Celebrating Solidarity - 1st Anniversary of CoNE

 

CoNE anniversary celebrated

IMPHAL, June 23: Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE) today celebrated its first anniversary at the Lamyanba Shanglen, Palace Compound here.

The ceremony was attended by K Moses Chalai, Commissioner, Health and family Welfare and Higher Education, government of Manipur, RK Ibungosana, Superintendent, NCB, Regional Unit, Imphal and Dr N Shyamjai, Deputy Director (TI), Manipur AIDS Control Society as chief guest, president and guest of honour.

Speaking at the function marking the first anniversary of CoNE, Moses Chalai said, “Empowerment of people who use drugs and other marginalized communities is the need of the hour.”

He said drug users are people who have been misled and that there is a need for all to join hands and empower them so that they can stay away from drugs and take part in the development process.

Dr N Shyamjai while speaking on the occasion said different stakeholders including those working in non-health areas need to come together if the issue of drug use and HIV are to be tackled effectively,

He further suggested that the state needs to fight against illegal drugs supply in the state and at the same time there is a need to trim down in drug consumption rate.

Sharing the network’s achievements at the function, RK Nolinikanta, president, CoNE, said people who are abusing drugs, living with HIV and AIDS, sex workers and nupi manbis continue to face immense hardships due to stigma and discrimination against them.

He said denial of services, physical abuse and harassment still continue many of which are not reported.

Validating the multi-stakeholders approach, RK Ibungosana said NCB has strived to check drug trafficking and abuse. He, however, said there is a need for different groups of people, including drug users to work together.

In recent past, he said, NCB had interacted with Myanmar officials to curb cross border trafficking of drugs.

Towards fulfilling these, the CoNE has partnered with various stakeholders like Human Rights Alert, Human Rights Law network, , All Manipur Bar Association, All Manipur Anti-drug Association, Centre for Organization Research and Education, etc.

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