Narcotic Drugs Suppression Measures Undertaken by the Kachin State special Region (2)

which had taken up arms against the Government and operating in the areas of

Kachin State, northern Shan State and northern Sagaing Division, entered into

legal fold on 24 February 1994 accepting the Government’s peace offer. The

region of the K10 was designated by the Government as the Kachin State Special

Region (2). Kachin State and the adjoining region of Shan State which is the

base for the Kachin State Special Region (2), had once been the areas where

poppy was grown. Since regaining peace in the region, the Special Region(2) has

adopted an anti-narcotics policy and carried out drugs control activities. Its policy

includes measures to suppress and prohibit poppy growing, to prohibit use of

opium, to arrest illicit trafficking in opium and its products, to provide treatments for drug addicts

and to cooperate with both internal and external organizations in the fight against narcotic drugs.

As part of implementation of its anti narcotics policy, the troops of the Central

authorities of Kachin 5tate Special Region(2) started destruction of poppy plantations with the

participation of the local people on 20 January 1997 during 1996-97 opium season. Poppy

plantations have been destroyed in the northern area of Sadone Mountain, Sadone,

Laphaing, upper Dabat Stream areas, in the surrounding of Machambaw, Pha Kant, Nan Jame, Chaung

Phya, Don Ban Yaung Mee Stream, upper region of Hanaing Stream and Hawaing Stream.

Poppy fields in the area of Sadon were also destroyed starting from 10 February 1997 by the

troops of the Kachin State Special Region (2) together with the members of the Tatmadaw

(Armed Forces).

Under the project for elimination of drug addicts in Shwe Ku and Bamaw Districts, a

30-member group led by a KIA Captain Htu Lun set up a drug addicts treatment camp in 1996 at

the region of Inbapar and Donboke in Kachin State special Region (2) to help them quit the use

of opium. There were about 40 drug addicts how underwent treatment at the camp. On 20 January

1997, the Committee on Opium anti Narcotic Drug Abuse Control of the Kachin State Special

Region (2) Issued and circulated to all villages a notification prohibiting poppy cultivation, drug

abuse and illicit drugs trafficking. Moreover, three Working Groups were also established and

assigned to prevent and suppress narcotic drugs and the destruction of poppy plantation. In November 1997, an 8-member group led by Naw Din, a warrant officer of Kachin State Special Region (2), upon receipt of information, searched a farm hut in Kwan Yun village, about eight miles away east of Moe Nyin Township, arrested and seized heroin weighing 14.892 kilograms with three traffickers. Action was taken against the traffickers.

In 1998, Kachin State Special Region(2) Central authorities instructed the Division Commander to assign the responsible officers to participate in the activities of organizing and educating the public to stop growing poppy, to refrain from drugs abuse and trafficking and to cultivate substitution crops in their region. As a result, areas under poppy cultivation have been drastically reduced by 90 percent. There are a few pockets of poppy plantations remaining in some valleys and mountain slopes that are not easily accessible, in the regions of Mong Si, Tar Moe Nye, Mang Jet, Tekanaing, Lon Htan, and Shaut Taw. Efforts are being made to destroy them also.

On 9 August 1998, Keik Hteik Camp of No. (47) Infantry of KIA Regiment (12) received an intelligence report that a gang of armed traffickers were in Laing Law village, one mile away from east of Keik Hteik Army Camp of Nam Khan. Troops from No. (47) Infantry, together with troops of KIA Regiment (12) led by Lt. Robin attacked those armed drug traffickers, resulting in capture of 3 traffickers, together with two M-21 rifles and 19.8