
need of assistance in Cambodia. Consequently, there has been
an over-reliance on law enforcement and prosecution
approaches at the expense of demand reduction efforts.
Poloff has noted an increased understanding on the part of
the RGC that demand reduction strategies are also needed in
order to effectively control drug use. However, there are
limited resources and little to no capacity in this area.
Public drug treatment centers are run by several different
ministries, from Health to Interior to Defense, with no
single standard of care. They are primarily compulsory
military-style boot camps with an overarching philosophy of
detention and control. A recent USAID assessment suggested

PHNOM PENH 00000391 002 OF 003


that the centers provide very little in the way of addiction
programming. Experts believe that these centers do not meet
the real needs on the ground and feel a shift toward
community-based drug treatment services is needed in order to
provide a realistic option for those who are voluntarily in
search of treatment.


5. (SBU) Corruption, low educational levels, low salaries,
limited budgets, hierarchical decision making processes, weak
systems and limited information sharing between agencies all
affect the quality of public services in Cambodia. Although
the RGC's drug control policy has focused on enforcement,
police capacity remains weak. According to Moek Dara,
Secretary General of NACD, of the 660 anti-drug officers
throughout Cambodia, only 20% have received training and 50%
have no capacity to act. Police training, when received, is
often inadequate, with little emphasis on human rights and
service to the public. Many police, prosecutors and judges
do not understand the current drug law. According to UNODC,
systemic improvements within the judicial system such as
improved cooperation between police, prosecutors and
investigative judges, are required in order to improve drug
control in Cambodia.


6. (SBU) The RGC has responded to the increasing complexity
of the drug situation in Cambodia by introducing a new draft
"Law on Drug Control" which would replace the 1996 drug law.
The new law is intended to increase the severity of
punishments, strengthen provisions on seizure and forfeiture
of property, and improve procedural requirements. The RGC
invited UNODC and several stakeholders to workshops during
various drafting stages to ensure the law is consistent with
UN conventions. The World Health Organization and NGOs
fought and eventually won a battle to include the following
statement in the draft law: "The provision of health
services, including harm reduction services, to drug users
should not be considered as a facilitating factor for illicit
drug use." The draft has received opposition from the
Ministry of Justice over procedural articles, and the
National Bank which rejected portions pertaining to money
laundering as not being harmonized with the 2007 Anti Money
Laundering Law. However, according to the NACD, the Prime
Minister and Minister of Interior both strongly back the
draft law and NACD expects it will be passed before the end
of the year. UNODC and others fear that, although the new
law is now acceptable to most stakeholders and meets
international standards, there is limited capacity within the
RGC to develop the required regulations and procedures to
support its implementation.

Current U.S. Efforts
--------------


7. (SBU) Through USAID, the Embassy provides HIV/AIDS funding
which benefits some drug users, particularly IDUs.
Approximately 25 law enforcement officials each year receive
drug related training at ILEA in Bangkok. Bangkok-based DEA
agents provide technical assistance, training, and limited
resources to the Cambodian Anti-Drug Department. JIATF-West
has provided infrastructure and held two counter-narcotics
trainings in the past seven months for military, gendarmerie,
police and officials from Cambodia's twelve Border Liaison
Offices (B.L.O.). The U.S. Department of Defense is
concentrating on raising capacity within the maritime
security realm and will have several workshops and training
events this year (Ref A). In 2007, INL funds were used to
provide drug treatment training sessions through Daytop. Our
2010 INL budget includes funding for a Senior Law Enforcement
Advisor who will focus on basic police capacity building.
Post has submitted a 1207 request which, if approved, would
provide funds for drug awareness training and community
policing.

Comment
--------------


8. (SBU) The meeting of the Mini-Dublin group produced no
surprises. Corruption, weak rule of law, and low human
resource capacity plague all sectors of public service.
Donors are all too aware of the issues, especially the need
for basic capacity building within the law enforcement
community. Meeting regularly to discuss these issues allows

PHNOM PENH 00000391 003 OF 003


for donors to avoid duplication and more efficiently plan
future funding. NACD has requested more input into donor
programs and UNODC echoed this as well as the need for better
coordination. The meeting also highlighted the need for
further technical assistance, deliberation and a coordinated
approach to improving drug treatment and rehabilitation.
Most donors agreed that future funding in this area should be
focused on a community-based approach, which would also serve
to promote the RGC's decentralization initiative. Likewise,
law enforcement tactics need to shift from reactive and
centrally controlled to participatory and locally controlled.
As we have seen in the U.S. and elsewhere, the fight against
drugs is not easily won even with considerable resources.
The RGC seems to have the will to tackle the problems but
severely lacks necessary resources, strategy and capacity.

RODLEY