Myanmar

the Total Eradication of

Survey was conducted as part of the collaboration programme between the Myanmar

and the United States of America for the total eradication of narcotic drugs and

psychotropic substances. The Joint Myanmar–U.S.A team headed by member of the

Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) Brigadier General Kyaw Thein,

conducted the survey from the 3 March to 12 March 2004 in the regions of Mongpan

Township, Hsihsaing Township, Namhsan Township, Lechar Township and Mongshu of

Shan State (South); Mongpyin Township, Kyaington Township, and Mongkhat Township

of Shan State (East); in the ‘Wa’ regions of Khwin Mar, Mongmao, Namtip, Lonhtan,

Panlon and Hopan of Shan State (North) and in the Kokang regions of Laukkai,

Shauk-haw of Kutkai Township and Kaungkkha of Shan State (North). The team

travelled to these isolated regions which are difficult of access by helicopter

to conduct on the ground survey of cultivated opium plots, collect samples of

opium bulbs and opium seeds, interview local opium peasants and inspect opium

the tour the team visited the No. 2 Special ‘Wa’ region in Shan State (North) to

observe the opium substitute tea plantation, the lychee and longan orchards, the

mango and honey orange orchards, the rubber plantation and the factory project

being undertaken under the alternative development programme. They then

proceeded to Mongpauk to observe the progress of the ‘Wa’ Alternative

Development Programme (WADP) being undertaken by the United Nations Office of

Drug Control (UNODC). The combined team then visited the Lashio coffee nursery

and plantation, the model chicken farm and pig farm, observed the distribution

of “Bonmon Hsin Shweli” premium quality corn seeds, and toured the apiary and

the Macademia orchard being implemented under the sponsorship of the Northeast

Military Command. The next stop on the itinerary was at Laukkai in No. 1 Special

Region in Shan State (North) where the team visited the Drug Control Museum,

inspected the opium substitute mango and orange orchards; the livestock breeding

project that is part of the alternative development programme, other projects

being implemented for the development of the border areas and ongoing activities

towards the eradication of narcotic drugs. The team then proceeded to Kaungkhar

of Special Region No.5 of Shan State (North). The Joint Myanmar-U.S.A team then

toured the opium substitute tea plantation and the terrace cultivation work in

progress. The team next went to Shauk-haw in Kutkai Township and observed the  

cultivation of wheat, green peas, lentil, Chinese lablab bean and soybean as

opium crop substitute crops. They also met and held discussions with leaders of

the national races. The team members also held detailed discussions with

responsible officials of the region on the situation regarding opium crop

substitution, substitute livestock breeding, and the treatment for drug addicts

members of the U.S. contingent was headed by Counselor of the U.S. Embassy in

Yangon Ms. Penelope M. Kalogeropoulos and consisted of members of the U.S

Department of State stationed in Yangon, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, the

and the United States of America have collaborated in opium yield surveys

towards the total eradication of narcotic drugs since 1993. According to

announcements issued by the United State of America, the acreage of land under

opium poppy cultivation and opium yield in Myanmar has significantly declined

since 1997. This has been corroborated by the statistics of the Base Line Data

collected by Myanmar in 1998.  In this year’s opium cultivation season, there

has been a substantial decline in opium cultivation due to the success of the

government’s New Destiny Project. Moreover, the observations of this year’s

survey show that the entire Kokang region is now free of opium cultivation and

that, the few opium plots found in some other regions have not flourished and

show definite signs of a poor yield. So it is certain that for year 2004 the

opium yield per acre, will not only be less than that of the previous years, but

that the overall acreage of opium cultivation also is expected to be very much

Joint Opium Yield Survey carried out by Myanmar and the U.S.A is the tenth such

survey of its kind. If a comparative study should be made of the statistical

results of former surveys as well as of the satellite pictures taken in previous

years with those of 2004, especially with regard to Shan State (North), it will

be found that significant progress has been made in the eradication of opium