October 02, 2019

Vice President U Myint Swe delivered a speech at the 55th Myanmar Police Force Day held at the Thingaha Hotel in Nay Pyi Taw, yesterday morning.
After the Myanmar Police Force Day flag hoisting ceremony, a one-minute silence was observed in honor of Police Force personnel who gave their lives in the line of duty.

In his speech at the event, Vice President U Myint Swe said that after achieving independence, Myanmar Police Force reforms were conducted and on 1 October 1964 it was renamed “People’s Police Force” and that day was designated as Myanmar Police Force Day. It’s motto of “loyalty, integrity and courage” has been practiced and observed and it is now in its 55th year.
Throughout the ages the Myanmar Police Force had implemented four main tasks namely: internal security, peace and tranquility; rule of law; preventing and protecting from the drug menace; and conducting works that benefit the people.
Looking at the variety of crimes including acts of terrorism that were encountered nowadays the increase or decrease of crime were found to be related to social problems, problems of low education, economic problems and drug problems. Thus it was important not to rely only on the laws and the judiciary system that was practiced but also on the cooperation of the judiciary sector as well as ministerial departments, media, local and international non-government organizations, civil society organizations and all other sectors with the Police Force.
Furthermore all over the world too, unconventional and conventional security problems were being faced and cross border crimes were becoming a problem that a single entity or a country alone could not resolve it. It was a crime problem that must be resolved through regional and international cooperation.
Based on the 8 basic principles of UN crime prevention, the Myanmar National Level Crime Prevention Strategy (2018-2020) was drawn up and enacted on 15 March 2019. State/region, district and township level work programs were drawn up and implemented according to this strategy.
Various approaches based on background history, culture, development, ownership of resources, location and geographic conditions were seen to be used in the international arena to handle and resolve the drug problems. Myanmar like the nations of the world has also faced the drug problem for many years and successive governments were seen to have done their utmost towards eradicating and eliminating the problem.
Drug problem affects the people’s health, social life and basic economy. It causes acts of terrorism, money laundering and illegal flow of money, corruption, exploitation and cross border crimes. On the other hand income from drugs causes related acts of armed and terror attacks.
According to 2017 and 2018 figures, opium planting and production was found to have decreased but due to the ease of producing and acquiring modern chemical based ecstasy pills resulted in wider usage and demand for it increasing the drug problem. A certain level of effectiveness was achieved due to the information and reports made by the public after the government formed a Drug Activity Special Complaint Department on 22 June 2018 and some major sources were exposed and numbers of arrests were made. The Myanmar Police Force had conducted 25 special operations in cooperation with the Tatmadaw and was able to expose and arrests many drugs including heroin. The Myanmar Drug Law and Drug Control Policy 2018 was enacted and announced to resolve the drug problem and to implement the policy, the national strategic plan was drawn up and conducted country wide. In addition to this various means were used in cooperation with UN organizations, international and regional organizations, non-government organizations and civil society organizations.
Starting from 1997, Myanmar has designated combating human-trafficking as a national duty. More than 20 years have passed and during that period a Central Body for the Suppression of Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Human Trafficking Police Force have been formed. Myanmar has signed on as member of United Nations resolution and ASEAN plan of action on the eradication of trafficking in persons and signed bilateral MOUs. Myanmar is drawing up and implementing five-year plans to combat human trafficking. The third five-year plan from 2017-2021 would be implemented in four sectors; cooperating in project with policy, prevention, legal action and protection.
Myanmar was a member country of INTERPOL and was cooperating in police work with INTEROL headquarters and among member countries, exchanging news on crimes, conducting workshops, training courses and crime prevention operations on cross border crimes.
Similarly, it was working with the ASEAN National Police (ASEANAPOL) and member countries by attending annual conferences and cooperating in various sectors.
Police force personnel were sent to local and international workshops, discussions and trainings and from the experience gained, the capability of the personnel were not only raised but aimed towards making them to be on the same level internationally.
A Cyber Crime Unit was formed and expanded to prevent and expose cases of defamation, frauds, stealing of news and information, threats and intimidation in the internet social networks. As interconnection and relation with INTERPOL and ASEANAPOL increased and expanded, the organization and structure of the Myanmar Police Force has been expanded and upgraded to be in line with the modern era.
Outstanding members of the Myanmar Police Force were honoured every year, while those who fell while doing their duties for the country were posthumously honoured and the diligence of those who lost their limbs in action should also be acknowledged, he said.
With the aims of the Myanmar Police Force to be patriotic, capable and modern, the organization and structure of the Myanmar Police Force was modified and provided with modern equipment and security while individual members had to undergo continuous practices and exercises to have good discipline and capacity. Myanmar Police personnel need to be free of corruption in order to earn the respect and trust of the people. They are urged to follow the rules and regulations and ensure the safety of the whole of society, in accordance with the law.
The Myanmar Police Force needed to educate and inform the public about law and crime while increasing cooperation with the public directly or indirectly to prevent and expose crimes.

The Vice President also stressed the need to ensuring transparency of the MPF in providing security services to the people, in accordance with the law, and sending correct information to the people as part of efforts for reducing the fears of the people.
“I would like to urge you to ensure transparency, accountability and responsibility in your works to become good members of the Myanmar Police Force and to do your duties in the interests of the people with honesty and impartiality,” said the Vice President.
Afterwards Union Minister for Home Affairs Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe presented documents of honors to a DNA expert and retired Myanmar Police Force personnel, and one step promotion for Myanmar Police Force personnel who performed their duties outstandingly. Other outstanding police personnel were also honored at the event by Myanmar Police Force Chief Police Lt-Gen Aung Win Oo.
Next Vice President U Myint Swe and attendees posed for commemorative group photos and inspected the photographic records and exhibits of the Myanmar Police Force equipment, uniform, arms, machinery, drug detecting devices and vehicles.
In the second part of the event, Myanmar Police Force Chief Police Lt-Gen Aung Win Oo delivered a Myanmar Police Force Day speech and presented awards to outstanding police personnel.
Present at the event were Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than, Constitutional Tribunal of Myanmar Chairman U Myo Nyunt, Union Election Commission Chairman U Hla Thein, Union Ministers Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe and U Thaung Tun, Deputy Ministers, Deputy Attorney General, Royal Thai Police Force Chief, Myanmar National Human Rights Commission Vice Chairman, Nay Pyi Taw Council members, Permanent Secretaries, Myanmar Police Force Chief, Directors General, Royal Thai Police Force Deputy Chief, Myanmar Police Force Deputy Chiefs, diplomats, retired high ranking Myanmar Police Force personnel, representatives of local and international non-government organizations, artists, invited guests, local and foreign media and officials.— MNA