Poppy seeds,
buds presented by local farmers incinerated in Pinlaung
YANGON,
7 July – The ceremony to hand over poppy seeds and to incinerate poppy seeds and
poppy buds surrendered by opium growers was held at Pinlaung Township Peace and
Development Council at 11 am on 5 July.
Present were Chairman of Shan
State Drug Abuse Control Chairman of Shan State Peace and Development Council
Commander of Eastern Command Maj-Gen Khin Maung Myint, Leader of Shan State Drug
Eradication and Regional Development Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Pyi Sone,
Vice-Chairman of Shan State DAC Shan State Police Commander Police Col Thura Tin
Hla, senior military officers of Pinlaung Station, local authorities,
departmental officials, local people and social organizations.
First, Commander Maj-Gen Khin
Maung Myint delivered an address. He said that the ceremonies to destroy poppy
seeds have been held in Shan State (South) for three times. At today’s ceremony,
56 baskets, 10 pyis and three tins of poppy seeds and 45 baskets of opium buds
presented by the opium growers will be destroyed. In addition, seeds of
opium-substitute crops as well as rice and salt will be presented to the
growers. The Head of State and State-level officials has been making efforts to
eradicate narcotic drugs in various ways.
As the State is implementing the
New Destiny Project beginning April 2002, such opium-substitute crops as 380
baskets of paddy, 4,695 kilos of Yezin-3 hybrid maize, 230 baskets of soya-bean,
10 baskets of pigeon pea and 142.5 baskets of niger will be distributed to the
farmers for the second time. The one pyi of poppy seeds can be cultivated on one
acre of land. A total of 56 baskets, 10 pyis and three tins of poppy seeds will
be destroyed at today’s destruction ceremony. This intervention enabled the
prevention of growing 600 acres of poppy that can produce 2.64 tons of opium or
0.264 ton of heroin. In conclusion, the commander called on those present to
actively participate in the elimination of poppy cultivation to be able to set
up the opium free zone in Shan State (South) in accord with the New Destiny
Project.
Speaking
on the occasion, Brig-Gen Pyi Sone said that the State has set up the fund worth
K 10 million for Shan State (South) to implement the New Destiny Project in
accord with the guidance of the Head of State. The fund will be used to
distribute seeds of crops and vegetables to the local farmers. In addition, U Ye
Tun Ning of South East Asia Enterprise, U Myat Thit of Nyaungwun Panthitsa Co
and U Myint Lwin Oo of Lanmin Kantha Co will donate 1,200 baskets of rice and
8,000 viss of salt to the local farmers.
As the State distributes
opium-substitute crops and makes efforts for elimination of poppy cultivation,
the local farmers are to participate in the tasks. Progress in the elimination
of poppy cultivation have been achieved in Shan State (South). Shan State will
reach the New Destiny soon if efforts are made for elimination of the poppy
plantations as well as thriving of opium-substitute crops.
Next, a farmer presented poppy
seeds to the commander. Afterwards, Maj-Gen Khin Maung Myint, Brig-Gen Pyi Sone,
Police Col Thura Tin Hla, Pinlaung
Commander Lt-Col Htin Kyaw and Chairman of Taunggyi District Peace and
Development Council Lt-Col Ye Tun Sein presented seeds of opium-substitute crops
to the local farmers.
The commander, Managing Director
U Ye Tun Naing of South East Asia Enterprise, Director U Myint Lwin Oo of Lamin
Kantha Trading Co Ltd and Managing Director U Myat Thit of Nyaungwun Panthitsa
Co Ltd presented 1,200 baskets of rice and 8,000 baskets of salt to the farmers.
A local farmer spoke words of thanks.
Next, the commander, the minister
and guests viewed the drug eradication booths. They inspected poppy seeds and
poppy buds to be burnt.
Later, the commander, the
minister and party pressed the button to incinerate the poppy seeds and buds.
Poppy-substitute crop seeds, rice, salt provided to Kokang nationals who
contributed towards total elimination of poppy cultivation
in Shan State (North)
Yangon, 3 July – The
Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control provided coffee saplings, seeds of
poppy-substitute crops – maize, high-yield strain paddy and vegetables – rice
and salt to Kokang national who contributed towards total elimination of poppy
cultivation in Shan State (North) at a ceremony held at the Drug Elimination
Museum in Laukkai on 28 June afternoon.
It was attended by CCDAC members
Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Brig-Gen Khin Maung, Deputy
Minister for Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung, Deputy Minister for
Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs Brig-Gen
Than Tun and Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries U Aung Thein, Brig-Gen
Than Win of Laukkai Station, local authorities, Kokang National Race Leader of
Special Region-1 U Phon Kya Shin and Kokang nationals.
Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Khin
Maung explained the purpose of providing the provision. Deputy Minister Brig-Gen
Thura Myint Maung dealt with measures being taken with might and main for
eradication of narcotic drugs in Myanmar under the leadership of the State Peace
and Development Council; and Brig-Gen Than Win, with tasks being undertaken for
fighting anti-narcotic drugs and regional development in Kokang region.
Next, on
behalf of the commander of North-East Command, Brig-Gen Than Win presented the
coffee saplings and seeds of maize and paddy; Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Khin
Maung, seeds of vegetables; and Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung,
5,000 bags of rice and 100 bags of salt to U Phone Kya Shin.
U Phone Kya Shin expressed his
thanks, saying that Kokang nationals cultivated poppy for many years but they
have no longer cultivated poppy since the year in which the government started
the 15-year plan. He added that Kokang nationals are implementing the objectives
of the plan fully.
In the poppy cultivation season
of the previous year, the government provided seeds of poppy-substitute crops to
them, which led to the total eradication of poppy cultivation in Kokang region.
Under the New Destiny Project, seeds of crops were provided to Kokang national
race farmers. They are going to cultivate these seeds and the harvests will be
in October or November. Until the harvest season, the farmers will surely have
difficulty with foodstuff.
He said that he thanks the
government whole-heartedly for its provision. In conclusion, he pledged to make
endeavours with added momentum for achieving greater success in cultivating
poppy-substitute crops.
After the ceremony, the deputy
ministers and officials viewed the perennial crop plantations and poultry farm
of U Yan Kyo Wai near Stone Pillar BP 127, and the model farm of Kokang region
poppy-substitute perennial crops near Yanlonkyaing Village in Laukkai Township.
In the model farm, a total of some 3,900 mango trees are grown on 33.62 acres,
1,000 lychee trees on 5.20 acres, 3,000 orange trees on 15.46 acres, 3,000
grapefruit trees on 50.73 acres, and 6,000 pepper trees on 24.39 acres.
They also observed the
agriculture and livestock breeding farm of Kokang Su Paung Nyi Nya Co,
poppy-substitute perennial crops farm of Kunmin Gili Co, Kokang-Myanmar poultry
farm near Konhsa Village and the perennial crops plantation of U Mye Shauk Chan
and U Lu Ar Paung near Nali Village, and fulfilled their requirements.
Poppy cultivation
decreases by 50 per cent due to collective, united efforts of regional
authorities, national race leaders
CCDAC provides poppy-substitute crop seeds, rice to national races in Shan State
(North)
YANGON,
1 July – The Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control provided coffee saplings,
seeds of maize, high-yield strain paddy and vegetables, rice and salt to the
national race people, who managed to totally eliminate poppy cultivation in Shan
State (North), at a ceremony held at the City Hall of Lashio on 27 June morning.
It was attended by Chairman of
Shan State (North) Committee for Drug Abuse Control Chairman of Shan State
(North) Peace and Development Council Commander of North-East Command Maj-Gen
Myint Hlaing, CCDAC members Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation
Brig-Gen Khin Maung, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung,
Deputy Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development
Affairs Brig-Gen Than Tun and Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries U Aung
Thein, local authorities, members of social organizations, national race leaders
of Kokang, Wa, Mongpan, Phaunghsai, Mongton and Kaungkha regions and local
residents.
The commander made a speech on
the occasion. In his speech, he said that the purpose of the ceremony is to
provide rice and salt to the local national race people, who contributed towards
total elimination of poppy cultivation in Shan State (North). In the process,
the 15-year project is under implementation. Furthermore, as part of the
project, the New Destiny Project has been implemented in the five states where
poppy is cultivated most since April 2002. In implementation of such project, in
accordance with the guidance on strategy, tactics, ways and means given by the
Head of State, measures are being taken not only for exposing drug-related cases
and then taking actions against drugs dealers but at the same time for uplift of
their morality, raising economic and social life and alternative income and
regional development.
Thus, under the project, tasks
are being undertaken such as holding educative talks for cultivation of
poppy-substitute crops, and distribution of suitable seeds of crops, livestock
breeds, cash assistance and basic foodstuff to the local national people who
engaged in poppy cultivation. Realizing the genuine goodwill of the Government,
the poppy cultivators in Shan State (North) are entrusting their poppy seeds
kept to respective authorities. The entrusted poppy seeds weighing 134,934.38
were destroyed during four ceremonies – three in Lashio and one in Laukkai.
The collective and united efforts
of respective regional authorities at different levels, national race leaders,
groups that exchanged arms for peace and farmers have led to the reduction of
poppy cultivation by 50 per cent.
Now, the Government is placing
emphasis on tasks for fighting against narcotic drugs as national duty. And the
farmers come to realize the danger of narcotic drugs, the common enemy of the
entire mankind. Besides, giving up poppy cultivation, the local farmers are
participating in anti-narcotic drugs tasks hand in hand with the Government. As
a result, greater success has been achieved.
Similar assistance will be
provided to the farmers who gave up poppy cultivation. In response to the
genuine goodwill, he said that the farmers are to constantly join hands with the
Government in carrying out tasks for regional development, rehabilitation and
anti-narcotic drives. In conclusion, he called for strenuous efforts to be made
for total eradication of narcotic drugs after making the firm and solemn
determination that there must be no longer poppy cultivation in the northern
Shan State.
Member of CCDAC Deputy Minister
for Agriculture and Irrigation Brig-Gen Khin Maung said the New Destiny Project
was launched in five regions where poppy was grown with the objective of giving
up the habit of poppy cultivation, uplift of living standard and development of
the region. Shan State (North) is one of the project areas. There were 155,150
hectares of poppy in 1997 compared with only 77,700 hectares in 2002. Poppy
cultivation decreased by 50 per cent in 2002-2003 according to poppy cultivation
survey conducted by the government in cooperation with the UN.
He said the New Destiny Project
implementation committee made field trips to Kokang special region-1, Kachin
special region Kaungkha, Palaung special region-7 Mantong region and Kayah State
and made arrangements for cultivation of poppy-substitute crops in those
regions. A total of 475 acres of land were reclaimed in Kokang area for crop
cultivation. Tea, coffee, pepper and spicy plants were grown on 132 acres of
lands and lands were reclaimed for highland cultivation in Kaungkha region and
100 acres of tea and coffee were grown in Mantong Loiyar region.
Similarly, 317 acres of farmlands
and 300 acres of lands for crop cultivation were reclaimed in Kachin special
region. Namhsanyin diversion weir that can irrigate over 5,000 acres of lands
have been built.
He called for cooperation in
total eradication of poppy cultivation and combating production and illicit
trafficking of narcotic drugs. Next, member of CCDAC Deputy Minister for
Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs Brig-Gen
Than Tun reported on the government’s efforts for drug elimination activities as
a national task.
Commander Maj-Gen Myint Hlaing
presented maize and paddy seeds to national race leader of special region-5 U Ma
Htu Naw, 10,000 saplings of coffee and paddy seeds to national race leader of
special region-7 U Aik Mone, 10,000 saplings of coffee and maize seeds each to U
Sai Mone of Manpang region and Duwa Khaung Jay of Phaunghsai region.
Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Khin
Maung presented vegetable seeds to four national race leaders, Deputy Minister
Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung 600 bags of rice and 30 bags of salt to U Sai Mone of
Manpang region and Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Than Tun 400 bags of rice and 20
bags of salt to Duwa Khaung Jay.
Duwa Khaung Jay, on behalf of the
national race leaders, spoke words of thanks. The commanders, the deputy
ministers and national race leaders observed educative showroom of elimination
of narcotic drugs at the city hall in Lashio. They next went to coffee nursery
of North East Command, poppy-substitute livestock breeding central farm,
poppy-substitute crop production, high yield paddy, groundnut, soybean,
sunflower, Pesinngon and coffee plantations and highland cultivation. Farm
in-charges reported on their works. Commander Maj-Gen Myint Hlaing explained
arrangements for providing saplings, seeds and fingerlings to local people.