[REPORT] Law Enforcement and Harm Reduction in Cambodia

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By Greg Denham

I have worked in the law enforcement field for over twenty five years, and a
significant part of my work has been in the drug policy area. I have come to
the conclusion that harm reduction services, particularly needle and syringe
programs, are an essential component of a comprehensive strategy designed to
reduce drug related harm in communities.

This view, however, is not always shared openly by other police. Privately, while many
police officers accept that harm reduction services are important, their attitude
is more likely to condemn than condone.

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[RESOURCE] 10 Ways to Protect Against Hackers

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By Glenn D. Tiffert

Google’s recent revelation that its servers have been attacked by hackers, and that Chinese, US and European human rights activists have been affected, has drawn more attention to internet security. But in fact, any computer plugged into the internet may be probed by automated agents dozens-if not thousands-of times a day.  These agents check a long list of documented and undocumented vulnerabilities, looking for any that exist in your system.  The agents are indiscriminate. 

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[REPORT] Restrictions on AIDS NGOs in Asia (2009)

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Despite pledges by world leaders and the UN to support civil society, AIDS nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) face heavy restrictions in Cambodia, China, Myanmar and Vietnam, Asia Catalyst said in a report released for World AIDS Day. “Heads of state have learned to pay lip service to the role of NGOs in order to gain international support, but the reality on the ground can be quite different,” said Sara Davis, executive director of Asia Catalyst. “Restricting civil society has slowed Asia’s response to the AIDS crisis.”

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[REPORT] Abuses Against Drug Users in Indonesia

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by Sara (Meg) Davis, Agus Triwahyuono, and Risa Alexander
from Harm Reduction Journal

In Indonesia, an ongoing government “war on drugs” has resulted in
numerous arrests and anecdotal reports of abuse in detention, but to
date there has been little documentation or analysis of this issue.
JANGKAR (also known in English as the Indonesian Harm Reduction
Network), a nongovernmental organization (NGO) based in Jakarta,
surveyed 1106 injecting drug users in 13 cities about their experiences
of police abuse. Of those interviewed, 667 or 60% reported physical
abuse by police. These findings indicate the importance of continuing
efforts to promote police reform and harm reduction in Indonesia.

We’re delighted that our article on Jangkar’s groundbreaking research has been published in a peer-reviewed journal. For the full article and excerpts from the moving testimony of drug users in Indonesia, please see the Harm Reduction Journal.

[NEWS] China: Suspend Disastrous Burma Pipeline

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Asia Catalyst was proud to sign onto this letter, organized by Burmese NGOs, calling on China to suspend its plans to build oil and gas pipelines in ethnic regions of Burma. Already, the pipeline has caused dislocation, abuses and instability in the region. The press release follows, and more information is available at www.shwe.org.

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