‘Choose Life Not Drugs’: Longwa village chorus against drug abuse

Villagers led by the Chief Angh and others during the awareness and seminar programme on drug abuse held at local ground, Longwa village.

Villagers led by the Chief Angh and others during the awareness and seminar programme on drug abuse held at local ground, Longwa village.

Mon, November 23 (MExN): Longwa village under Mon district is strategically located at the International border of India and Myanmar and also shares Inter-State boundary with Arunachal Pradesh. According to Longwa Village Council (LVC), it is easy for the peddlers to illegally import drugs and alcohol into the village from where they also sell out to other places. 

The LVC Chairman, C Noklem Konyak and Secretary, Longhi in a press release stated that despite of the many efforts put by the village council, church, CSOs and the Village Guard Post, the flow of drugs and alcohol in the village is “prevalent especially due to the absence of Check Gates and the fact that the village is surrounded by dense jungles through which the peddlers make their own route.”

In this regard, the Longwa Village Council (LVC) in collaboration with Longwa Students’ Union, Longwa Baptist Church, Longwa Nyupuh Sheko Khong, Longwa Village Guard Post and Gospel Outreach Ministry Mon organised an awareness and seminar programme on drug abuse on the theme ‘Choose Life Not Drugs’ at local ground, Longwa village. 

An approximate of 1900 villagers led by the Chief Angh attended the day-long seminar, the council stated. The event was organised with the aim of creating awareness about the harmful effects of drugs and at the same time to adopt resolutions to control the free flow of drugs and alcohol in the Longwa village. 

The Gospel Outreach Ministry, Mon team led by its President Awok, Finance Secretary Wanto, and Member Juiwang Angh were the resource persons for the event. The resource persons shared their testimonies about them being the victims of drugs and alcohol, in the past. They significantly briefed on the adverse effects of drugs and alcohol on self, family any society and also highlighted ways to get rid of such addictions, the release added.

Towards the end of the event, the Longwa Village Council along with Longwa Students’ Union, Longwa Baptist Church, Longwa Nyupuh Sheko Khong and Longwa Village Guard Post, adopted a strong resolution to continue its fight against all forms of social evil especially drugs and alcohol. 

“Through the event, the Village Council declared a very strong warning to all the people involved in peddling of drugs and alcohol within the village premises. The Council also sought cooperation from the villagers in their continuous fight against social evils, for the greater good of the community,” LVC added.