THE U.A.E PLEA FOR COPTERS TO KEEP TAB ON DRUG SMUGGLERS

ABU DHABI -- To curb drug smuggling, interior ministries in the Arab
and Islamic world should deploy helicopters to keep an eye on the long
borders of the countries, urged a senior official at the Ministry of
Justice, Islamic Affairs and Awqaf.

Authorities should also utilise x-rays at airports and entry points to
detect narcotics, said Dr Mohammed bin Jumma bin Salim,
under-secretary of the ministry. He said it was necessary for
authorities to adopt radar monitoring to control drug movement. Dr
Salim's recommendations came as part of his latest book Islamic
perspective in eradicating drugs that focused on preventive measures
required to fight smuggling and trafficking of drugs.

The 515-page book sheds light on the heath hazards posed by the spread
of drugs, and the impact of drugs on the stability of societies, with
a special emphasis on the Islamic perspective concerning drugs. The
book also contains an extract about means and ways of the spread of
different drugs, natural and artificial narcotics, smuggling types, as
well as various eradication measures.

The author suggested that education ministries in the Islamic world
should integrate their syllabus at all levels to include teaching
against drug abuse. He also suggested a more active role for
information ministries to come out with constructive efforts, both in
the electronic and print media to combat drugs.

Health ministries must intensify monitoring on the dispensation of
pharmaceuticals to cure drug addicts, proposed Dr Salim, who was
honoured with the Shaikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum Award for
Scientific Distinction in 1994. He noted that health authorities
should adopt a comprehensive healthcare system at rehabilitation
centres and clinics for drug addicts to provide them with constructive
treatment and deal with them as patients and not as criminals.

At the social level, Dr Salim urged social institutions and societies
to effectively contribute to the eradication of drugs through
conducting research and in-depth studies about narcotics, and
increasing the awareness of society about different hazards posed by
drug abuse.

He also called upon social specialists and experts to focus on
correcting the wrong concepts that drugs have potential benefits.

Dr Salim has also made some set of recommendations for international
authorities, saying that a joint Islamic and international fund should
be established to enhance agricultural and industrial products of the
countries whose economies largely depended on drug agriculture prior
to the ban on cultivation of drug-linked crops in these countries. A
specified land plot should be earmarked, under the supervision of the
United Nations for growing drugs needed for medical and scientific
purposes, suggested Dr Salim. He also recommended passing of an
international law stipulating death penality for drug dealers and
cultivators, stressing the international community to show seriousness
in implementing the clauses of the law if some countries adopt
dilatory tactics.