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NEWS - "Mad Pill" Takes Its Toll in



Subject: NEWS - "Mad Pill" Takes Its Toll in Northern Shan State

IRRAWADDY - August 1999

GUEST COLUMN

"Mad Pill" Takes Its Toll in Northern Shan State

A report on the situation of amphetamine abuse in Shan State along the
northern borders with China, contrib­uted by the Shan Herald Agency for
News.

Until as recently as 3 or 4 years ago, most people in Pangsai, Muse and
Namkham townships, bordering China in northern Shan State, had never
seen or
even heard of the abuse of amphetamine pills in the area. To­day,
however,
the abuse of this drug has spread so rapidly that more and more young
and
middle-aged people can be seen taldng it on a regular basis.

Before the spread of amphetamine, it was narcotic drugs such as opium
and
its de­rivatives, morphine and heroin, that de­stroyed the young people.
But
now; people are losing interest in opiates, and amphet­amines have
become so
popular that they have almost entirely overwhelmed the drug market.

In townships all over the Shan state such as  Tachilek,  Mongton, 
Mongsat,
Mongphyak, Mongyawng, Kengtung, Kunhing, Langkho, Mongnai, Panglong,
Loilem,
Tawnggyi, Mongkung, Mongsu, Tangyan, Hsipaw; Lashio, Kutkai, Muse and
Narnkliam, a great number of people are now regular users of
amphetamines.
This trend of abuse is said to be spreading across the border into
several
border towns in China such as Ruili, Wanting and Mongla and is
continuing to
spread as far as big cities like Dehong and Mangxi.

Amphetamine traffickers usually fetch 4 to 8-fold profits on the capital
used in each successful transaction. As amphetamine pills are much
easier to
hide and transport than the derivatives of opium, many former heroin
dealers
have shifted to trafficking amphetamine. And it looks as if more and
more
will likely do the same.

It is said that 1 kg of amphetamine pow­der (not yet pressed into
tablets)
from Shan State could be sold at a price of US$4-5,000 in Mandalay and
US$8-10,000 in Rangoon. From these points, dealers transport the drug to
Thailand via sea and several different land routes such as Three Pagoda
Pass, opposite Kanchanaburi, and Kawthaung (Victoria Point), opposite
Ranong.

Most of the amphetamine users in the border towns opposite China are
young
people between the ages of 18 and 40. Ac­cording to some observers, not
less
than 65% of the young people in Muse and 40% in Namkham are amphetamine
users and the numbers seem to be growing. The highest rate of use is
among
the gambling commu­nities, followed by truck drivers. while la­borers
and
night-workers follow third, stu­dents, including university students who
can­not study because most universities are closed, come fourth.

Starting about 1 or 2 years ago, amphet­amines have come to Muse and
Namkham
areas from the eastern Shan State through Monsu, Tangyan and Lashio. It
is
also com­ing from northern Wa areas of Mongmau, Kunlong and Hopang, via
Laokai Chinshwehaw and Mongko.

Now, amphetamines are said to be pro­duced in remote places in the
forests
and mountains and even in Muse township by the Wa and Kokang groups. For
instance, an amphetamine factory has been set up by Chinese dealers near
Taknai village, Tima tract, 50 miles southeast of Muse town. It is being
run
under the protection of the MA (Kachin Independence Army-one of the
first
groups to sign a cease-fire agreement with the Burmese military regime)
who
ac­cordingly collect taxes. The Kokang group is also producing
amphetamine
near Mongko. The products of these factories are being transported to
the
border areas as well as to Lashio, Mandalay and Rangoon on a more or
less
regular basis.

In addifion to diclocal people of the bor­der areas who lime illen
victim to
these ad­dictive drup, induding opium and its de­nvaflves as well as
amphetamine, there are also many young Burmans serving under the ruling
State Peace and Development Coun­cil, including many police and
soldiers,
who have become addicted to several of these drugs.

Ye Htut, a 22 year-old lieutenant from Lashio-based Infantry Battalion
41,
recalled in early July after being posted to Muse and Namkham areas for
some
time, was highly addicted to both amphetamine and opium. On one occasion
two
months ago, Ye Htut was quite high on amphetamine when he went into a
latrine for an unusually long time. When one of his fliends, who heard a
strange noise as if something had fallen in the la­trine, opened the
door
and looked, Ye Htut was lying on the floor with upturned eyes and foam
coming from his mouth, as if he was going to breathe his last breath,
and
his pistol had fallen so close to the mouth of the latrine hole that it
almost fell into it.

When he was high on drugs, Ye Htut used to criticize the institution he
belonged to. "Our Tatmadaw(the armed forces) is ru­ined. No one need to
come
and fight it. One day, before long, we will be fighting among
ourselves," he
would say. During his assign­ment to the border areas, he managed to
ac­cumulate a lot of money by using many dif­ferent methods to extort
money
from the lo­cal people, so that when he returned to his battalion he was
able to take away with him more than 4,000,000 Kyat. (It has become
somewhat
of a custom for the military per­sonnel to ask each other how much money
and
valuables they are able to take home with them whenever personnel
transfers
take place.)

Lieutenant Thu Rein Win, who has re­placed Ye Htut, is also taking 20-30
amphet­amine tablets per day on regular basis and is high on the drug
most
of the time. He too often criticizes his own mother institution. "Except
while on duty under strict orders, no one needs to listen to anyone
else, no
one can order another around, all are equals. The bigger one is, the
more
one eats and takes (bribes), and the smaller ones have to foot their own
bills. No one cares whether it is just or fair. Everyone is just trying
to
line his own pockets."

In Muse, a booming trading town near the border with China, more than 10
cease-fire groups have set up liaison offices for their trading
companies
and other related matters. The following are the said cease-fire groups:
the MDA (Mongko Defence Army) com­manded by Mongsala and based in
Mongko;
the KDA (Kachin Defence Army) led by Matunaw in Kutkai; the PSLA
(Palaung
State Liberation Army) headed by Ai Mung in Namtu; the KIA (Kachin
Independence Army) commanded by Zao Seng at Namhi Namyue; the MNDAA
(Myanmar
National Democratic Alliance Army) commanded by Peng Jai-sheng at
Chinshwehaw; the
SSA (Shan State Army) led by Loi Mao, Kai Fa and Hsoten at Seng Keo; the
SSNA (Shan State National Army) led by Kan Yawd and Sai Yi at Khai Sim;
the
UWSA (United Wa State Army) led by Pao Yo Chang and Li Ziru at Pang
Sang;
the anti-insurgency group led by Kyaw Myint at Mong Wui; the
anti-insurgency
group led by Khun Phong at Phawng Seng; the anti-insurgency group led by
Khun Myat at Namphakka; the anti-in­surgency group led by Ma Kou-wen at
Murng Heng; the anti-insurgency group led by Bo Mon at Murng Tawm and
Palaung people's militia led by Kyaw Sein at Kawng Wai east of Namkham.

Every cease-fire group in Shan State-from the smallest with just 30-40
members to the largest with more than 4,000-is in one way or another
involved in the narcotic drugs business, either in producing, trading,
providing security or simply collecting taxes. The fact that no group is
completely clear of involvement in this lucrative business is as well
known
to local people as it is to the military and SPDC authorities.

SPDC authorities, who claim~to be eradi­cating narcotic drugs and
shouting
to the in­ternational community for a helping hand, are catching only
small
fish and deliberately letting go the big fish who can afford to pay
bribes
or secret taxes. Some military authori­ties are even said to hold big
shares
in the drug trafficking business. In the border ar­eas with China, only
small dealers who sell drugs to subsist are often caught and pun­ished
while
big dealers usually get away.

Local people of every status and stand­ing know very well what is going
on
in their areas. Even UN agents and foreign NGOs who often come to the
border
areas such as the UNDE UNDCP and SCF realize what is really happening.

It has become clearer and clearer that the amphetamine problem is no
longer
con­fined to Thailand and the territories border­ing it. It has in fact
spread to many big cities in Burma and to territories bordering China
and
into China itself. It has already reached some Chinese border towns such
as
Rulli and Mangxi, and will before long probably reach other big cities
such
as Kunming, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangxi and even Hong Kong. Will it grow
from
a local problem into a re­gional one and eventually become global like
its
predecessors, the cocaine and heroin prob­lems?

This article was contributed by the Shan Herald Agency for News.