PRESIDENT'S TOUGH STANCE ON DRUG DEALERS HAILED

Antidrug activists have hailed President Megawati Soekarnoputri's tough stance against drug dealers, saying it was a significant step on the long road to effectively combating drug trafficking.

However, they warned that the effort would be futile unless the government formulated a clear national strategy for dealing with the issue.

A lawyer and antidrug activist, Henry Yosodiningrat, took the view that assigning the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) to take charge of coordinating the antidrug campaign without being backed up by clear strategies would not be of much use.

Drug trafficking was a complex issue and had systematic, organized, conceptual, international networks with high-skill perpetrators, Henry told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

"Does the BIN have a concept for dealing with the issue? We need to sit together and formulate a comprehensive strategy for interdicting the supply, reducing the demand and providing rehabilitation programs for both the victims and dealers," Henry, who is also the chairman of the antidrug foundation Granat, said.

He added that the most important things were political will from the government and public support.

Megawati declared war on Monday against drug trafficking by calling for capital punishment for major offenders.

She also slammed the National Narcotics Coordinating Agency's (BKKN) sluggish performance in dealing with the problem, and the tasking of the BIN with coordinating the antidrug campaign.

Joyce Djaelani Gordon, program co-director of the Harapan Permata Hati Kita foundation, voiced a similar opinion. She said that President Megawati's bold move marked the beginning of a long journey toward combating drug trafficking.

Similar to Henry, Joyce said that in order to deal with the problem, the government had to have a clear strategy.

Sending people to jail is useless, Joyce said. The government should determine how to reduce the drug trafficking business, uphold the law and provide rehabilitation for dealers and victims.

"This can be done if there is good coordination and communication among government agencies. Also, the government should build up cooperation with other countries as this is also an international problem," Joyce said.

Joyce, whose foundation provides rehabilitation programs for drug addicts, said that involving intelligence agencies might help the campaign. However, she doubted that they would be able to match the drug traffickers.

Commenting on the current drugs legislation, Henry said that both Law No. 5/1997 on psychotropic substances and Law No. 22/1997 on narcotics still needed improving. But, he considered they were adequate for the time being.

Law No. 22/1997 provides for capital punishment but only if one is proved to have conspired in or organized the trade or production of drugs.

Henry said that a team revising the two laws had proposed the inclusion of a minimum sentence, which he considered as being some progress. However, he did not disclose the proposed minimum penalty.

Meanwhile, Joyce said that no matter how good the law was, even if the death penalty was imposed such as in Singapore or Malaysia, it could still be thwarted by corruption.

"If justice can still be bought, then it is of no use. You put people in jail but the business still goes on," Joyce remarked.

All levels of society -- the government, law enforcers, and even the public -- had to be clean. Only then could we tackle drug trafficking, Joyce noted.