From cora.belgique@agora.stm.it Thu Apr 9 17:42:51 1998 Received: from agora.stm.it (agora.stm.it [195.62.32.1]) From: cora.belgique@agora.stm.it Received: from default (ppp04-05.dial-access.stm.it [195.62.37.197]) by agora.stm.it (8.8.8/8.8.5) with SMTP id PAA18793; Thu, 9 Apr 1998 15:59:10 +0200 (ITADST) Message-Id: <199804091359.PAA18793@agora.stm.it> Comments: Authenticated sender is To: "CORAFax -EN-" Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1998 16:02:57 +0000 X-Distribution: Moderate MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Subject: CORAFax #7 (EN) Priority: normal X-mailer: Pegasus Mail for Win32 (v2.54) < ANTIPROHIBITIONISTS OF THE ENTIRE WORLD...#7> Antiprohibitionist action report April, 9 1998 - (Year 4) #7 ===================================== CO.R.A. | | Radical | Association federated with Antiprohibitionist | the Transnational Coordination | Radical Party ===================================== OLD - Observatory of laws on drugs ---------------------------------------------- PAA - PARLAMENTARIANS FOR ANTIPROHIBITIONIST ACTION European campaign for the revision of international conventions ======================================== Via di Torre Argentina 76 00186 ROME Tel:+39-6-68.97.91 Fax:+39-6-68.80.53.96 E-mail: cora.italia@agora.stm.it ___________________________ ________________________________________ Rue Belliard 97 c/o European Parliament Rem 5.08 1040 BRUSSELS Tel:+32-2-230.41.21 - 646.26.31 Fax:+32-2-230.36.70 E-mail: cora.belgique@agora.stm.it ________________________________________ *CORAnet http://www.agora.stm.it/coranet (in Italian) ======================================= Director: Vincenzo Donvito All rights reserved --------------------------------------------------------------------- ITALY: NATIONAL MOBILIZATION 56 denounces filed by CORA on the negligence of public services for drug addiction. After the cities of Pisa and Campobasso took into consideration the complaint, the general procurator has decided to take action on a larger scale. CORA writes to the pre sident of the Commission for the Investigation of the Sanitary System. ARLACCHI/BONINO/TALIBANS AFTER PINO ARLACCHI'S LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IN WHICH HE STRONGLY CRITICIZED BONINO'S SKEPTICISM ON UN DRUG-RELATED ISSUES IN AFGHANISTAN, MEMBERS OF THE RADICAL PARTY TAKE HER PARTS. DECLARATION OF MEPS GIANFRANCO DELL'ALBA AND OLIVIER DUPUIS, SECRETARY OF THE RADICAL PARTY. With his behavior, quite similar to his taliban friends, Pino Arlacchi manifests also at an international level his arrogance and justicialism already known in his Italian activities. Bonino is to blame for having said loud and clear what everybody is th inking about Mr. Arlacchi's project of financing the talibans for a crop eradication project that, that is, to say the least, a nonsense. Does Mr. Arlacchi know that the European Parliament has unanimously adopted last February a resolution on Afghanistan in which, besides reiterating its "firm condemnation of the taliban regime" it also expressed its "preoccupation for the agreement reach ed by UNDCP and the talibans"? Does he know that the EP also invited "the European Commission and the Member States to closely monitor the actual implementation of the agreement;" and urged the international community to suspend all the cooperation, including Arlacchi's, with the exce ption of humanitarian aid in the country? Does he know that the Vice-President of the European Commission Mr. Marin, in his intervention at the European Parliament has affirmed that "the Commission shares the preoccupation of the EP on the feasibility of the UNDCP project in conjunction with the talibans [...] and that the current situation in Afghanistan cannot allow the implementation of such a project"? Does he know that the UN has recently withdrawn its officers from the region? CORA ON THE BONINO/ARLACCHI AFFAIR The taliban of anti-drugs Mr. Arlacchi is isolated. His arrogant letter to the President of the European Commission Jacques Santer is a clear evidence. Good for Mr. Snater to have replied with the same tone. The letter sounds like a direct threat to 'non-aligned' on the eve of the UNGA Special Session on Narcotics, which Mr. Arlacchi wants to armor against any criticism on the failures of the prohibitionist strategy of the UN. Mr. Arlacchi should be more cau tious, because this behavior could backfire on him. THE NETHERLANDS Nimwegen - The police have halted representatives of "Centrum Demokraten", the party of the conservative right, while they were giving heroin to addicts in order to collect signatures to present candidates in the next May elections. Party leader Hans Jan maat told "De Telegraaf" that his organization is not against this type of practice. (SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG 26/3) AUSTRIA The spokesperson for the Minister of Justice, Gerhard Litzka has affirmed that the increasing criminalization of youth for drug-related activities must be stopped. It is much more important to inform them than to punish them. Mr. Litzka has also said tha t when Austria will be the rotating President of the European Union it will try to raise the question of alternative models of support to addicts. (DIE PRESSE 26/3) SWITZERLAND The spokesperson for the Minister of Health Lorenz Hess has rendered public the favorable opinion of the Ethic Commission regarding the enlargement of the controlled heroin distribution program to 200 new addicts. The Commission has also forwarded two re quests: to offer more cures to rehabilitated addicts and establish an office for the monitoring of the experimentation. SAN MARINO In a workshop hosted by the Council of Europe, researchers from various European countries have gathered to discuss ecstasy. It was clear that, despite the lack of studies concerning the consequences of the use of MDMA, we can exclude physical damages or lethal effects but still monitor the cerebral metabolism. What is very dangerous is MDMA consumption with other narcotics, because it aggravates the toxic aspects of the drug and can endanger cerebral functions like concentration and/or memory. In the l ong term the major risk is depression. (FRANKFURTER ALLEGEMEINE ZEITUNG 27-18/3, IL MESSAGGERO 28/3) AUSTRIA Vienna - The local section of the Liberal Party has criticized teachers in favor the distribution of hashish. Party Counselor Karin Landauer, quoting a study according to which 65% of Austrian teachers are for free hashish, has affirmed: "if it was only a personal opinion for me it would have been ok, but if they are diffusing it while working, they should be sanctioned." (DIE PRESSE 26/3) BOLIVIA The Government has started to diminish the subsidies for coca growers that decide to join the program for alternative development. The U.S. has reduced its aid for the war on drugs, and the Government is willing to find funds somewhere else, notably the EU. Peasants, once received the money, simply move their coca crops to other fields. (FINANCIAL TIMES) MEXICO While a controversial resolution on the 'certification' of Mexico was introduced at the Senate a document of the DEA, was rendered public by the higher hous. In the text it appears that numerous high commanders of the Mexican Army continue to have relati onships with mobs of narco dealers. (EL PAIS 27-8/3) BURMA The U.S. and Japan have jointly allocated $3.8 billion to help the Government to eradicate poppy along the border. The initiative was discussed in a seminar on poppy eradication strategies held in Rangoon organized by UNDCP, the UN agency to fight drugs, in conjunction with the local and the Japanese Government. (INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE 2/4) WORLD International duel between Pino Arlacchi, Director of UNDCP, and European Commissioner Emma Bonino. The argument regards the adoption of the means for the war on drugs: Mr. Arlacchi supports the re-conversion of crops a strategy that Ms. Bonino considers old and ineffective. (LA REPUBBLICA 27/3, CORSERA, IL GIORNALE, IL MESSAGGERO, LA STAMPA 28/3) WORLD Costa Rica - At the XVI International Conference on Drug Control, the director of the Colombian police has declared that South American, Italian and Russian Mafias have struck a deal to increase the production of drugs for the European market during the football World Cup in France this coming Summer. (LE MONDE 2/4) THE NETHERLANDS A new medicine has arrived in pharmacies: Marinol, with THC tetrahydrocannabinoid - the principal active substance of marijuana. The medicine is destined to people with AIDS, cancer and sclerosis. Despite its high price the medicine sells well. (LIBERATION 30/3) FRANCE Six months, parole and some administrative sanctions. This is the penalty requested for the President of the Center the Research on Cannabis (CIRC) Jean-Pierre Galland, and for other antiprohibitionist militants that some months ago sent a joint to every French MPs. GREAT BRITAIN London - Over 1,000 people from all over Europe participated in the demonstration in support of the legalization of hashish. The march was organized by the director of the Independent of Sunday Rosie Boycott as the final event of the IoS campaign against prohibition. (CORSERA 29/3, LIBERATION, NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG, SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG 30/3) COLUMBIA Representatives of 54 Spanish and Latin American organizations have founded a network of Non-Governmental Organizations specialized on narcotics. The objective is to facilitate the cooperation and the interchange of expertise on prevention, assistance an d personell training. (EL PAIS 6/4) JOIN THE CORA ---------------------- Yes, I want to be member (send by Email, or fax, or Mail) Name and Surname ........................................ Address, Post code, City, State .......................................... Email ..................................... Occupation ............................................. Date of Birth .............................. Phone home .............. office ................. fax ...................... mobile ..................... and I am enclosing a membership fee of ..................... By means of /Postal Order to CORA /Crossed Cheque to CORA /ccp (only in Italy) /Bank Account (choose below) /Credit Card type ........................................... no ......................................................................Expiry Date ...................... MEMBERSHIP FEE OF CORA 1998 IN EUROPEAN UNION Austria 800 ATS, Belge 2000 Bfr, Denmark 500 DKK, Finland 400 FIM, France 330 FF, Germany 100 DEM, Great Britain 35 GBP, Greece 5000 GRD, Ireland 20 IEP, Italy 100.000 LIT, Luxembourg 2000 Lfr, The Netherlands 100 , LG, Portugal 5000 PTE, Spain 5000 ESB, Sweden 500 SEK BANK ACCOUNT - no. 010381 to CORA, Deutsche Bank (Abi 3002, Cab 03270), Italy - no.10067.00101.1032083440/4 to CORA, France - no. 310107591981 to CORA, Belge MAIL CCP: ONLY IN ITALY - c.c.p. 53362000 to CORA, Via di Torre Argentina 76, 00186 Roma ========= * CORA -COORDINATION RADICALE ANTIPROHIBITIONNISTE -ANTIPROHIBITIONIST RADICAL COORDINATION -COORDINAMENTO RADICALE ANTIPROIBIZIONISTA Federated with the Transnational Radical Party NGO with category I consultative status at the UN Emailto:cora.belgique@agora.stm.it http://www.agora.stm.it/coranet