The new light of Myanmar
Saturday,27 May, 2000
Endeavours
of the Government of the Union of Myanmar
in narcotic drug control
The Union of Myanmar located in the Southeast Asian region, is a country that
always strives to maintain relations of friendship and cooperation with its neighbors in
adherence with the Five Principles of Co-existence of the Bandung Conference. Myanmar’s
neighbors are China in the north and northeast, India in the northwest, Bangladesh in the
west, Thailand in the southeast and east, and Laos in the northeast. It shares a border of
2,192 kilometers with China; 1331 kilometers with India; 256 kilometers with Bangladesh;
2096 kilometers with’ Thailand and 224 kilometers with Laos making a total of 6,099
kilometers. The terrain along this borderline is rugged with thick jungle and steep
mountains and this together with poor road communications severely limits accessibility.
Myanmar also has a long coastline of 2,296 kilometers. Prior to British colonial rule,
opium cultivation and production in Myanmar were non-existent in Myanmar. It was the
British Imperialists who introduced opium cultivation and also encouraged its consumption.
By the time Myanmar regained independence in 1948, the evil legacy bequeathed by the
British had taken firm root in the Shan State and in the border regions. This situation
was exacerbated when, in the latter part of 1949, the Kuomintang (KMT) Chinese troops,
defeated in the Battle of Southern Yunnan in China, retreated and intruded into Myanmar
and occupied the northeastern region. After establishing such a foothold in the country,
it was observed that neighbouring Thailand and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had
some involvement with the KMT. During,that period the KMT intervention intensified the
insurgent situation in Myanmar and also created and brought in its wake the problem of
narcotic drugs.
The Myanmar Armed Forces launched military operations to overcome the intruding
KMT troops and at the same time submitted a report to the United Nations with an appeal to
effectively rectify the situation. In the meantime, in 1961, the Myanmar Armed Forces were
able to seize the KMT camp at Mong Palio and in so doing three occidentals were captured
dead along with incriminating evidence in the form of weapons and ammunition. With the
submission of this irrefutable evidence, the KMT troops were thus ordered to evacuate
Myanmar territory. In 1961/63 the KMT forces were compelled to retreat but the majority
did not return to Taiwan. Instead, they set up villages to settle in Thailand along the
border. The KMT No (3/5) Divisions were reorganized legally and accorded official
recognition as People’s Militia by Thailand and were given permission to settle in Thai
villages established along the Thai-Myanmar border. They were given the task of fighting
the communist insurgents in Northern Thailand. Moreover Thailand also overlooked and
ignored the fact that insurgent groups fighting Myanmar consisting of the Shan United
Revolutionary Army (SURA), the dummy Yang Faction, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and
the Pa-O insurgents had put up settlements inside Thai terrory and implicitly allowed them
to take refuge. In Thailand, the No 3 KMT Divisional Headquarters was permitted to encamp
in Tang Ngawt and the No 5 Divisional Headquarters in Mae Salaung. These troops then
proceeded to set up opium refineries in these regions and in collusion with the other
insurgents embarked on the illegal narcotic drug trade. The KMT troops did lend a help to
Thailand in suppressing its communist insurgents and in return they were at liberty to set
up heroin refineries and carry on with the narcotic drug trade in Chiengmai and Chiengrai
provinces along the common borders of Thailand and Myanmar.
The Myanmar Armed Forces, People’s Police Force and other agencies and
organizations concerned have collaborated closely since 1973 to effectively combat and
prevent the proliferation of narcotic drugs. In 1974, the Narcotic and Dangerous Drugs Law
was enacted. On 2nd March 1976, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control was forded to
take systematic and effective action for prevention and suppression of narcotic drugs. The
Armed Forces launched military off orations to quell armed insurgent groups involved in
the production of opium and drug trafficking along the border areas. Special military
operations such as Operation Moe Hein, Operation Nga Ye Pan, Operation Taung Yan Shin,
Operation Taung Hteik Pan and Operation Aung Moe Hein were conducted annually towards the
control and eradication of narcotic drugs. The results of the ceaseless military action
against drugs eradication during the 14-year period form then on, are as follows:
(a) Heroin 109 kilos
(b) Opium 5,453 kilos
(c) Marijuana 347 kilos
(d) Morphine Base 344 kilos
(e) Precursor chemicals and assorted 24,994 liters
(f) Liquid opium 7,524 liters
(g) Heroin refining Camps demolished 15 Nos.
(h) Poppy fields destroyed 211,199 acres
However, since 1988, the European Union as well as the United States of
America withdrew all forms of assistance for Myanmar, including that for narcotic drug
control. But, the Myanmar, Government, knowing that narcotic drugs constitute the common
scourge of mankind, has with good faith designated the fight against it as a national
task. It has carried on the crusade against narcotic drugs with its own limited resources
and achieved a fair measure of success. Opium poppy is cultivated in the remote and
undeveloped areas in the Shan State along the country’s borders. The terrain in these
areas is so rugged that communications are poor in addition to which the climate is
extremely hard and not conducive for the cultivation of most other crops. Local residents
thus turned to the cultivation of opium poppy as the main cash crop and this led to link
up with the armed national groups operating in the region. The Government of the Union of
Myanmar, to alleviate this situation, has therefore given priority to the goals of
implementing border area development and the attainment of national reconciliation. With
this in view the Government laid down the following strategies and tactics for narcotic
drug control.
Strategies
(i) To designate drug eradication as a national task to be achieved with every
endeavour and with all possible means.
(ii) To work for the development of the border areas,to raise thc standard of
living of the national races and undertake measures for the total eradication of opium
cultivation.
Tactics
(i) Interdiction and suppression (Law Enforcement)
(ii) Elimination of opium production. (Supply Elimination)
(iii) Elimination of drug abuse.( Demand Elimination)
Due to the systematic action taken in accordance with the above strategies and
tactics, significant strides were made in narcotic drug interdiction. The figures below
show the impact of the action taken within the 1Syear period from September 1988 to 1999
and the significant improvements made as compared with action taken before 1988.
(a) Opium 29,557 kilos
(b) Heroin 4,399 kilos
(c) Phensedyl 34,455 litres
(d) Precursor chemicals and assorted acids 63,871 gals
(e) Ephedrine 13,460 kilos
(f) Methamphetamine 55,725,071 tablets
(g) Heroin refineries destroyed 118 Nos.
(h) Opium fields destroyed 90,750 acres
(i) Seized Narcotic Drugs Publicly Torched (Approx. 35 tons). 13 times
(j) Seized narcotic drugs publicly torched in the border areas 20 times
(approximately 15 tons)
Another important factor is the return home of 17 armed national race groups to
the jurisdiction of the State due to the good will and sincere endeavours of the good will
and sincere endeavours of the Government. Because these armed groups are now working not
only in cooperation with the Government for the development of their various regions, but
also in narcotic control measures. It has resulted an added impetus in the eradication of
narcotic drugs. In April 1997 Special Region 4 of eastern Shan State, (the Mong Ma/ Mong
La) region was declared a Drug Free Zone. Likewise, efforts are now in progress to
establish drug free zones in Special Region l of northern Shan State in the year 2000 and
in Special Region 2 of northern Shan State in 2005.
The State Peace and Development Council Government has reorganized and expanded
the Central Committee of Drug Abuse Control with a view to further accelerating the
momentum of narcotic drug control measures. A Base Line Data Collection Programme on opium
cultivation acreage and the number of drug addicts was carried out as a national movement
on a countrywide scale from January to June 1998. Based on the statistical data collected
a Fifteen-year Plan for the Eradication of Narcotic Drugs was drawn up and implementation
began in the year 1999-2000. The Government is fully committed to the total eradication of
narcotic drugs from its soil and in its unceasing struggle against this menace has
cooperated with non-governmental organizations, UN organizations, neighbouring countries
and other countries in the region. In order to participate in international cooperation
Myanmar became a state party to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961.
Myanmar also acceded to the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971, and
the UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances,
1988. Furthermore, bilateral agreements on control of the illicit drug trade and drug
abuse were signed respectively with India on 30th March 1993; with Bangladesh on 1st
December 1994; with Vietnam on 12th March l995; with the Russian Federation on 22nd
January, and with Laos on 29th March 1997. As part of the Sub-region Action Plan on Drug
Control, Myanmar became a signatory to a Six-nation Memorandum of Understanding with
Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam to reduce the volume of the illicit drug
trade and drug abuse.
Since then Myanmar has participated in projects under the Sub-regional Action
Plan drawn up by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP).
Moreover, Myanmar has attended ministerial-level meetings held between Myanmar and
neighbouring countries Thailand and Laos since 1992 and has been an active partner in
narcotic drug affairs. As a member of the ASEAN, Myanmar has also signed the Joint
Declaration on A Drug Free Zone in the ASEAN Region by the year 2020 at the ASEAN
Ministerial-level meeting held in Manila, Philippines on 25th July 1998. Moreover, Myanmar
hosted the Fourth International Heroin Conference sponsored by the INTERPOL in Yangon from
23rd to 26th February 1999.
In addition Myanmar has cooperated with the Government of the United States in
collecting samples from illicit poppy fields in the Shan State to estimate opium yields.
Such opium yield surveys were conducted in 1 993,1 995,1997,1 998, l 999 and very recently
from 23rd to 17th February 2,000 making a total of six such surveys.
Despite these efforts, The Bangkok Post and the Nation newspapers of Thailand
have recently published reports on narcotic drug affairs concerning Myanmar with
insinuating remarks such as: “Stimulant tablets and heroin are being produced in
large quantities within Myanmar territory along the Thai-Myanmar border.” “The
government is turning a blind eye to the illicit drug trade perpetrated by the former
armed national groups.” “The Myanmar Armed Forces are involved in illicit drug
ventures.” “The ‘Wa’ group of the south is engaged in development projects of
the eastern Shan State and are constructing roads in Mong Yung, building dams and electric
power plants but with proceeds from their drug trafficking.” A statement was also
made to the effect that stimulant tablets, literally in the millions, enter Thailand
annually from this region. They imply that Myanmar has been reluctant to cooperate in drug
control measures. These news reports have utterly ignored Myanmar’s valiant endeavours in
drug control and have deliberately tried to belittle and diminish the successes that
Myanmar has achieved with their irresponsible and biased reports.
Prior to the time of Khun Sa’s surrender, there were opium refineries in the
Homong region and along the Thai border regions. With the unconditional surrender of the
MTA group headed by Khun Sa the illegal narcotic trade should have been greatly curtailed
and finally eliminated. But Ywet Sitt, (Yawd Sod), a Shan national of the Mong Htaw-Mong
Hta region of the MTA and Kyauk Hsit Lu Laing in the region west of Tachilek have refused
to lay down arms and are still active in the drug trade. They have instead established
bases in Paing Long and (Ban Hin Tek) within Thailand and together with other MTA
stragglers have teamed up with the White Chinese KMT remnant groups who
are also based in Paing Long and Ban Hin Hek. These groups are now jointly carrying on
terrorist and drug trafficking activities.
The answer to all these problems, I think, is quite simple and brief, and, that
is “No Precursors, No Drugs.” If we should make a careful probe and analyze the
questions, “Who is helping and providing refuge to the armed terrorists along the
Thai-Myanmar border for their continued existence?” Who has actual links to the
illicit drug trade and is involved in these nefarious activities?” “Has the
Myanmar Government resolutely fought against the drug menace although beset by many
difficulties?” “How effective has its actions been and what nest projects are
being planned for future undertaking?” If these crucial questions are reflected upon
honestly and objectively after careful study, the answers will be clear enough for all to
perceive.
This author however is inclined to the view that there could conceivably be
some who are actually concerned and worried that the narcotic drug trade will eventually
be stamped out and disappear altogether. This however is of little consequence. What is
important is the realization that the narcotic drug problem is not a problem for a single
country to tackle and deal with alone. It is a worldwide problem. So, not only should each
country voluntarily and conscientiously do its level best to effectively annihilate
narcotic drugs, but the world’s nations should in close cooperation, continue the fight to
uproot once and for all, narcotic drugs, the scourge of mankind from the world scene.
Author : kyaw Kyaw
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