Traffickers see Indonesia as 'easy' drug market

With an estimated 3.9 percent of the 220 million people nationwide, or around 8.58 million people, either using illegal drugs and/or trafficking them, the National Narcotics Body (BNN) has a pile of work to do. The BNN director, Comr. Gen. Togar Sianipar, spokes to The Jakarta Post's Evi Mariani on the difficulties in curbing drug trafficking in the country.

Question: In commemorating World Anti-Drugs Day, on June 26, can you explain some of the important things that the public should know when it comes to cracking down on drugs here?

Answer: Last year, only 1 percent of the population, or around 2.2 million people, were known to be drug abusers in Indonesia, based on data from the Bangkok-based United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

However, the last survey conducted in December and January by BNN and the University of Indonesia has shown a shocking increase in drug abusers that now reaches 3.9 percent of the population. The survey also shows that drug trafficking has reached many far- flung towns.

Data from the government shows that from 1997 to 2001 there were an estimated 800 drug abusers aged between six and 12-years- old, and 7,000 abusers from 13 to 15. It also says that from 1999 to 2003, 64 percent of surveyed abusers were between 15 and 29, while 34 percent were above 30.

The numbers make it clear that most abusers are in their productive years. The trend will continue to rise and it needs a serious attention from all parties.

Is it possible to make Indonesia a drug-free country?

I have been asked that question many times. I have a program to make Indonesia a drug-free country by 2015. The people, they say I'm a dreamer. I am optimistic that we can reach that goal, it depends on our commitment.

The establishment of BNN shows the government's political will to fight drug dealing.

Since 2002, BNN has the authority not only to draw up the strategy of war against drugs but also to execute it. The government has allocated funds from the state budget for the BNN -- Rp 105 billion (US$11.17 million) this year. It was Rp 100 billion last year.

The government has also supported the war against drugs by issuing instructions to all provincial administrations and municipalities to establish Provincial Narcotics Bodies (BNP) and City Narcotics Bodies (BNK).

Now almost all provinces have a BNP, except for Bangka Belitung and Central Sulawesi. But they will open their BNP offices in the near future.

BNN has seriously pushed for the death sentence for several drug traffickers. What is the result of those efforts?

The last time Indonesia sent a drug convict to the firing squad was in 1994. We've not done it since, even though we currently have 34 drug convicts on death row.

I pushed for the executions recently and talked to the press about the issue. I also arranged a meeting with the Supreme Court for the execution.

Finally, there is a result. The North Sumatra Prosecutor's Office already issued the execution permit for an Indian citizen Ayodhya Prasad Chabey. North Sumatra Police have prepared their firing squad, but I can't reveal the time and place (of the execution).

Why do you think it is important for Indonesia to execute the convicts?

I had several meetings with officials from UNODC and some embassies including Nigeria. They all said that foreign traffickers prefer Indonesia over, say, Singapore, Malaysia or Thailand as their target market. Those countries have implemented draconian methods in dealing with drug dealers, so people think twice about doing business in those places.

They see Indonesia as an easy target because we have not been able to implement such tough measures against drug traffickers.

There are 124 official entry points throughout this archipelago, but security is weak. It's very easy to smuggle drugs into the country.

Indeed, many Nigerians have become drug dealers in Indonesia. But we can't just blame them. The poor law enforcement has encouraged them to smuggle and sell drugs here.

What do you expect will be the impact of the execution of Ayodhya?

I hope the execution will have a deterrent effect on other would-be traffickers. It will show the world that Indonesia is enforcing the law. I also hope that after Ayodhya, the prosecutor's office will execute the others on death row. We can't wait another 10 years to do it.