INTRODUCTION

The 135 national races who call Myanmar their beloved home

– land, had lived together as members of a family in peace and harmony, in weal

and woe, throughout the past centuries. They are a deeply religious people who

are rightly proud of their age-old culture and traditions.

       The people of Myanmar had not known the danger of utter devastation narcotic drugs

could wreak in the fabric of an unsuspecting and innocent Asian society.

Historically, narcotic drugs became one of the most lethal weapons in the hands

of the colonialists who devised devious ways and means to corrupt and to subdue

the inhabitants of the countries they had subjugated. Thus it was, that the

first war of aggression against Myanmar in 1824, which brought about the

introduction of the malicious and hitherto unknown methods of massive

cultivation of opium poppy on the fertile and virgin soil of Myanmar. The opium

poppy plant (Papaver Somniferum) is not indigenous to Myanmar. It was

introduced to Myanmar from Mediterranean via India. It was never grown

systematically by the people of Myanmar or on a massive scale intended for

commercial exploitation of the opium sap. It was rather the colonialists who

without any scruples commercialized and politicized opium as a weapon against

the subjugated peoples. Moreover, the accrued profits from the nefarious opium

trade were readily used to wage foreign wars of aggression e.g. the Opium War

of 1839-42 between Britain and China. The demands made by the British after the

war bear witness to the fact that they were using opium as an adjunct to their

foreign policy. Since that period in history, the Myanmar people have had to

endure the scourge of narcotic drugs transplanted onto their soil by the

unscrupulous colonialists. The youth of the country have suffered, as have

millions of lives around the globe. The efforts made by the people of Myanmar

to eradicate opium poppy from their country which also constituted an integral

part of their anti-colonialist struggle, have not been given due recognition or

credit. It remains to be fully understood and appreciated by the international

community.

       The Government of

the Union of Myanmar has already launched a 15-year plan for the total

eradication of the opium poppy from the length and breadth of the country. This

15-year plan will enable the 135 national races of the Union of Myanmar to

finally rid themselves -of the scourge of narcotic drugs, and thereby render

service as well to the world at large, for indeed the scourge of narcotic drugs

transcends international borders as well as international politics. The menace

of narcotic drugs is not unlike a contagion, which rages across the map of the

world, threatening to destroy human societies, just as nuclear weapons are now

endangering the very existence of humankind. In such a grave and urgent crisis,

the Union of Myanmar s 1tands ready to extend her cooperation and join hands

with those who share their grave concern regarding the menace of narcotic

drugs. The Myanmar people staunchly believe that a person should give to the

world the very best he or she possesses, for the best would unfailingly come

back to that doer of good deeds. This is the law of Karma. In this noble

spirit, the Myanmar people are proffering  their cooperation to the

world at large, in the common struggle against the menace of narcotic drugs,

with the hope that the best of their intentions would turn into reality in the

not too distant future. The opium poppy has no place whatsoever in Myanmar

society.