Media in Thailand publish fabricate

[OKKAR66129@xxxxxxx]

Subject: Media in Thailand publish fabricated ne?ÿ?ISO-8859-1?Q?ws despite Myanmar?s  cooperation 

Media in Thailand publish fabricated news despite Myanmar?s 
cooperation and efforts made with international organizations 
and neighbours to fight drug abuse
    
YANGON, 6 Aug-The Press Conference on eradication of narcotic drugs in 
Myanmar was held at Aungthabyay Ye Yeiktha on Kyaikwaing Pagoda Road this 
morning.

In his address, Brig-Gen Kyaw Win said it was a special Press Conference 
organized to clarify matters relating to eradication of narcotic drugs.

He noted that the State Peace and Development Council laid down systematic 
plans to eradicate narcotic drugs with the supervision of the CCDAC.

In implementing plans to fight the drug menace as a national duty, success is 
being achieved as a result of collaborated efforts being made with 
international as well as regional organizations, he said and added that some 
foreign news agencies are spreading fabricated reports, unscrupulously 
quoting their departments and persons, which had caused misunderstanding 
about Myanmar.

He said officials would clarify matters relating to the eradication of 
narcotic drugs, Myanmar?s policies, projects and tasks, and nationalities 
groups? activities to rebut the accusations of foreign news agencies.

In his clarification, Col Thein Swe said that in July, Bangkok Post, The 
Nation and Thai Rat newspapers, and a weekly journal published in Thailand 
carried groundless reports written in a way as if they were said by Thai 
officials, and that these reports stated that Myanmar government allowed the 
nationalities armed groups to be engaged in drug trafficking, that Myanmar 
government troops were directly related with smuggling of drugs out of the 
country and sponsored carrying of drugs from within the country to the 
border, and that cooperation could not be made with Myanmar in elimination of 
drugs.


These groundless reports, he said, might cause misunderstanding on Myanmar 
government?s efforts for eradication of drugs.


Senior General Than Shwe paid a goodwill visit to Thailand on 8 and 9 March 
this year and issued a joint communiqué; in the communiqué, the authorities 
expressed satisfaction at the good prospects and cooperation in cooperation 
of the two countries in the narcotic control and suppression, and agreement 
on accelerating efforts in cooperation for total elimination of narcotic drug 
production and trafficking; the two sides agreed to taking effective actions 
to suppress production of chemicals and drugs as the first priority; a 
delegation from Thai narcotic drug control department arrived Myanmar on 24 
May 1999 and held coordination meetings with the CCDAC officials and toured 
Mongla of Wa region to study the tasks for opium substitute crop production, 
livestock and regional development project, and areas for accelerating co 
operation between the two countries; a Myanmar-Thai-land-UNDCP meeting 
scheduled to be held in Ranong of Thailand 16-17 August to accelerate 
cooperation between the two countries.

The papers published in Thailand printed the fabricated news despite the 
cooperation and efforts being made with international organizations and 
neighbours like Thailand, he said.

In Mongkoe on 8 February 1991, 75 kilos of heroin, 75 kilos of raw opium and 
four packets of brown opium were destroyed. At Nyopyinsipa village in Kokang 
region in February 1992, over 1500 acres of poppy fields were destroyed At 
Shaukluchan village on 21 March 1992, an opium refinery, 7.25 kilos of 
heroin, 8.91 kilos of opium, 1.16 kilos of opium residue and chemical 
equipment were seized. Natlinpa village in Kokang region in August 1992, an 
opium refinery, 18.55 kilos of heroin, 20.50 kilos of heroin grade 3, 17.33 
kilos of brown opium and 18.22 kilos of opium residue were seized. Narcotics 
seized at the refineries were handed over to the State. At Lawtthu and 
Aungnanphyin villages near Hemolon village in Muse Township, two opium 
refineries were destroyed. In Mongkoe in 26 March, 10.5 kilos of heroin and a 
large quantity of chemical liquid were destroyed. In Kokang region in August 
1994, actions concerning narcotics were designated and the Phonchwehsan 
region in Kokang on 16 March, over 2000 acres of poppy fields were destroyed.

A meeting was held at Siaw village on 11 to 13 June 1997 to wipe out poppy 
cultivation in Kokang region and to grow substitute crops. Arrangement have 
been made to take severe actions against poppy cultivation at China-Myanmar 
border and to wipe out poppy cultivation by the year 2000. Opium substitute 
crops will be grown in the area and local officials will meet harsh action 
for failure to inform or if there are any narcotics seizures. Laws will be 
enacted to launch narcotic eradication campaign as the national movement.

Arrangements are in progress to declare the entire Mongkoe region as an opium 
free zone in 2000. In 1996,372 acres of poppy fields were destroyed in the 
region. A total of 1250 acres were put under substitute crops- 700 acres in 
Mongkoe, 235 acres in Mongya, 215 acres in Monghaung, 50 acres in Nantbura. 
Com was cultivated on 3.28 acres, soy bean 3994 acres, buckwheat 764 acres, 
sugarcane 3864, Iychee 70 acres, mustard 50 acres, totalling over 8900 acres. 
In Laukkai, over 10,000 acres.

As the national race groups are implementing the narcotic eradication, opium 
substitute crop cultivation, region development programmes, it is obvious 
that these national group have no relations with the narcotic drugs. Bangkok 
Post daily issued on 23 July 1999 report Director of ONCB of northern 
Thailand Pinyo Thong Chai as saying, ?MTA leader Khun Sa and his son arc now 
resuming the narcotic business at Golden Triangle Region at present.? That 
was a baseless news reported without any firm evidence U Khun Sa made the 
surrender; how the arrangements were made; and the manpower and fire power of 
the group were not required to explain as everybody know these facts. But I 
will explain about the arrangements


(1) He must make the unconditional surrender;


(2) He must stay clear from narcotic drugs;


(3) He must stay accord to the government?s arrangements. The government will 
render security for him.

He surrendered after these agreements were reached.

U Khun Sa is living in line with these agreements. His sons and daughters are 
engaged in local gem mining works. It is just a baseless accusation.

There are accusations as if the Tatmadaw were ignoring the narcotic related 
affairs of national groups which are directly connected with narcotics. The 
Tatmadaw since before 1988 launched attacks in crushing drug production and 
trafficking of insurgents along the border. It had launched special military 
operations such as Moehein, Ngayeban, Taungyanshin, Taunghtaikpan, 
Aungmoe-hein annually in eradicating the narcotics.


The news reported by Thai dailies are groundless. These reports could have 
ill effects on Myanmar?s drug eradication efforts, disparaged Myanmar 
government and caused misunderstanding between the government and the 
national races armed groups. In reality the problem of narcotic is a regional 
problem. Instead of criticising others, efforts should be made to render 
assistance in solving the problem. Myanmar is implementing its 15-year plan 
to root out narcotic drugs. The plan can be realized in a shorter period if 
the nation gets international assistance. Myanmar will continue to implement 
the plan till success is achieved with or without receiving assistance from 
other counties.

Officials replied to queries raised by journalists.


Local and foreign journalists visited the anti- drug exhibition.

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