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NATION Nov. 3-Nov. 9,1978 REVIEW15. »Walter Burgess is a freelance reporter and Newsfilm cameraman who has worked in Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Hong Konjand Malaysia.iby Walter Burgess___THE death penalty, 17-20 years in prison, flogging, life imprisonment; not nice prospects for anyone, but every year, many young Australians face these penalties overseas.Why? Because they were arrested on ‘drug charges’; either possession, using or selling.At present no Australians hav^f been sentenced to death in a foreign country for drug offences, but many are languishing in torrid gaol conditions. Inadequate, unpalatable food that often causes a European to contract diseases; no water to wash, and toilets that are mere holesMn the ground — with no toilet paper or plumbing.Latest figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs show 74 Australians serving sentences in foreign prisons on December 31 last, with .108 arrests in the previous twelve months. In 1976, comparable figures were 84 and 143.The decline in figures is no cause to feel the problem is being solved.In Thailand, one raid on any of Bangkok’s or Chieng Mai’s hotels that cater for the young Low Income Tourists (LIT’s) could double that figure overnight. Similarly, in Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma and Singapore the figures could rise sharp-ly.In Asia, where drugs are plentiful and the law enforcement lax, Thailand has 10 Australians in gaol, Indonesia has six, Malaysia five, India four, Hongkong and••••••4 « • I I I • • • • • • • • • *_ I I * . • • . •« • • • • •• » » • • • • • ......• I t • a • Ia a . a . . . • •••••• • ■ a « » a . . a . a a• * • ■ a aWS®v/.-Vv• ■ • a a a a a a a a a .• •■••• • a . « a . *a . a a aa a•KvXv• a ... a la . a a . . a a a a « a a• a a • • a » a • • • a aa a a a • a * a a a a a a• a lt;I a •'a'AV.V•aV.V.VIfma a a •«..Wa'X-. % • •••»• a • a a a •• • « a a a a• a • a a a • a * • • • ■ •a a • a « a ■ a « • a a a a • » a a a a • • a a • • a • I a a a . a a a a • • a a a a a a• a a a a • a a a a a a a .... a• « • a « ai • • * a a • a a a a a a• » a a a a a a • a a aa • a • a a a a a • a . a• • • „ 1 ..... a a a a « « a • • a . a a• • • • a •. a • . a a• • a t a a a a a a • aa a a a • a ......a a a a a a■ a a a a a a a a a a • a• a a a a a a a a a a a a■ a a a a a a a • a a a aa a a a a a a a a a a a a • . • fl • a a a a a a a a a a • a a a • • a a . a a a -“ a a a a a a a a a a a aaV.V.V• 9 a a a a a• • a a a • a• a a a a a a a a a a a • .a a a a a aa a a a a a a a a a a aa a a a a «a a a a a aa a a a a a a • a a a a v a a a a a a a a a a «a « a a a aa a a a a aa a a a • a a a a a a a a • a a a a a aa a a a a a a a • a a a a• a a a a a aa a a a a a• a a a a a a a a a a a aa a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a aa a a a a a a a « a a a a a a a a • a a a • a a a •a a a a a aa a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a •a a • a a a.... a .a a ■ .a a . a a a a a• » a a a a aa a a aLOWCOST!Special Air Fares toEUROPEReaI Value Trai/el!$695'ROMAN HOLIDAYJumbo to Rome Open date rail via * Perugia/Florence Venice/Geneva Paris to London (^o-as-you-wish$850AUST/U.K./AUST Special Advance Purchase Fare$1695'WORLD EXPLORERJumbo to Rome/your own car 2 weeks (mm 2) u/mileage thru Europe (or open-date rail) Ferry/rail to London Air UK/New York/UKthen;ea/coach to Amsterdam b air to your choice of Bombay/Spore/H.Kong for stopover b includes 15 nights arrival accom. in cities of your choice prebooked or open-dale Available all year round Min 21 days/max 6 mthsTEACHERS!LOW COST IN-DEPTH to Bslf/Asia/USAPacific/Europe/Japan Prebook or Go-as-u-wishLOOK!XMAS HOLIDAYSTo Bali/Asia/NZ. Ffi/USA or Europe FAMILY HOLIDAYSASIA UNHURRV.SV.V• a a a a • . a a a a a aa a a a a a a a a a a •a a a a a a . • a a a a a• a a a_a a a a a a • a ■a a a a a a •m a a a a a a . a • a a a aa a a 1• a a a a r.• ... a *a a a a a a *a a a a a a a a a a a a . a a a a a a a a a a a aa a a a a a *a*a*a*a*a^ a a a a . a'a a a a a av/Xvia a a a . aa a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a aa a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a aa a a a * a« a a a a a_ a a a a a a a a a a a aa a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a • a a a a a a aa a a a a a a a a a a a a i f » a • a a a a a a. • a a a aa a a a a a . a a a a a a. a a a a a a• a a a a a a a . a a a a a a a a a a. a a a a a a a a a a a a• a a i a a a•XvXv. a a a a a a.V.VaV.a a a a aa a a aa I a aa a a a a •a a a a a a a 0 a a a a a fa a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a .a a a • a a• a a a a a a a a a a a aa a aa a a at a aa a a a a aa a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a aa a a a . aa a I a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a aa a a a a a a a a a a a . a a a a a aa a a a a aa a a a a a' a a * a a a a a aa.VaV,a a a a aa a a a a a aa a a a^aa a a a aa a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a * a a ■ a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a • a a a • a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a aa a a a a a aa a * a a a aa a a a a a a a a a a a aa a a a a a a _a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a.a a a a a a a a a a a a aa a a a a a a • a a a a a aa a a a a a aa a a a a a a a a a a a aa a v a a a a a a a a a a. a a a a a a 4 a a a • a a a a_» a a a • a a a a . aa. aa a aa a a a a aa a a a a a . a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a aa a a a a a a a a a a a .•VaVaV.a a • a a a a.a a a a a a a a a a a a . a a a a a a a a a a_a a aa a a a a a a • a a a a .a a • a a a a a a a a aa a a a a aI a a a a aa a a a a I• a • a a a• a a a a a aa*a*a*aa*a*aa*a*a*a“a*a*a a a a a a a « a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a » a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a aaV.W.%aV.V.V.•VaV.Va#risks on.a ' aaXa a a a a a•.•.•.'.•.•a*V.V.'aV•aV.V.Va a a a a a a a a a a a a• a a • a a • a a a a a aa . a a . • a a a a a a a• a a a a a adrug circuitthe Philippines both with three and Japan has one.British prisons hold many. Spanish and French gaols hold many others. Moscow have two Australians serving six and three years respectively.These figures, according to Mr J. Dollimore, a senior official in the Department of Foreign Affairs, are not absolute as many countries are not obliged to notify the local embassy of any foreigners they arrest.The Australian government and especially the Department of Foreign Affairs is worried about the continued number of arrests.“There is very little we can do”, said Mr Dollimore. “A revised edition of Hints for Australian Travellers was published last year. This booklet is issued with every new ?assport an it strongly emphasizes the in-lerent dangers faced by Australians overseas handling drugs”, he continued.According to Mr Dollimore, the booklet states Australian consular officials can only supply lists of local lawyers to assist with the defence, if the arrested person has insufficient funds to meet the cost of the lawyers, the consulate will contact relatives in Australia to send financial assistance.. The consul will also visit the prisoner in gaol as frequently as* local authorities allow, and generally oversee that the arrested person receives equal treatment to that of any native in the country of arrest.The consul will also attempt to retrieve all valuables of the person, as in many countries, the local authorities frequently sell the valuables, including passports.Another government department, the Commonwealth Bureau of Narcotics, a division of the Department of Customs and Excise, has also released a brochure, Trip or Travel, for travellers. Issued with passports, the brochure is also available in Australian embassies and consulates overseas.In August 1977, the Coftnnomvealth Bureau of Narcotics announced they were stationing an agent in Bangkok, Thailand, to work with local detection and enforcement agencies. His duty was to also cooperate with another Australian agent based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.According to Mr Price, Collector General of Customs — based in Canberra, “The office in Kuala Lumpur will be raised to four with the fourth person covering Singapore and Indonesia. Further appointments to posts are being considered”. Somewhat evasive, he continued to say that customs officials, not necessarily narcotic agents, are located in the larger ‘trade missions’ in places like London andHongkong. ‘ V,In Thailand, since October 1976, the Prime Minister can order execution without trial after consulting the cabinet. The execution is always carried out at the maximum security prison near the Don Muan International airport at early morning. The means; a German Spandau machine gun firing an average of 12 rounds, sometimes in two burts, into the condemned.Six people have already been executed in Thailand since the beginning of 1977, threefor drug offences.The death penalty also applies in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey.Flogging is another punishment in many countries — a minimum of five strokes in Singapore and 10 in Malaysia. Large fines are also handed down by the courts.Although hundreds of cases are on file with the Department of Foreign Affairs, several have gained publicity.On December 21, 1976, a 28-year-old Brisbane man was arrested on the Thai/Malay border. Robert Allen Syme, now 30, was sentenced by the Malaysia High Court on January 31 this year to life imprisonment and six strokes of the rotan (cane). Syme was arrested when Malaysian customs men allegedly found 1430 Buddha sticks (sticks of hashish), in his baggage during routine customs searches on the train at the border railway station of Pedang Besar. In court Robert Syme pleaded guilty to possession but not guilty to trafficking the narcotic. nIn 1976, a Sydney b.oy was apprehended by narcotic police in his hotel room after he had attempted to post marijuana to a friend in England. He did not know that drug detectors are installed in certain Thai post offices used frequently by LITs. He, with the help of his mother, relatives and friends in Australia was able to buy his way back to Australia at a cost of S8,000 (a lot paid in bribery to local officials). Although bribery and corruption is rife in many countries, a bribe to the wrong person or at the wrong time could cause further trouble, and is therefore unreliable.In November 1975, the then 26-year-old Elizabeth Lane disappeared in Columbia, South America, after presumably being arrested on a drug charge. Despite investigations by the Department of Foreign Affairs, her parents and others, no trace of her has been found. Certainly, no documents of her arrest exist in Columbia by the police.Consular officials have requested Columbian authorities to investigate her disappearance and allegations that she may have been murdered by the police. Records of arrests are often destroyed in South American countries, often to cover illegal acts on the part of authorities.Wendy Hamilton, a student at the Australian National University last year wrote an article (published in the Canberra Times — 29 (Sept 2, 77) citing the humiliation and fear she felt when being body-searched on the Irian border in 1976. She and several friends had bought ihree illegal novelty guns in Pakistan, the guns were real — one in the shape of a pen, the other two were shaped like walking sticks, the well trained customs officials quickly spotted the guns during the quick but methodical search of the group of young people in the bus she was travelling with.The story of two middle aged Australians illustrates how the unwary of any age may be caught.In Katmandu, Nepal, a hotel official introduced them to an airline hostess who asked them to take some cloth to New Delhi for her. They were suspicious and reported the incident to the local authorities. It turned out the cloth was impregnated with liquid cannibis. (The drug can be retrieved from the cloth by boiling).Then, in Tel Aviv, Israel, another traveller asked them to take a small nutmegthrough customs for him. Again they reported it. The nutmeg contained hashish. The couple gave full accounts to Australian authorities as a warning to other tourists.In an interview with the British Narcotics agent attached to the British Embassy in Bangkok last year, (name deliberately withheld), I was told that many of those arrested are large scale drug runners, many too arc young people whose knowledge of drugs was non-existant when they left home.“Some of these young people leave home thinking they have more than enough money to see them through the trip, believing they could work on the way. They run out of money and are easy prey for smugglers. The desperate kids are easily recognised. With the offers of quick and plentiful money, the youngsters readily agree”, he said.“The young people are also often ‘setup’ in Thailand as in other countries. Here in Thailand, taxi drivers often sell the kids marijuana, hashish or even heroin. After dropping the person off at their hotel, the driver then notifies the police and collects a reward. Often, the same packet is sold two or three times in the same day by this method. The taxi driver and the corrupt police are the only people who profit.”This had happened to one London youth who he visited shortly after an arrest. The youth had been trying to contact the Embassy for six hours and when the agent said: “I’m from the British Embassy”, the boy was happy. The agent, at first, did not have the heart to tell him that he was a Scotland Yard policeman from the narcotics division.Although the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs have figures on the number of Australians who die overseas, they do not classify the causes of death. Many young Australians, accustomed to the weak — highly diluted — drugs available in Australia, use the same dosage of the more potent local item, causing frequent overdoses. Most receive medical treatment early and live; a few die.As a journalist based in'South East Asia twice, both times for two years, I have^had many contacts with users and carriers of drugs.In Cambodia, during the war, there were many correspondents both resident and passing through. Many of the resident journalists visited an opium den not too far from where I lived. Several of these journalists have been household words in Australia.I have never smoked any drugs but maintained a lenient attitude towards marijuana, especially in food ... (to many Asians, marijuana or “ganja” is a herb for cooking) . . . but this person to me, was a walking advertisment against any drugs.In Thailand and Laos I met many young tourists who often talked of their drug using and the availability in various countries they had passed through. Laos has banned most tourists, especially LITs, and cleaned up their major drug dens. There are few known addicts still in Laos.Many raids are conducted on hotels in Thailand.Thailand, according to the latest Ministry of Health figures of September 1977, has more than 600,000 opium and heroin users. The trend in the past few years has been towards heroin as the American Gl market has closed after the Vietnam war and the departure of many US military personnel from Thailand in 1976.Last year the Thai government ordered all students registering for entrance to universities to undergo blood and urine tests. Those detected of using drugs were not allowed to enrol until after receiving treatment.With the opium harvest recently completed in Turkey and the Golden Triangle (■Northern Burma, Northern Thailand, Western Laos), large quantities of heroin and the morphine base will be transported ready for shipments overseas.For a realistic attitude towards drugs, I would suggest as good reading, the book Politics of Heroin in S E Asia by W. McCoy. The book was three years in being researched and contains many interviews with US officials and officials of other countries.' * □
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Cremorne Junction Nation Review
Cremorne Junction, New South Wales, AU
Fri, Nov 03, 1978
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