Pubdate: Mon, 31 Dec 2007 Source: Rising Nepal, The (Nepal) Copyright: 2007 Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd. Contact: http://www.nepalnews.com.np/trn.htm Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3855 DRUG ADDICTS DREAM NEW LIFE AT BALAJU REHAB Kathmandu - "Not only your life but ours, your family's and yours will improve if you stay here and kick the drug habit." This is how Shyam Man Shrestha exhorted his grandson Sachit at the rehabilitation centre set up at Balaju by the Maoist youth wing Young Communist League (YCL). "My grandson has been here for 11 days and already there are marked changes in him," he said after the inaugural of the centre Sunday. Several earlier attempts by the family to free the 19-year-old boy from his drug habit had failed. The YCL cadres had caught him when he was using drugs and was brought to the centre. The family knew about it two days later. "When I learn about him being kept here we hope he will now get rid of drugs," the grandfather said. Rajesh Adik, another habitual addict, read out a poem appealing all addicts to give up the killing habit and find a meaningful life. Inaugurating the centre named Nawa Jeevan Griha Maoist central leader and YCL in-charge, Barsha Man pun 'Ananta' said the factors that induce youths into addiction must be checked. "Both the state and the society should bear responsibility for the youths' deviant behaviour," he said, adding, "Economic, political social and other factors that lead one into drugs must be solved if the problem is to be addressed." He said that the centre was set up to curb drug trade and stop youths from its abuse. "A new and elegant society along with new Nepal can be built if the state identifies the causes of social evils and anomalies and solves them in time." Ananta said that the establishment of the centre was a part of the YCL's campaign for national renaissance that started two months back. "The League has been focussing on the problem ridden sectors, like drug abuse, so that the attention of the state and other stakeholders is drawn towards it," he said. "We are not posing ourselves as solution givers, but only encouraging to find a solution." He clarified that the League had improved a lot in its activities in the last two months as it started focusing on social evils. "But those who always are habituated to criticize us will find an excuse to do so taking examples of confiscating drugs and destroying them instead of giving to the police," he said pointing at the confiscated drugs, such as ampoules, ibobrufin, diazepam, Phenergon and others that were broken and buried. Touching upon political issue he said that a new era had begun with the inscription of federal democratic in the interim constitution. "Now there will be a radical change in the security, administration, state structure, economic sectors as well as the mentality of the political parties." Ananda Pun, chairman of Recovering Nepal, an NGO, working for the addicts, commended the YCL for taking the case of drug abuse and trying to give new life to the addicts. He said that more than 60 organisations were affiliated to it and they all are being run by people, who had recovered and rehabilitated. "I myself was into drugs seven years ago, and ever since I have been working to free friends from this habit without any financial help from the government or others." Clarifying that there was deep relation between HIV and drug abuse, he asked all the concerned to address psychosocial as well as emotional aspects of the users so that the problems are tackled and a solution is found. Hitman Shakya 'Suman', Maoist Newa state committee in-charge, urged the youths to exercise self-discipline and stay away from all kinds of bad habits. "A new Nepal means eradication of all factors that lead youths to frustration and use of drugs." Chandra Bahadur Thapa 'Sagar', YCL in-charge of the valley, said the supply of drugs and their users would be curbed within four months if it get cooperation from all sides. At the programme, three persons involved in drug peddling were also included in the rehabilitation. There are 44 persons in the centre. According to YCL's record, there are about 70,000 drug abusers in Kathmandu Valley alone and 180,000 across the country. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake