Time: Tue Jul 15 22:36:45 1997 by primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id WAA11866 for [address in tool bar]; Tue, 15 Jul 1997 22:36:52 -0700 (MST) by usr03.primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id WAA03162; Tue, 15 Jul 1997 22:36:06 -0700 (MST) Date: Tue, 15 Jul 1997 22:35:42 -0700 To: (Recipient list suppressed) From: Paul Andrew Mitchell [address in tool bar] Subject: SLS: UN Commission in Vienna, July, 7-9th 1997 (fwd) <snip> > >-------------------------------------------- >DRUG ANTIPROHIBITIONISM >-------------------------------------------- > >>>> THE TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PARTY'S SPEECH AT THE UNITED NATIONS > >The Transnational Radical Party delivered, for the first time, a speech >addressed to the UN Commission in Vienna that is responsible for preparing >the Special Session for the UN General Assembly that will be held in 1998. > >In its speech, the TRP emphasized the fact that the same official UN >documents and reports (the latest of which is the recently published Global >Report, which estimates that 8% of the world's commerce consists of drug >distribution) cannot be read as anything other than a confirmation of the >disastrous results of current policies. Such an observation has yet to be >reflected upon within the UN for the necessity of reforming the >International Conventions, which are actually modelled upon a strict >prohibitionism. (The entire text of the speech follows.) > >-------------------------------------------- >DRUG ANTIPROHIBITIONISM : THE SPEECH >-------------------------------------------- > >COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS > >acting as preparatory body for the special session of the General Assembly > >Vienna, July, 7-9th 1997 > >STATEMENT BY THE TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PARTY > > >Mr. Chairman, > >The Transnational Radical Party has already expressed its criticism of the >policies adopted so far by the United Nations regarding the problem of >substances that are placed under international control by the International >Conventions. These, however, have not prevented us from attentively >monitoring the effects of the policies of the governing bodies. Such >attentive analyses remain a point of reference and are the point of >departure for this document. > >Certain passages of the 1996 International Committee Report on narcotics >control are exemplary of how the current policies have worsened current >problems and created new deficiencies, and without ever considering, in a >pragmatic sense, that these policies are not only inefficient, but also >harmful. > >The second paragraph of the first chapter of the report states the >following: "The Committee has documented an increase in the amount of >opiates, amphetamines, and other psychotropic substances, as well as >cocaine, that have been seized in recent years [...] This evolution reveals >both the aggravation of the problem of drug abuse, but is due also to the >improvement of the means of repression." > >The third paragraph states: "The Committee believes that, despite the >intensification of repressive strategies, the production and shipment of >drugs, as well as their consumption has extended to regions of the world >which, before recently, had never known the problem". > >In the fourth paragraph, it is concluded that the actual situation, which >strikes small scale dealers and consumers more than the large distributors, >"can generate a sentiment of injustice and unfairness towards the penal >system in the hearts of the people. Many jurisdictions are subject to the >combined effect of the intense distribution and consumption of illegal >drugs, as well as the effects of stronger repressive measures and a larger >prison population." > >The sections cited above relate to only one dimension of the drug problem, >which is that of the difficulties encountered by the penal system. > >More explicitly, in its February 9th, 1996 resolution the General Assembly >declared its "profound worry for the fact that, despite the increasing >effort of nations and international organizations, the demand has increased >for the illicit production and distribution of drugs and psychotropic >substances, including synthetic and "designer" drugs, and, by consequence, >that the global dissemination of these drugs seriously threatens the >socio-economic systems, politics, and stability of nations and the >sovereignty of an increasing number of states." > >Neither the Committee nor the General Assembly, at the conclusion of their >analyses, confronted the question of the cause of the onslaught or what >remedies are now required. On one side, the power of the criminals tied to >drug trafficking must already be coldly considered, as it is an >incontrovertible fact and an inevitable of our times and our societies, >and, on the other, we must reaffirm that this must not prevent us from >fighting them with all of the necessary resources. > >The final bell of warning, which risks being rung in vain, is the World >Drug Report presented by the UNDCP two weeks ago. The methodological rigor >and seriousness of the scientific analysis conducted therein paints a >shocking picture of the diffusion of drugs throughout the world, and is >able to expand upon solutions in correct terms of damage reduction and >legalization. It is a pity that the UNDCP has taken a step away from its >report, and does not assume the responsibility of representing these >debates by utilizing the space to maneuver that it has been provided with. > >Mr. Chairman, > >If the United Nations Conference is to be prepared upon these >presuppositions, the future is already lost. The experience of these >policies has not brought any benefits, whether direct or indirect, and the >value of its analyses are increasingly negative, to the point that it seems >extremely difficult to change course without deep reforms. As has been >noted, the failed arrival at an objective of the International Conventions >is not as worrisome as the damages the policies have caused in trying to >reach that objective. > >We are aware of the fact that the drug policies are a matter of individual >nations and that the role of the United Nations is to encourage and >reinforce international cooperation. At the same time, we have noted with >great pleasure, for example, that the problem of the treatment and >reduction of drug-related health risks is considered far more seriously >today than it was in the past. > >PROPOSALS OF THE TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PARTY TO THE PREPARATORY BODY FOR >THE 1998 SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY > >The Transnational Radical Party, in light of the 1998 Special Session of >the General Assembly, solicits reflection on the following: > >- on the policies adopted in certain nations which have signed the >International Conventions (for example, Islamic nations) regarding the >products derived from alcohol, a substance which is not subject to >international control; > >- on the fact that the UN cannot continue to present minimal "limits" of >the penalties, without simultaneously defining the maximum acceptable >limits more clearly. We find ourselves in the paradoxical situation of >watching the ostracization of nations that have democratically decided not >to prosecute consumers, without there ever being any sort of condemnation >for the nations that often resort to the death penalty for the simple >possession of substances that are subject to international control. > >- on the necessity of the UN's determined opposition to the extant limits >regarding the laws for the cure of citizens who are addicts, and the >consequent obstacles placed upon the freedom of physicians. > >The Transnational Radical Party, in view of the 1998 Special Session of the >General Assembly, proposes a pragmatic work method: to conceive political >decisions for the goal of controlling the problem, beginning with the >acquisition and study, of all the available scientific facts. > >To this end we would suggest to the Preparatory body commission two >scientific studies with the aim of more throughly understanding the nature >of the reforms that are to be adopted: > >- Cost evaluation/Efficiency of the International Conventions, with >particular focus on the markets where substances that are subject to >control, and the impact of their presence upon social, economic, judicial, >and health care systems; > >Evaluation of the recent scientific researches regarding substances that >are under the control of International Conventions, and the eventual >proposal for the updating of the list of substances that are to be placed >under international control. > >An open political debate within the Preparatory Body that will result in >the revision of the International Conventions should also be considered. We >are not the only ones who request such a discussion. The European >Parliament, in its report on the European Union's plan of action for >1995-1999, has recommended that a conference should be held which will >"encourage reflection and analysis of the results of current policies, as >they have been dictated by the UN Conventions of 1961, 1971, and 1988, and >to also open the way for an eventual revision of those conventions." > >Thank you Mr. Chairman. > > >_________________________________________________________________________ >Posted by: >Arthur Livermore >LIVERMORE CONSULTANTS alive@pacifier.com >P.O. Box 36 http://www.pacifier.com/~alive/ >Arch Cape, OR 97102 USA Copyright (c) 1997 by Arthur Livermore >503-436-1882 All rights reserved > <snip> ======================================================================== Paul Andrew Mitchell : Counselor at Law, federal witness B.A., Political Science, UCLA; M.S., Public Administration, U.C. Irvine tel: (520) 320-1514: machine; fax: (520) 320-1256: 24-hour/day-night email: [address in tool bar] : using Eudora Pro 3.0.3 on 586 CPU website: http://www.supremelaw.com : visit the Supreme Law Library now ship to: c/o 2509 N. Campbell, #1776 : this is free speech, at its best Tucson, Arizona state : state zone, not the federal zone Postal Zone 85719/tdc : USPS delays first class w/o this As agents of the Most High, we came here to establish justice. We shall not leave, until our mission is accomplished and justice reigns eternal. ======================================================================== [This text formatted on-screen in Courier 11, non-proportional spacing.]
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