Law enforcers avail loopholes to acquit drug traffickers: CSJP
HERALD NEWS BUREAU
PANJIM, JUNE 25
The Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP) has stated that the State has sunk into such a shameful situation that those entrusted with the enforcement of the law have blatantly availed of loopholes to acquit drug traffickers.
In its hard-hitting message to mark ‘International Anti-drugs Day’ on June 26, the CSJP has also claimed that people in the State have “lost confidence in all arms of the authority and are led to believe that there definitely exists a nexus between the politicians, police and all rungs of traffickers.”
“The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed in 1987 that June 26 be marked as the International Day against Drug abuse and illicit trafficking. However, over the years organized international illicit trade in cannabis, cocaine, hallucinogens, opiates, amphetamine-type of stimulants has increased manifold, taking into its snares and using all types of people at all levels, the most vulnerable being young people and even innocent children used for peddling,” stated the CSJP press note.
Commenting on the situation in the State, the CSJP stated that many citizens, NGO’s and those responsible to control the illicit trade admit that the trade in different types of narcotic drugs has spread its tentacles far and wide into the depths of Goa, even into the portals of the law enforcing authorities and educational institutions.
“Traffickers and users have been caught and the process of law to punish them has been initiated, in many cases.”
“However, Goa has sunk into such a shameful situation that those entrusted with the duty of upholding justice by enforcing the law, blatantly avail of loopholes to acquit the accused. Hence, today Citizens at large have lost their confidence in all arms of the authority and are led to believe that there definitely exists a nexus between the politicians, police and all rungs of traffickers,” the CSJP said.
“Besides, the irrational race to ‘have more’ rather than ‘be more’ has created challenges in homes and among families. Parents are not fully available to their adolescents and children to give due psychological and emotional stability which is crucial to sustain family life.”
“In Goa, bars and taverns are focal points of relaxation where soft-drinks laced with narcotic substances and hard liquor flow freely and other psychotropic substances are easily available. This behaviour gnaws into the fabric of family life.”
The CSJP has stated that families, educational and other institutions, social organisations and volunteer groups must make concerted efforts to inspire people, especially the young, to put their holistic health above all else, saying a decisive ‘NO’ to narcotic drugs, other substances and abuse of alcohol.
Other measures suggested by the CSJP include prevention of vulnerable individuals from falling into such traps, organizing collective vigilance against drug trafficking in any form in the State and the demand of strict enforcement of law by all authorities.
The CSJP has also strongly recommended counseling therapy for all, detoxification, healing and rehabilitation of the individual, and a consistent support system over a long period of time.
“On this International Anti-drug Day, let us make a firm commitment to holistic health and total elimination of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and addiction to alcohol,” state the CSJP.
