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MORE PROPAGANDA THROUGH XINHUA ABO
MORE PROPAGANDA THROUGH XINHUA ABOUT BURMA SO-CALLED DRUG ERRADICATIONS
Are these numbers real?? Are the loans and $3.3 million in aid
actually going to drug eradication ?? Are they really putting in poppy
substitutes ?? Or are they just killing off the farmers and local
people?? Will the world learn that the Shan, Mongyang, Karen,
Tachilek, Arakan and Wa states(et.al.) are NOT legally part of Burma and
the SPDC/SLORC has no legal authority there ??
Roundup: Myanmar Endeavors for Drug Eradication
Xinhua
03-JUN-98
YANGON (June 3) XINHUA - Myanmar
has been doing its best to eradicate
narcotic drugs without losing momentum
this year on the basis of the achievements
made in the previous year.
In the first four months of 1998, the
Myanmar authorities destroyed a dozen
heroin refineries in Shan state following
the destruction of 33 in the state in 1997.
Over 2,600 kilograms of narcotics
including more than 170 kg heroin were
also seized in the country by the
enforcement agencies with over 8, 000
hectares of poppy plantations destroyed in
the same period, according to official
statistics.
In 1997, the authorities confiscated a total
of 15,146 kg of narcotic drugs, including
1,401 kg heroin and 7,883 kg opium as
well as more than 5 million tablets of
amphetamine stimulant, taking action
against 5,361 people in connection with
3,864 drug-related cases.
Following the surrender of former drug
warlord Khun Sa and his 15, 000-member
Mong Tai Army in early 1996, Myanmar
made another achievement in 1997 for
turning the Mongla region into an
opium-free zone under a six-year plan
(1991-1997).
Similar efforts are being made to
transform Kokang and Wa regions into
opium-free zones by the year 2000.
In its latest annual narcotic drugs
destruction ceremony held in the capital of
Yangon in February, Myanmar set ablaze
a total of 5,759 kg seized drugs including
898 kg heroin and 4,587 kg opium.
At the beginning of this year, Myanmar
launched a three-month nationwide
campaign to collect baseline data on
opium cultivation and drug addicts in the
country.
According to a recent official report, more
than 16,000 hectares of illicit poppy
plantations in 17 townships of Shan state
were destroyed between November and
January.
Myanmar has been cooperating not only
with neighboring countries but also those
in the region in its drug control efforts. The
country has signed bilateral agreements
on the move with Bangladesh, China,
India, Laos, the Philippines, Russia,
Thailand and Vietnam.
Recently, the United States and Japan
have pledged grants totaling 3.8 million
U.S. dollars to help Myanmar eradicate
poppy cultivation in the border areas,
implying that the U.S. has resumed its aid
to Myanmar in drug control.
A joint U.S.-Myanmar team also carried
out a poppy yield survey in the country's
Shan state in February for the fourth time
since 1993 under the two countries'
anti-drug program.
Myanmar is also cooperating with the
United Nations agencies in drug
eradication endeavors.
Three Myanmar-UNDCP projects of
integrated rural development in eastern
Shan state's Mongyang and Tachilek and
Southern Wa region's Wan Ho Tao were
carried out since 1994 and successfully
completed in 1996 and 1997.
The UNDCP is also reportedly planning to
draft a global 10-year project for the
elimination of poppy cultivation and
development of opium substitute
undertakings involving Myanmar with an
annual allotment of 25 million U.S. dollars
for the country.
Myanmar has laid down two strategies of
eradication of narcotic drugs --
designating drug eradication and
prevention activities as a national
duty and gradual elimination of poppy
cultivation by promoting the standard of
living of the national races.
A senior Myanmar drug control official
said that Myanmar is committed to doing
its best for drug control, calling for
international participation in the country's
drug eradication endeavors.