BurmaNet News: 1st Week of Dec. 199 (r)

[craymond@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Re: BurmaNet News: 1st Week of Dec. 199

For everyone's information, US policy with Burma, whether drug related or 
not, is run by the State Department, not the DEA.  The DEA's presence in 
Burma and along the Thai border is quite small compared with that of the 
State Dept., and all foreign aid programs are run by State.  Those 
anti-drug helicopters used by the Burmese Army to defoliate crop land in 
rebel areas a few years ago were provided and funded through State Dept. 
diplomats in the Rangoon embassy.  While the DEA runs around in the 
jungle and often does stupid things, all of DEA activities must get 
approved by embassy diplomats, who usually are more concerned with 
keeping good relations with the host government regardless of how 
abusive, corrupt or repressive it is.

On Thu, 8 Dec 1994 gew400@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Subject: Re: BurmaNet News: 1st Week of Dec. 199
> 
> I feel compelled to reply to your report on Khun Sa. It has been=
>  clear to
> me for some time that US policy on the Burma-Thai border is largely=
>  run by
> the DEA. Khun Sa and the M=F6ng Tai Army has been in recent months=
>  the most
> consistent opponent of SLORC and the horrors perpetrated by the government
> in Rangoon. The drug problem is essentially one for user-countries=
>  to solve
> and its seems decriminalization is the surest way to remove the profit
> motive from trading. Tai peasants in Shan state have little to support
> themselves and opium growing is a rational choice. That MTA has used=
>  the
> trade to support its fight for independence must be understood by=
>  the world
> community.=20
> 
> The liberation of M=F6ng Tai is more important than the preoccupations=
>  of DEA.
> 
> Good on you, Khun Sa.
> 
> Gehan Wijeyewardene, gew400@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 
> 
>