3 days and 3 places of discovery in Yangon, Myanmars largest city.
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In this virtual tour presentation there is a panorama taken at the Drug Elimination Museum showing a large memorial with an inscription. The surface is badly tarnished and hard to read. The following is the transcript of the inscription.
Museum Commemorating the Elimination of Narcotic Drugs in Myanmar Inscription
1. Narcotic drugs had been an effective and powerful weapon of colonialists. History bears testimony that it had been effectively utilized in destroying the social fabric of human societies and human resources in the 16th century, opium was imported into Myanmar through India by the Dutch and Roman merchants to be distributed and sold in the country. Moreover, in 1824, the colonialists opened up licensed opium dens in Rakhine and Taninthay regions of Myanmar. With a vile aim to subjugate and destroy the spirit of patriotism and nationalism of the Myanmar people who are deeply attached to their rich production, and consumption using every available means.
2. Due to the instigation of the colonialists, poppy cultivation and production became deeply rooted and subsequently proliferated along the border areas of Myanmar. For over a century, the national races had been the unfortunate victims suffering from the pernicious consequences of narcotic drugs. At present the whole mankind is facing an alarming situation posed by the grave and persistent threat of this scourge of narcotic drugs on a global scale.
3. In order to ultimately wipe out the scourge of narcotic drugs not only from our country but also from the face of the whole world, Myanmar has been fighting against it comprehensively as a national duty with a stepped-up momentum. More over, concrete measures have been taken in the border areas to totally eliminate the cultivation of poppy and production of narcotic drugs and on the other hand measures have also been taken to enhance the social conditions of the national races.
4. Between 1975 and 1988, the Government formulated systematic plans to eradicate narcotic drugs and special operations "Moe Hein Operation" phase 1 to 12, "Nga Ye Pan Operation" phase 1 to 8, "Taung Yan Shin Operation" phase 1 to 4 were launched by the military, while on the other hand local operations like "Me Lone", "Hnin Pan", "Pauk Pan", "Taung Hteik Pan" and "Hae Marn Oo" were also undertaken hand in hand with the local populace, sacrificing blood, sweat and lives. At present also a 15 year Drug Elimination Plan (1998 to 2014) has been drawn and being actively implemented by the people and the Government.
5. To commemorate the elimination of narcotic drugs, this museum was built under the guidance of Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, with the objective of enabling the entire people of the country to see and learn for themselves that narcotic drugs are a dreadful menace to the whole mankind and thus to abstain from drugs and also to inform the international community of the all-out efforts undertaken by the successive Governments of Myanmar to eradicate drugs in its true perspective.
6. The primary aim of this museum is to enable the entire people, including youths and national races who visit this museum to become fully aware of the pernicious effects and adverse consequences of narcotic drugs, to learn lessons and to finally abstain from narcotic drugs.
7. On the second Waxing Day of Wat Gaung of the Myanmar Era 1360 (25 July 1998), Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, Secretary (1) of the State Peace and Development Council laid the foundation stone for the construction of this commemorative museum on a grand scale. The construction of the museum has been successfully completed and as such on the auspicious day of the Myanmar Era 1363, the sixth Waxing Day of the First Waso (26 June 2001) Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, Secretary (1) of the state Peace and Development Council, graciously inaugurated the museum with an inscriptive record to mark the occasion.
