Int’l conference on drug prevention opens in Da Nang

The international conference on drug prevention in the Far East Regional Working Group opened in Da Nang city on December 5.

Photo: VOV

The two-day event has attracted 19 members including Vietnam, Australia, Brunei, Darusalam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Timor Leste and Thailand.

Participants reviewed the results of drug prevention activities in the Far East region since April 2012, approved members’ reports on the fight against drug crime, proposed solutions to improve the efficiency of drug prevention activities in the Far East Regional Working Group.

They also discussed ways to build a mechanism for regional nations to share information related to the anti-drug fight across the border, consolidate solidarity and friendship and strengthen cooperation in drug prevention mong nations.

Delegates also got updated on the growing trend of using ecstasy and other new drugs and proposed a plan for cooperation in drug prevention.

Illegal firecrackers seized in north

Customs officers in the northern province of Quang Ninh seized nearly 300 kilos of illegally imported firecrackers and two motorbikes on Tuesday.

Two suspects, who were illegally transporting the made-in-China firecrackers, escaped. The case is under investigation.

The production, trade and use of firecrackers have been banned in Viet Nam since 1994 for safety reasons. The Prime Minister recently renewed his call for local governments to clamp down on any activity related to firecrackers as the Tet (lunar new year) festival approaches.

Rising gender gap causes alarm

More than 200 experts discussed measures to deal with gender inequality at birth, promote the role of the elderly and prevent family violence at a two-day conference in Da Nang City that ended yesterday.

Viet Nam faced an alarming gender disparity, with a ratio of 112 boys born for every 100 girls in 2012, said Tran Ngoc Thanh, an official from the Viet Nam's Farmers Association.

"Men in the Hong (Red) River Delta region still prefer their wives to give birth to boys, creating a significant disparity in the gender ratio, " Thanh said.

Although such an imbalance had not yet occurred in the coastal central and Central Highlands region, it would likely happen in the not-too-distant future.

Hoa Huu Van, deputy head of the Family Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that 32 per cent of 4,860 married women participating in a survey reported experiencing physical violence and 10 per cent had suffered sex violence at home.

Among 166,000 violations in 2009-12, women were the major victims. They accounted for 64.43 per cent of victims, while children and the elderly made up 14,8 per cent and 9.7 per cent respectively, he said.

"The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta region was revealed to be a hotbed of sex violence, with 42 per cent of women saying they had experienced sex violence from their husbands," he added.

He said the elderly were also frequent victims of domestic violence, and that the country's population was significantly aging.

In 2011 people over 65 accounted for 7 per cent of the country's population (87.61 million).

Twenty-four robbery suspects arrested

Police in the central province of Quang Ngai arrested 24 people on Tuesday accused of being part of a burglary ring.
Investigations found that most of the suspects were drug addicts. According to local police, the suspects were reportedly involved in 78 thefts, stealing property worth over VND100 million (US$4,790).

From July to September, local police received numerous reports of petty theft from local residents, prompting them to plan the swoop.

MDEC forum in Tien Giang

The 2012 Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation forum (MDEC) is being held in the southern province of Tien Giang from December 5-9.

The highlight is the Mekong Delta Farmer Forum, which provides a useful dialogue channel for state and local policy makers and managers to listen to proposals by businesses and farmers in the region.

On the occasion, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) has introduced the Council of the Mekong Delta Business Association.

At an international consultative conference on the plan for Mekong Delta development until 2100, participants discussed policies to boost the production and consumption of three major local goods, namely rice, fruit and seafood and worked out solutions to overcome the negative impact of climate change and achieve sustainable development.

Residents evacuated from landslide area

The Central Highlands province of Lam Dong's People's Committee has ordered the evacuation of local residents from the low-lying Dak Long Thuong Reservoir in Bao Lam District.

Landslides covering an of 5,000 sq.m hit the reservoir last Saturday, but the reasons for the disaster remain unknown.
Representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and local authorities are working together to establish the cause.

Vietnam, UNODC enhance anti-crime cooperation

The Vietnamese Government and the United Nations (UN) have signed a joint plan for the 2012–2016 period on closer cooperation between Vietnam and UN bodies including the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Lieut. General Pham Quy Ngo, Deputy Minister of Public Security, welcomed the signing at a reception for UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov in Hanoi on December 4.

Ngo said the Vietnamese Party and State have devised crime prevention measures and encouraged the general population involve themselves in the fight against crime, contributing to protecting national security and social order.

The police force has been key to mobilising the collective strength of the political system in combating crime, launching public movements to ensure security and order, addressing social issues such as poverty reduction and material and spiritual improvement, and revamping legal institutions.

The Ministry of Public Security (MoPC) has promoted crime prevention and control collaboration with countries sharing a common border, regional nations, and other foreign organisations, Ngo said.

The UNODC Chief praised the effectiveness of the productive relationship between his organisation and the MoPC, adding that Vietnam must engage in cooperation initiatives to control cross-border drug transport and trafficking and cut off emerging crime.

UNODC is willing to help Vietnam carry out its action program for drug control and anti-human trafficking during the 2012-2015 period, Fedotov said. It will also assist with the agreements and protocols already signed.

VNN/VOV/VNS