The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma
Websites/Multiple Documents
Description:
Restoration Council of the Shan State – the Political Wing, Shan State Army – the Military Wing
Shan State Army (SSA), the military wing of the Restoration Council of the Shan State (RCSS, established 1999), has adopted the policy of drug eradication since 1996 realizing the dangers of drugs affecting its communities badly in many aspects. In 2012, RCSS established a department to carry out its drug eradication policy. It has also been working on the drug policy implementation issues with several organizations including UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), the TNI (Transnational Institute) and others.
RCSS
Source/publisher:
RCSSANC
Date of publication:
00-00-00
Date of entry/update:
2020-01-11
Grouping:
Websites/Multiple Documents
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Individual Documents
Description:
"The first point to make for meth, which is the big growing problem for Myanmar, Myanmar does not produce any of the precursor chemicals, the chemicals that are needed to manufacture this. Most of these are coming from China; a few from other neighbouring countries of Myanmar. So there is also a responsibility of Myanmar’s neighbours to better control the flow of those precursor chemicals across the border into Myanmar. It is not just a Myanmar border control problem, it is also a China border control problem. And China, for example, has not been very effective at stopping the flow of those chemicals. It does not make regular seizures of illicit chemicals coming across the border, in fact, there has never been a major seizure of precursor chemicals by the Chinese border authorities as those chemicals cross the border.
They do seize chemicals within China and Myanmar seizes chemicals within Myanmar but at the point of crossing there has never been a major seizure. That’s a big gap in law enforcement of this issue. So that is the first step, the precursor chemicals. But then the environment is Shan State is one where it is very difficult for the state to control. These criminal organizations that are involved in the production of these drugs choose locations for production which are difficult to reach, which are protected in some way by militia, by non-state army group, or by a general climate of impunity by paying people off so that they are not disturbed.
So that is a problem of the armed conflict in Myanmar, it is also a problem of corruption. We know that these are very difficult issues for countries to address, and that is especially true given the scale of the problem. It is a multi-billion dollar industry. It is probably far larger in value than the entire legal economy of Shan State. So this is not a small problem it is a very large problem..."
Source/publisher:
"Mizzima" (Myanmar)
Date of publication:
2019-08-24
Date of entry/update:
2019-09-22
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Burma: drug production and trafficking, Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) - Myanmar, Burma: opium and heroin, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma
Language:
more
Description:
"Long-distance truck drivers, people working on fishing boats or those scavenging jade and gold mines are among those vulnerable to drug dependence in northern Myanmar. In the north of the country, where the reach of the central government is comparatively limited, workers may be partly paid in opium in recognition of the fact that their working lives are so benighted and subject to risk.
As the demand for drugs is sustained, it is not surprising that the supply of drugs also remains strong. In the hilly areas of Kachin and Shan states, opium is grown as a second crop after rice by subsistence farmers. Those in the drug trade will then come to collect the crops from the farm gate at an agreed rate. This overcomes a significant problem of market access for farmers who lack access to roads as well as irrigation — for them, the prospect of obtaining substitute crops remains out of reach with significant government or NGO-led extension services unavailable in conflict areas. Despite attempts to hold talks that might yield peace, any real breakthrough seems to be far away.
Opium is just one of many narcotics widely available throughout the country. A range of synthetic drugs such as methamphetamines are also manufactured and distributed across Myanmar. These too are associated with conflict regions — heroin is linked with cash-rich mining operations while amphetamines are used by the truck drivers and fishing workers.
These manufactured items tend to be the preserve of organised gangs which the security forces can tackle by various means. Opium, though, remains the drug woven into the fabric of society.
There is no doubt that the Tatmadaw, the Myanmar military force which generally acts for the government in the north of the country, would eliminate the drugs trade as it currently stands, not least because some of the proceeds continue to finance armed attempts at securing autonomy by various ethnic groups. In some cases, that means taking control of the trade — for years, the military has financed its own developmental schemes through drug money among other sources...."
Source/publisher:
"East Asia Forum" (Australia)
Date of publication:
2019-09-21
Date of entry/update:
2019-09-21
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Burma: drug production and trafficking, Burma: opium and heroin, Drugs and the Burmese Government, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma
Language:
more
Description:
"Myanmar authorities seized heroin and controlled Hydrochloric acid, Thionyl chloride acid in Kachin and Shan states, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) said on Friday.
Heroin worth 244 million kyats (162,666 U.S. dollars) were confiscated from two cars travelling from Bhamo to Myitkyina in Waingmaw township, Kachin state on Thursday.
Meanwhile, 360 buckets filled with 14,400 litres of Hydrochloric acid and 580 buckets filled with Thionyl chloride acid were confiscated from two 12-wheeled trucks by the security personnel during their operation in Mongyai town, Shan state on Wednesday.
Local police filed a case for the captured suspects and an investigation was underway according to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law, the committee said in a statement..."
Source/publisher:
"Xinhua" (China)
Date of publication:
2019-09-20
Date of entry/update:
2019-09-20
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description:
"Myanmar authorities seized 42.5 kilograms of opium worth over 25.5 million kyats (17,000 U.S. dollars) in Shan state, according to the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) on Wednesday.
The seizure was made by a joint police force from a motorbike travelling from Aungban to Ywangan on Tuesday afternoon.
On the same day, 246,500 stimulant tablets worth 739.5 million kyats (493,000 U.S. dollars) from a motorbike when it was intercepted on Lai Mhone road in Kale township, Sagaing region.
Two suspects were charged in connection with the two cases under Myanmar's Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law..."
Source/publisher:
"Xinhua"
Date of publication:
2019-09-11
Date of entry/update:
2019-09-12
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Burma: opium and heroin, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Drugs in Shan State
Language:
more
Description:
"For well over a century, Myanmar’s remote mountains and valleys have played a central role in the regional supply chains for illicit drugs. Initially, opium poppies were grown in Myanmar; later, high-purity heroin was produced to meet global demand.
In more recent years, though, illicit drug production in Myanmar has increasingly moved from plant-based heroin to synthetics like methamphetamine. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime World drug report 2017 revealed that criminal groups operating in Myanmar have become significant players in the global production of synthetic drugs.
It’s easy to blame the growing problem of synthetic drug production in Myanmar on ethnic insurgency groups like the United Wa State Army and Shan State Army. However, while these groups are far from innocent, the problem has much more to do with the globalisation of organised crime and the domestic drug policy of the Chinese government. A brief review of Myanmar’s 100-year connection with drug production can shed light on these relationships.
Following the opium wars between China and Britain in the mid-1800s, the demand for opium in China seemed unquenchable. To be fair, the demand was created and then nurtured by the British forcing opium on China rather than by a deliberate Chinese government policy decision.
Opium poppy quickly became a highly valuable cash crop for farmers in Myanmar’s remote hills and valleys.
In 1901, the Chinese Qing Dynasty embarked on a program to suppress the production of opium. While the policy resulted in a reduction in the production of opium in Chinese territory, it drove greater demand for production in the Golden Triangle of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand..."
Source/publisher:
"Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI)"
Date of publication:
2019-08-21
Date of entry/update:
2019-08-22
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Drugs: regional and global, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Burma: opium and heroin
Language:
more
Sub-title:
More than K900-million-worth of drugs was found in the fuel tank of a Ministry of Construction vehicle while it was being checked at a body shop in Nay Pyi Taw last Monday.
Description:
"Police received a call that the drugs were found by Bayint Naung body shop at Bawga Thiri bus terminal.
Police seized 89 bricks of heroin weighing about 350 grams each, or a total 30.15 kilograms, in the fuel tank, which had been divided into sections.
A suspect, Kyan Yin Haung, was arrested in Kutkai township, Shan State, and the vehicle was confiscated. It had last been seen at the Ministry of Construction about 5 days before the arrest.
Charges were filed against Kyan Yin Haung under Section 19(a) of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law by Pyinmana township police.
Deputy Police Colonel Kyi Soe of the Myanmar Police Force confirmed the drug seizure.
“The car was seized in Kutkai regarding a drug case. The car could not hold much fuel, so its fuel tank was checked, and it was found that bricks of heroin had been stored on one side of the tank,” he said on Tuesday. There were three or four similar cases in the past, with some involving weapons, he said..."
Source/publisher:
"Myanmar Times"
Date of publication:
2019-08-12
Date of entry/update:
2019-08-12
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Drugs and Burma: general links, reports and articles, Burma: opium and heroin, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma
Language:
more
Title: 2011 Patterns and Trends of Amphetamine-Type Stimulants and Other Drugs, Asia and the Pacific
Description:
"The East and South-East Asia region, which is home
to about one-third of the global population, has one
of the most established amphetamine-type stimulants
(ATS) markets in the world, primarily for methamphetamine. Since the late 1990s, the illicit manufacture, trafficking and use of ATS have expanded significantly in the region. These trends continued in 2010.
The present report highlights the most current patterns and trends of amphetamine-type stimulants and
other drugs of use in East and South-East Asia and
provides overviews for the neighbouring regions of
South Asia and the Pacific. This is the latest in a series
of reports prepared under the Global Synthetics Monitoring: Analyses, Reporting and Trends (SMART)
Programme. The objective of the Global SMART Programme is to enhance the capacity of Member States
and relevant authorities to generate, manage, analyse,
report and use synthetic drug information, in order
to design effective, scientifically-sound and evidencebased policies and programmes.
The findings of the report are based on primary information submitted by the drug control agencies and
designated institutions in Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam,
via the Drug Use Information Network for Asia and
the Pacific (DAINAP) established through the Global
SMART Programme. Information from DAINAP
is supplemented with data from other Government
sources such as national reports, the Annual Reports
Questionnaire, and through primary and secondary
research. Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Republic
of Korea also provided data to the Global SMART
Programme for this report.
All 15 countries that contributed to this report reported significant levels of ATS use. In several of those
countries, ATS drugs, particularly methamphetamine
(in pill or crystalline form), have emerged as the primary drug threat in recent years, in some cases displacing traditionally used plant-based drugs such as heroin, opium or cannabis. It is estimated that between
3.5 and 20.9 million persons in East and South-East
Asia have used amphetamines in the past year..."
Source/publisher:
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Date of publication:
2011-00-00
Date of entry/update:
2019-07-08
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNODC Burma/Myanmar, Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) - Myanmar, Burma: opium and heroin, Burma: drug production and trafficking, Burma: HIV/AIDS-Heroin Nexus, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
9.34 MB
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Sub-title:
Report on Operations in 2011 and Future Prospects
Description:
Four new Border Liaison Offices (BLOs) were established on the border between
Cambodia and Viet Nam, with an expanded mandate to deal with all forms of crossborder trafficking and smuggling (not just drugs). Twelve other existing BLOs have been
identified for mandate expansion, in the same two countries, beyond their current focus
on drug control.
Multi-agency national committees were established in Cambodia and Viet Nam to
oversee the work of the new-style BLOs, demonstrating national commitment to
improving cooperation between agencies dealing with different types of cross-border
crime (including drugs, smuggling of people, natural resources and hazardous goods).
Collection and sharing of regional data concerning production, smuggling, and use of
Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS) and other drugs through the SMART programme
continues to improve year after year. There is clear evidence to show that the data is
being used in the region to help inform policy making. New Global e-Learning products (also known as Computer Based Training) were
developed. New training modules for Smuggling of Migrants, Trafficking in Persons,
Wildlife Crime and Human Rights are now in production.
Access to information on migrant smuggling in the region (in support of the Bali Process)
continues to improve with UNODC support. Research papers have been produced and
steady progress is being made towards establishing a regional voluntary reporting system
on migrant smuggling.
In Indonesia, capacities of stakeholder institutions, NGOs and communities have been
strengthened in Papua Province to help combat illegal logging and the illicit trade in
forest products.
Background research on child-sex tourism in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet
Nam has been largely completed, in preparation for the implementation of ‘Project
Childhood’ in collaboration with INTERPOL. This has included legislative review/gap
analysis, institutional profiling and a review of current training programmes for law
enforcement officials on combatting child-sex tourism.
The need for improved national mechanisms and enhanced cross-border cooperation to
support victims of human trafficking has been effectively advocated, based on
preliminary research and dialogue with senior government officials in Cambodia and
Thailand.
Source/publisher:
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Date of publication:
2012-04-00
Date of entry/update:
2019-07-08
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNODC Burma/Myanmar, Drugs: regional and global, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) - Myanmar, Burma: opium and heroin, Burma: drug production and trafficking, Burma: HIV/AIDS-Heroin Nexus
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
982.22 KB
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Description:
"Chapter I of this year’s World Drug Report provides an
overview of recent trends and the drug situation in terms
of production, trafficking and consumption and the consequences of illicit drug use in terms of treatment, drugrelated diseases and drug-related deaths.
Chapter II presents a long-term perspective on the characteristics and evolution of the drug problem and the main
factors that shaped it. It starts with a discussion of the main
characteristics of the contemporary drug problem, followed
by an overview of the shifts observed over the last few
de cades, before concluding with an analysis of the driving
factors that shaped the evolution of the drug problem,
including a brief outlook for its likely future direction. CHAPTER I. RECENT STATISTICS
AND TREND ANALYSIS OF ILLICIT
DRUG MARKETS
Latest available data indicate that there has been no significant change in the global status quo regarding the use,
production and health consequences of illicit drugs, other
than the return to high levels of opium production in
Afghanistan after a disease of the opium poppy and subsequent crop failure in 2010. But while the troubled waters
of the world’s illicit drug markets may appear to be stagnant, shifts and changes in their flows and currents can be
observed below the surface. These are significant and also
worrying, not because of how they currently impact on
the data but because they are proof of the resilience and
adaptability of illicit drug suppliers and users and because
of the potential future repercussions of those shifts and
changes in the world’s major drug markets.
The global picture
The extent of global illicit drug use remained stable in the
five years up to and including 2010, at between 3.4 and
6.6 per cent of the adult population (persons aged 15-64).
However, some 10-13 per cent of drug users continue to
be problem users with drug dependence and/or drug-use
disorders, the prevalence of HIV (estimated at approximately 20 per cent), hepatitis C (46.7 per cent) and hepatitis B (14.6 per cent) among injecting drug users continues
to add to the global burden of disease, and, last but not
least, approximately 1 in every 100 deaths among adults
is attributed to illicit drug use.
Opioids continue to be the dominant drug type accounting for treatment demand in Asia and Europe and also
contribute considerably to treatment demand in Africa,
North America and Oceania. Treatment for cocaine use is
mainly associated with the Americas, while cannabis is the
main drug causing treatment demand in Africa. Demand
for treatment relating to the use of amphetamine-type
stimulants (ATS) is most common in Asia..."
Source/publisher:
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Date of publication:
2012-00-00
Date of entry/update:
2019-07-08
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNODC Burma/Myanmar, Drugs: regional and global, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) - Myanmar, Burma: opium and heroin, Burma: drug production and trafficking
Language:
Format :
pdf
Size:
12.33 MB
Local URL:
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Description:
"Migrant Smuggling in Asia: A !ematic Review of
Literature and the accompanying annotated bibliography o#er a consolidation of !ndings contained in
research literature that analyses migrant smuggling
in Asia either directly or indirectly. !e review of
the available body of empirical knowledge aimed
to create an information base and identify the
gaps in what is known about the smuggling of migrants around and out of the region.
By consolidating the information currently accessible on migrant smuggling, the !ematic Review of
Literature looks to stimulate and guide further research that will contribute to informing evidencebased policies to prevent and combat the smuggling
of migrants while upholding and protecting the
rights of those who are smuggled.
"e United Nations O$ce on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC) conducted the research in support of the Bali Process, which is a regional, multilateral process to improve cooperation against migrant
smuggling, tra$cking in persons and related forms
of transnational crime.
!e systematic search for research literature in
English, French and German covered an eight-year
period (1 January 2004 to 31 March 2011) and 14
countries (Afghanistan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, "ailand and Viet Nam).
Primary research, such as the collection of statistics
from national authorities, was not part of the project.
"e project began with a search of 44 databases, one
meta-library catalogue, three institution-speci!c library catalogues and 39 websites of institutions that
work on migrant smuggling. "is resulted in 845 documents that were then closely reviewed against a set of
further elaborated criteria. Ultimately, 154 documents
were critically reviewed and formed the basis of this
report. Abstracts of those documents are provided in
Migrant Smuggling in Asia: An Annotated Bibliography.
"e systematic search also included literature regarding irregular migration and human tra$cking &ows
not only because migrant smuggling takes place
within irregular migration but to learn more about
the relationship between migrant smuggling, irregular migration and human tra"cking.
A highly fragmented information base: Knowledge gaps prevail
Of the 154 documents reviewed, 75 of them provided information about migrant smuggling, 117
provided information about irregular migration and
66 provided information about human tra$cking.
Keeping in mind that some countries within the
research scope are major sources of migrant smuggling and irregular migration, these !gures illustrate
that migrant smuggling has not attracted a critical
amount of attention within the research community.
Accurate data on the extent of migrant smuggling
either rarely exists or could not be accessed by researchers. "e reviewed literature re&ects the paucity of and/or shortcomings in o$cial quantitative
data in many countries and the di$culties in accessing data that would allow a better grasp of both the
extent of irregular migration and to what extent irregular migration is facilitated by migrant smugglers.
!e available research literature on irregular migration contributes only in a limited way to increasing the understanding of migrant smuggling
due to a lack of clarity with the terminology. Common is the use of terms that are not further de!ned,
such as “illegal migrant”, “broker”, “agent” and “recruiter”. "is ambiguity signi!cantly has limited the
capacity of the literature on irregular migration to
clarify to what extent migrant smugglers facilitate
irregular migration and how..."
Source/publisher:
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Date of publication:
2012-08-00
Date of entry/update:
2019-07-07
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNODC Burma/Myanmar, Drugs: regional and global, Burma: opium and heroin, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
2.15 MB
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Description:
"This report integrates the reviewed literature on irregular migration and the working conditions of
smuggled migrants with in-depth interviews with
a group of Pakistanis working in London’s migrant
economy. "e intent is to describe the speci!c forms
of risk and “precarity” facing smuggled migrants in
this particular context. "e report begins with a discussion of the methodology issues that ensued when
dealing with a population reluctant to be identi-
!ed. Despite the problems, 21 semi-structured interviews were carried out during the course of the
study, although this number included several regular
migrants as well as employers. "e inclusion of the
latter two groups allowed for comparisons and different perspectives in the analysis.
Findings from the study delineate both similarities
and di#erences in the conditions endured by regular
and irregular migrants. Both migrant groups experience long hours, poor working conditions and a
certain amount of insecurity, but irregular migrants
must adapt to ever-changing circumstances, given
the instability of life in their enclave. Although both
types of migrants experience similar di$culties, irregular migrants’ problems are exacerbated due to
their status. For example, they need to pay o# smugglers who facilitated their journeys as well as escape
notice of authorities empowered to deport them.
"ese burdens are both psychological and material.
In essence, they become “prisoners of monetized
time”, which impedes the hope of upward mobility..."
Source/publisher:
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Date of publication:
2012-08-00
Date of entry/update:
2019-07-07
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNODC Burma/Myanmar, Burma: drug production and trafficking, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.26 MB
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Sub-title:
Promoting the rule of law and health to address drugs and crime in Southeast Asia
Description:
"This Regional Programme (RP) document outlines the proposed scope and focus of the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) work in Southeast Asia2
from 2014 to 2017, to be carried out by
UNODC, under the lead of the Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific based in Bangkok
(ROSEAP), making effective use of expertise and infrastructure available in UNODC Headquarters, as well
as the UNODC field office network in Southeast Asia3
. A strong emphasis will be placed on pursuing
cooperation with relevant regional partnership mechanisms and frameworks such as the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Greater Mekong Sub-region Memorandum of Understanding
on Drug Control.
The RP outlines the framework for delivering a coherent programme of work, and aims to:
Give clear focus to supporting Member States in achieving priority drugs and crime outcomes in
the region; and
Increase the responsiveness, efficiency and effectiveness of UNODC’s support to the region.
The proposed programme of work has been developed in close consultation with countries of the region
and other regional partners, and the situation analysis includes:
A profile of UNODC’s global strategy, governing bodies and mandates
A brief description of the broad regional development context
An overview of the key drugs and crime challenges facing the region. Particular attention is
given to: (i) transnational organised crime and illicit trafficking; (ii) anti-corruption; (iii) terrorism
prevention; (iv) criminal justice; and (v) drugs and health, and alternative development
A profile of regional institutions and initiatives relevant to UNODC’s mandates and work
A profile of UNODC in the region, including past and current activities, key partners and lessons
learned from implementation of the previous UNODC Regional Progamme Framework..."
Source/publisher:
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Date of publication:
2013-11-06
Date of entry/update:
2019-07-07
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNODC Burma/Myanmar, Drugs: regional and global, Burma: opium and heroin, Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) - Myanmar, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
979.8 KB
more
Sub-title:
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Drug Control
Description:
"The Mekong Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Drug Control brings together six
countries in East and Southeast Asia – Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and
Viet Nam – to address the threat of illicit drug production, trafficking and use.
As a non-state signatory and the seventh partner to the MOU, the United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime (UNODC) provides secretariat and technical support to the MOU process.
UNODC’s Regional Programme for Southeast Asia is carefully designed to ensure effective
support for the Mekong MOU mechanism. With support from the international community
and UNODC, the Mekong MOU Governments have worked together on issues related to
illicit drugs for over 25 years..."
Source/publisher:
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Date of publication:
2017-00-00
Date of entry/update:
2019-07-06
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNODC Burma/Myanmar, Drugs: regional and global, Drugs: Standards and Mechanisms, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
4.14 MB
more
Description:
"DRUG AND PRECURSOR TRAFFICKING | Threat assessments undertaken help improve understanding of the flow
of drugs and precursors and designing effective solutions. Enhanced understanding of the regional context and
strengthened capacities are required to address the challenge of synthetic drug production in Southeast Asia and the
Pacific region.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING | MIGRANT SMUGGLING | Regional and inter-agency cooperation and information sharing
are vital to address human trafficking and migrant smuggling across the region. Law enforcement agencies often lack
sufficient knowledge to correctly identify human trafficking and migrant smuggling cases, and legal frameworks to
prosecute cases are not always adequate.
FOREST AND WILDLIFE CRIME | The designation of wildlife and timber trafficking as serious transnational crimes
requiring regional action by the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime has moved wildlife and forest crime
up on the regional agenda. UNODC will continue supporting Member States to address environmental crimes.
BORDER MANAGEMENT AND CROSS BORDER COOPERATION | Aiming to bring together counterparts from different
countries, jurisdictions, and agencies with a focus on sharing information. Communication through the border liaison
office network is the key element in UNODC’s approach to strengthening border control in the region.
ANTI CORRUPTION | The first round of the implementation review mechanism of the United Nations Convention
against Corruption (UNCAC) was conducted throughout the region. Effective anti-corruption efforts require a wholeof-government and society approach, including different sectors and branches of the government, civil society groups
and the private sector.
TERRORISM PREVENTION | A growing number of attacks in the region placed terrorism high on the agenda throughout
2016. UNODC will continue supporting Member States to strengthen national capacities to counter terrorism and
address regional threats such as foreign terrorist fighters returning to the region.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE | Criminal justice provides the foundation to counter organized crime and protect vulnerable groups
through the rule of law. UNODC will continue to support Member States to address key criminal justice challenges, and
to drive criminal justice reform in the region.
DRUGS AND HEALTH, AND ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT | UNODC continues to offer support to Member States in
Southeast Asia in transitioning from compulsory treatment centers for drug users, towards a voluntary community
based treatment approach. At the same time, UNODC will continue to advance its principles on alternative development
and assist with research on the opium economy..."
Source/publisher:
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Date of publication:
2016-00-00
Date of entry/update:
2019-07-05
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNODC Burma/Myanmar, Trafficking: global, regional and national reports, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Drugs: regional and global, Burma: drug production and trafficking
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
2.91 MB
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Topic:
Trends and Patterns of Amphetamine-type Stimulants and New Psychoactive Substances
Sub-title:
A Report from the Global SMART Programme June 2017
Topic:
Trends and Patterns of Amphetamine-type Stimulants and New Psychoactive Substances
Description:
"There is no sign of respite in the expansion of the methamphetamine market in East and South-East Asia.
Seizures of both forms of methamphetamine - tablets and crystalline - reached record highs in 2015, and
most countries in the region noted increasing use of methamphetamine.
• Both the number and the scale of illicit methamphetamine manufacture facilities continue to increase to meet
the rapidly rising demand for methamphetamine in the region. In 2015, approximately 630 illicit synthetic
drug manufacturing facilities were dismantled in the region. Of these, the majority were methamphetamine
manufacturing facilities.
• The retail prices of crystalline methamphetamine in countries in East and South-East Asia are high, and
might be a key driver for intensified intra-regional and inter-regional methamphetamine trafficking.
• Substantial quantities of precursor chemicals, which can be used for manufacture of methamphetamine,
have been seized in the region with recent trends indicating a diversification of precursors and methods used.
• Tablets sold as “ecstasy” in the region contain various substances other than MDMA, including new
psychoactive substances (NPS).
• The production of opiates in the region has been relatively stable between 2013 and 2015 but remains at a
comparatively high level. Heroin trafficking and use remains a key concern in the region.
• A wide range of new psychoactive substances have been identified in East and South-East Asia. These
include potent synthetic opioids, such as derivatives of fentanyl , which have been implicated in the ongoing
opioid overdose crisis in North America..."
Source/publisher:
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Date of publication:
2017-06-00
Date of entry/update:
2019-07-05
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNODC Burma/Myanmar, Drugs: regional and global, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Burma: opium and heroin, Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) - Myanmar, Burma: HIV/AIDS-Heroin Nexus, Burma: drug production and trafficking
Language:
English
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2.9 MB
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"Drug treatment capacities in Myanmar received a significant boost this week through the delivery of a new UNODC training package to strengthen access to community-based health services for people who use drugs. The training of officials of the Myanmar Police Force, Ministry of Health and civil society partners follows a symposium held late last year between ASEAN countries and China, where a new approach to strengthen voluntary community-based health services throughout the region was announced.
Currently, there is need in Myanmar and the wider region for an alternative to compulsory drug treatment centers, where people are held for different various periods. Data collected from 7 countries in the region show that there are close to half a million people sent to such centers every year - and there is no evidence to suggest any clear treatment outcomes.
The training package addresses these gaps by supporting the roll-out of voluntary community based services in Myanmar and the region being tailored to complement the ongoing development of a new national drug policy in Myanmar. This process so far includes a review of the drug law, and a first-of-its-kind consultation process that has brought together various government agencies and civil society for in-depth discussions on policy direction..."
Source/publisher:
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Date of publication:
2017-04-11
Date of entry/update:
2019-06-25
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNODC Burma/Myanmar, Drugs: regional and global, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma
Language:
English
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Description:
"In an effort to rebalance the approach to drug challenges in Myanmar, the Government of Myanmar and UNODC today announced a new National Drug Control Policy. The overall aim is to contribute to safe, secure and and healthy communities through a policy that addresses all aspects of the drug problem, focusing on the unique needs of the country. A national expression of the 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem (UNGASS) outcome, the policy signals a significant shift in approach towards an evidence-based and more people and health-focused approach, while advocating for practical strategies to reduce the negative effects of drug production, trafficking and use.
UNODC began the partnership with the Government of Myanmar to develop the new National Drug Control Policy after the UNGASS. Notably, Myanmar is the first country in Southeast Asia to adopt the UNGASS framework at a national level.
On the International Day Against Drugs 26th June in 2016, the Government of Myanmar formally requested UNODC financial and technical support to design a new policy for Myanmar. Following initial discussions with parliamentarians, a comprehensive consultation process involving government, non-government, academic and civil society stakeholders was set-up and run with the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control. Reflecting the diversity of views taken on-board in the consultations, the new policy includes health and social policy responses, outlining a path to promoting sustainable alternative development for opium farmers, a refocus of law enforcement and justice efforts to address organized crime, and expanding regional and international cooperation. The process of consultation was inclusive, allowing for an open and frank exchange of views.
Given the effectiveness of the traditional approach has been called into question, UNODC experts have commended the Government of Myanmar for developing a national drug policy that moves from a punitive approach to a more health and human oriented approach to address illicit drug challenges. The new policy incorporates inputs from the consultation process into five policy areas, including: supply reduction and alternative development; demand and harm reduction; international cooperation; research and analysis; and compliance with human rights. Significantly, it is the first time the Government of Myanmar has formally adopted a harm reduction approach to drug use..."
Source/publisher:
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Date of publication:
2018-02-20
Date of entry/update:
2019-06-24
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNODC Burma/Myanmar, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Drugs: regional and global
Language:
English
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Description:
"Drug agency leaders from the Mekong region - Cambodia, China, Lao, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam - alongside UNODC, are visiting remote, mountainous areas around Taunggyi and Hopong of Shan State, Myanmar for two days to meet with former and current opium growing farmers and villages.
The visit has been arranged to connect senior regional policymakers with opium farming communities, to understand the challenges they face and to discuss programmes that can provide alternate sources of income. The Mekong leaders are considering how to support and scale-up so-called alternative development or AD programmes, and, as a result, UNODC and the Government of Myanmar arranged the trip to see the area, living conditions in local communities and the impacts of AD programmes first-hand. "Talking directly with the farmers and those involved in the projects has been important", said China National Narcotics Control Commission (NNCC) Deputy Secretary General Wei Xiaojun. "Conditions in the communities have improved significantly since they moved away from growing opium, and we have appreciated listening to farmers discuss the benefits and challenges they have faced to make these projects a success. We are committed to seeing alternative development succeed, and hopefully to expand, here in Shan, Myanmar."
He added, "China is considering further support to UNODC so that these efforts become more widely known and so more projects can happen here and in Laos. We encourage other international partners to invest in UNODC programmes that benefit the Mekong region like this..."
Source/publisher:
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Date of publication:
2018-05-24
Date of entry/update:
2019-06-23
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNODC Burma/Myanmar, Burma: opium and heroin, Drugs: regional and global, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Drugs and Burma: general links, reports and articles
Language:
English
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Description:
"Senior drug policy leaders from the Mekong region -Cambodia, China, Lao, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam- are in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) this week for a conference of the Mekong MOU on Drug Control to discuss the illicit drug situation in the region, and to negotiate a new strategic plan.
The conference brings together the leadership of Mekong drug authorities and over 100 senior delegates and experts to consider the latest data, and for detailed discussions on drug law enforcement, justice, health and alternative development strategies and programmes, while reviewing the implementation of the last Mekong strategy that the countries agreed.
"Illicit drug challenges are not only a national issue, and to ensure our recently announced drug policy succeeds we need to focus on the situation and implementation including with regional partners" said Myanmar Deputy Home Minister Major General Aung Soe. "This meeting is a step forward, allowing us to discuss issues and priorities with our neighbours and UNODC, including improving law enforcement cooperation and standards for community based drug treatment." He added, "A top priority for us (Myanmar) is a regional precursor strategy that will slow the supply of chemicals and pharmaceutical products into drug producing areas of the Golden Triangle."
The Mekong has long been associated with the production and trafficking of illicit drugs, particularly heroin, but has undergone significant transformation in recent years. Opium and heroin production have recently declined, while organized crime have intensified production and trafficking of both low grade yaba methamphetamine and high purity crystal methamphetamine to alarming levels - several Mekong countries have already surpassed 2017 seizure totals only a few months into 2018, and Golden Triangle methamphetamine is being seized in high volumes in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia. The shift to synthetics like methamphetamine is particularly difficult for countries to address due to the complexity of responding to remote and clandestine production that can be moved, but also due to the health impacts on drug users..."
Source/publisher:
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Date of publication:
2018-05-21
Date of entry/update:
2019-06-23
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
UNODC Burma/Myanmar, Drugs: regional and global, Burma: opium and heroin, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) - Myanmar
Language:
English
more
Description:
''Over the past decade, methamphetamine use has grown more popular in Myanmar, Thailand and Southern China. Based on in-depth interviews conducted with individuals who use methamphetamine, this briefing sheds light on the importance of promoting an environment that reinforces, rather than undermines, the ability of people who use methamphetamine to regulate their drug use, preserve their health and adopt safer practices. Over the past decade, methamphetamine use has grown more popular in Myanmar, Thailand and Southern China. The substance has become more easily available, while prices have either decreased or remained at low levels. A similar trend has been observed across the entire region, despite a sharp increase in drug seizures and related arrests. This situation highlights the ineffectiveness of current policies, mainly based on repression, to curb the availability and consumption of methamphetamine. Methamphetamine tablets are the most popular form of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) in the region, in particular in Myanmar. However, crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice”, is strengthening its position on the market. While methamphetamine tablets are mostly smoked, crystal methamphetamine has a greater potential to be injected and is also a more potent substance. It therefore carries specific health risks that need to be addressed through the lens of public health, rather than criminal justice...''
"ာစုနှစ်နှောင်းပိုင်းကတည်းက စိတ်ကြွဆေးဝါးသုံးစွဲမူသည် မြန်မာနိုင်ငံ၌သာမက ထငို ်း နငှ တ့် ရတု ေ် တာငပ် ငို ်း ဒေသတွေထိပါ အထူးတလည် တွင်ကျယ်ပျံ့နှံ့လာနေသည်။ ဈေးအတော်ပေါသည့် အခြေအနေမှ ဈေးပြန် တက်လာခြင်းမရှိသေးဘဲ အကျဖက်ကိုပင် ဦးတည်လာနေသည့်အတကွ ် နေရာတကာ၌ လယွ ်လင့်တကူဖြင့် ဝယ်ယူရရှိနေကြသည်။ မူးယစ်ဆေးဝါး ဖမ်းဆီးရမိမှုနှင့် ဆက်စပ်အဖမ်းအဆးီ များ တစရ် နှိ ်ထိုးမြငတ့် ကလ် ာခဲ့ သောလ် ည်းဒေသကြီးတလွှား အလားတူအခင်းအကျင်းမျိုး အားကောင်းကောင်းဖြင့် အရှိန်ရလာခဲ့သည်။ အခြေအနေအရပ်ရပ်က မက်အမ်ဖီတမင်း လက်လှမ်းမီရရှိနိုင်မှုနှင့် သုံးစွဲမှုကိုလျှော့ချရန် ဖိနှိပ်ချုြပ်ခယမ် ကှု ို အသားပေးထားသည့် လက်ရှိမူဝါဒများ၏ ထိရောက်မှု အားနည်းပုံကို မီးမောင်းထိုးပြလျက်ရှိသည်။
တိုက်ဒေသကြီးတစ်ခုလုံး အထူးသဖြင့် မြန်မာနိုင်ငံ၌ မက်အမ်ဖီတမင်းသည် ရေပန်းစားလူကြိုက်အများဆုံး အမ်ဖီတမင်းအမျိုးအစား စိတ်ကြွဆေး (ATS) ဖြစ်လာသည်။ တစဖ် ကတ် ငွ လ် ည်း “ရေခဲ” ဟလု သူ မိ ျားသည့် မကအ် မဖ် တီ မင်းအကြညသ် ညလ် ည်း ဈေးကကွ တ် ငွ ်းသ့ိုအားကောင်းကောင်းဖြင့်ဝငေ် ရာကလ် ာလျကရ် သှိ ည်။ မက်အမ်ဖီတမင်းဆေးပြားများကို အငွေ့ပုံစံဖြင့်သာ ရှုရှိုက်ကြသော်လည်း ပိုမိုအာနိသင်ပြင်းသည့် မက်အမ် ဖီတမင်းအကြည်သည် အကြောထဲထိုးသွင်းအသုံးပြုနိုင်သည်အထိ ပျောဝ် ငန် ငို စ် မွ ်း ရေှိ နသည။် သြ့ိုဖစ၍် ရေခဲ သည်ပြစ်မှုဆိုင်ရာ တရားစီရင်ရေးရှုထောင့်မှမဟုတ်သည့် ပြည်သူ့ကျန်းမာရေးအမြင်ဖြင့် ကိုင်တွယ်ဖြေရှင်း ရမည့် ဆက်စပ်ကျန်းမာရေးအန္တရာယ်များကိုပါ ဆောင်ကျဉ်းလာခဲ့သည်။
သးုံ စမွဲ ပှု စုံ ခံ ျင်း သာ ကာွ ခြားမရှု ေှိ သာလ် ည်း အလာွှ ပေါင်း စ၌ုံ မကအ် မဖ် တီ မင်း သးုံ စမွဲ သှု ည် တွင်တွင်ကျယက် ျယ် ပျံ့နှံ့လျက်ရှိသည်။ မက်အမ်ဖီတမင်းသးုံ စွဲမှုသည် ခေတ်လူငယ်များအကြား၌သာမက ညဆိုင်းအလပု သ် မား များနှင့် ခက်ခဲပင်ပန်းသည့် ကာယလုပ်သားများအကြား၌လည်း ရေပန်းစားတွင်ကျယသ် ည့် လမူ ေှု ရးအလေ့ အထကြီးတစ်ရပ် ဖြစ်လာသည်။ စိတ်ကြွဆေးပြားသုံးစွဲမူကို ခြေခြေမြစ်မြစ်နားလည်သိမြင်လိုပါက အဆိုပါ ဆေးဝါးများက ဆောငက် ျဥ်း ပေးလာနငို သ် ည့် ကောင်း ကျိုးအလားအလာများကိုပါ သုံးသပ်အသိအမှတ်ပြုရန် လိုအပ်ပါလိမ့်မည်။ အခြားတစ်ဖကတ် ွင်လည်း ဆေးပြားသုံးစွဲသူများသည် ယင်းနှင့်ဆက်စပ်လျက်ရှိသည့် နောက်ဆက်တွဲဆိုးကျိုးများကို သိမြင်နားလည်ထားကြသူများဖြစ်သည်။ မက်အမ်ဖီတမင်းသုံးစွဲမှုနှင့် ဆက် စပ်ထွက်ပေါ်လာသည့် အန္တရာယ်များကို လျှော့ချရန်အတွက် သုံးစွဲသူများ၏ အတွေ့အကြုံများနှင့် နည်းနာ များကို များစွာလေ့လာသင်ယူရန် လိုအပ်နေဆဲဖြစ်သည်။
ATS နှင့်ပတ်သက်ပြီး ဘက်လိုက်မှုကင်း၍ ယုံကြည်အားထားရလောက်သည့် အထောက်အထားအခြေပြု သတင်းအချက်အလက်များကို လက်လှမ်းမီနိုင်မှု အလွန်နည်းပါးလျက်ရှိသည်။ ရလဒ်အနေဖြင့် သးုံ စသွဲ ူများ ကိုယ်တိုင် မိမိတို့၏ ကျန်းမာရေးကိုအရင်းပြု၍ လက်တွေ့စမ်းသပ် သုံးစွဲခြင်းဖြင့်သာလျှင် ဤဆေးဝါးများ၏ နောက်ဆက်တွဲဆိုးကျိုးများကို မြည်းစမ်းသင်ယူကြရတော့သည်။ အလွှာပေါင်းစုံမှ လူများစွာသည် မိမိတို့၏ ဘဝသက်တမ်းအတွင်း တစ်ကြိမ်မဟုတ်တစ်ကြိမ် မက်အမ်ဖီတမင်းသုံးစွဲရသည့် အတွေ့အကြုံကို မြည့်စမ်း တတ်ကြသဖြင့် နည်းပညာသစ်များ အသုံးပြုခြင်းအားဖြငေ့် သာလ် ည်း ကောင်း သတင်း အချကအ် လကမ် ျားကို အများပြည်သူ ကျယ်ကျယ်ပြန့်ပြန့် လက်လမှ ်း မလီ ာနငို ေ် အာင် ဆောင်ရွက်ပေးရန် မဖြစ်မနေလိုအပ်ပါသည်။ ..."
Renaud Cachia, Thura Myint Lwin
Source/publisher:
Transnational Institute (TNI)
Date of publication:
2019-05-09
Date of entry/update:
2019-05-21
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) - Myanmar, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Drugs: regional and global, Burma: drug production and trafficking
Language:
English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
Format :
pdf pdf
Size:
1.86 MB 3.72 MB
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Description:
"During 8-10 May 2019, representatives from Kayan, Kayah, Pa-O, Shan, Lahu and Kachin opium farming communities came together to discuss their challenges in life and find ways to solve their problems.
During 8-10 May 2019, representatives from Kayan, Kayah, Pa-O, Shan, Lahu and Kachin opium farming communities came together to discuss our challenges in life and find ways to solve our problems. We feel it is crucial that our voices of poppy-growing communities are heard in decision-making processes that affect our lives. Therefore, in 2013 we set up the Myanmar Opium Farmers’ Forum (MOFF), and this is our 7th annual meeting.
We want to make clear to the world why we grow opium. We are subsistence farmers living in isolated mountainous areas, and cultivate poppy as a cash crop in order to buy food to feed our families and buy access to education and health care for our children. So the main reason is poverty. Some people in the city may think we earn a lot of money, but we are still poor. “Rich people don’t grow opium,” said one farmer, “only poor people grow it!” We do not want to be seen as criminals. We are not planting opium to go against the government or against the world. We are just planting it for our survival.
Many of us would like to grow other crops, but this is difficult for several reasons. First of all, there is no market, and prices are very unstable. We have weak negotiation power. The businessmen are well connected and better organised then us, and they decide the price. We do not have any strong farmers’ institutions and we have no collective bargaining power. Our villages are remote, have poor infrastructure and high transportation costs further make it difficult for us to reach the market to sell our crops. No buyer comes to our village to buy our crops; this only happens in the case of opium..."
"ကျွန်ုပ်တို့ ကရင်၊ ကယား၊ ပအိုဝ်း၊ ရှမ်း၊ လားဟူနှင့် ကချင်ဘိန်းစိုက်တောင်သူ ကိုယ်စားလှယ်များသည်
ကျွန်ုပ်တို့ ရင်ဆိုင်ကြုံတေ ွ့နေရသည့် စိန်ခေါ်မှုအခက်အခဲများကို နှီးနှောတိုင်ပင်၍ ဆေ ွးနွေးအဖြေရှာနိုင်
စေရန်၂၀၁၉ ခုနှစ်မေလ ၈-၁၀ ရက်နေ့အတ ွင်း တေ ွ့ဆုံစည်းဝေးခဲ့ကြပါသည်။ ဘိန်းစိုက်တောင်သူများ၏
ဘဝများအပေါ် ရိုက်ခတ်လျက်ရှိသည့် ဆုံးဖြတ်ချက်ချမှတ်မှုလုပ်ငန်းစဉ်များအားလုံး၌ ဘိန်းစိုက်တောင်သူ
များ၏ သဘောထားများကို ထည့်သ ွင်းစဉ်းစားပေးရန် အလွန်အရေးကြီးသည်ဟု ကျ ွန်ုပ်တို့ယူဆပါသည်။
ထို့ကြောင့် မြန်မာနိုင်ငံဘိန်းစိုက်တောင်သူများညီလာခံ(MOFF)ကို ၂၀၁၃ ခုနှစ်မှစ၍ စီစဉ်ကျင်းပလာခဲ့
သည်မှာ ယခု(၇)ကြိမ်တိုင်ခဲ့ပြီဖြစ်ပါသည်။
ကျွန်ုပ်တို့ ဘိန်းစိုက်ပျိုးရသည့် ကိစ္စရပ်နှင့်ပတ်သက်၍ ကမ္ဘာ့လူထုတစ်ရပ်လုံးကို အမြင်ရှင်းစေလိုပါသည်။
ကျွန်ုပ်တို့သည်ဝေးလံခေါင်ဖျားသည့် တောင်တန်းကုန်းမြင့်ဒေသများ၌ နေထိုင်ကြရသည့် လက်လုပ်လက်
စားတောင်သူများသာဖြစ်ကြပြီး မိသားစုကို ကျေ ွးမွေးထောက်ပံ့ရန်နှင့် သားသမီးများ၏ ပညာရေးနှင့် ကျန်း
မာရေးကို ထောက်ပံ့နိုင်သည့် ဝင်ငွေရသီးနှံတစ်ရပ်အဖြစ် ဘိန်းကိုစိုက်ပျိုးကြရခြင်းဖြစ်ပါသည်။ သို့ဖြစ်၍
ဆင်းရဲနွမ်းပါးမှုသည်သာလျှင်အဓိကအကြောင်းရင်းဖြစ်နေပါသည်။ မြို့ပြနေလူထုများအနေဖြင့်ကျွန်ုပ်တို့၌
ရွှေတ ွဲလ ွဲ ငွေတ ွဲလ ွဲဖြစ်နေကြမည်ဟု ယူဆလျက်ရှိသော်လည်း အကယ်စင်စစ်ကျ ွန်ုပ်တို့သည်ဆင်းရဲနေမြ ဲ
ပင်ဖြစ်သည်။ “သူဌေးတေ ွက ဘိန်းမစိုက်ကြဘူး”ဟု တောင်သူတစ်ဦးက ပြောဆိုခဲ့ပြီး “ဆင်းရဲသားတေ ွပဲ
ဘိန်းစိုက်ကြတယ်”ဟု ဆက်လက်ပြောဆိုခ ဲ့သည်။ ကျွန်ုပ်တို့ကို ရာဇဝတ်သားများအဖြစ် မရှုမြင်စေလိုပါ။
ကျွန်ုပ်တို့အနေဖြင့် အစိုးရကို သို့မဟုတ်ကမ္ဘာကို တော်လှန်ပုန်ကန်ရန်ဘိန်းစိုက်ပျိုးနေကြသည်မဟုတ်ပါ။
အသက်ရှင်ရပ်တည်ရေးအတ ွက်မလွှဲမရှောင်သာ စိုက်ပျိုးနေကြရခြင်းဖြစ်သည်။..."
Angelo, U Min Thein, Khun Sein Shwe, Kyar Yin Shell, Nan Htay Htay
Source/publisher:
Transnational Institute (TNI)
Date of publication:
2019-05-10
Date of entry/update:
2019-05-17
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Burma: opium and heroin, TNI-BCN Project on Ethnic Conflict in Burma, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma
Language:
English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
Format :
pdf pdf
Size:
193.07 KB 288.22 KB
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Description:
"In the past year, some countries in Southeast Asia have adopted drug policy reforms, notably Myanmar with its recently launched National Drug Control Policy, and Malaysia and its shift away from the use of the death penalty for drug crimes.
Key challenges faced by the region include: limited access to essential medicines, criminalisation of people who use drugs, human rights violations associated with compulsory drug treatment, and extrajudicial killings (Philippines and Indonesia).
Governments in the region, especially of Malaysia and Thailand, have recently expressed interest in legally regulating the medical uses of psychoactive plants such as cannabis and kratom.
AD programmes aiming at improving the general framework conditions of smallholder farmers in drug crop cultivation areas still face numerous challenges on the ground. These include dilemmas about how to ensure that such programmes are inclusive, how to achieve a proper balance between development-oriented and supply reduction approaches, as well as how to design programmes that take into account local needs and priorities.
With regard to drug consumption, methamphetamine continues to be one of the most common substances of choice among people who use drugs in Asia. This trend calls for embracing pragmatic strategies aimed at minimising the risks related to drug use, including the distribution of evidence-based information and exploration of innovative harm reduction approaches such as drug checking and peer support activities.
The limited availability of funding for harm reduction services remains a problem in Asia, including in Central Asian countries, where notable risks associated with heroin injection prevail. In the meantime, valuable lessons can be drawn from Malaysia, where collaboration between civil society, community organisations, and government agencies have helped expand and sustain harm reduction programmes in the country.
Due to broader gender inequality issues, women are disproportionately affected by poor socio-economic conditions in the region. Furthermore, there appears to be a missing link between drug policy matters and debates on women’s and LGBTQ+ rights, which needs to be addressed alongside other problems such as stigma, human rights violations, and criminalisation.
Participants at the Dialogue welcome the increasing role of UN bodies such as the OHCHR and the UNHRC, which illustrate the UN’s increasing acceptance of a much-needed synergy between human rights principles and drug policy approaches..."
Source/publisher:
Transnational Institute (TNI)
Date of publication:
2019-05-02
Date of entry/update:
2019-05-05
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English, Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam
Format :
pdf
Size:
272.05 KB
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Description:
''After decades of fighting between the central government and various ethnic armed organisations in Myanmar, the links between drugs and conflict have spiraled into a complex chain reaction. The roots of the conflict are political, but today very few of the conflict parties in drugs-producing areas can claim to have clean hands when it comes to the narcotics trade. Myanmar has been under military-dominated government since 1962, and it remains one of the most militarized countries in the world. The recently-released “Myanmar Opium Survey 2018” by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) makes the following conclusion: “[In] parts of Shan and Kachin experiencing a protracted state of conflict, high concentrations of poppy cultivation have continued – a clear correlation between conflict and opium production.”1 There is nothing controversial in this statement, and the description reflects the situation in the field. The UNODC, however, then goes on to make specific accusations against several of the conflict actors. In the process, the UN agency makes a number of errors and appears to omit important information, thereby distorting realities of the situation on the ground...''
"ကုလသမဂ္ဂ မူးယစ်ဆေးဝါးနှင့် ပြစ်မှုဆိုင်ရာရုံး(UNODC)၏ လတ်တလောထုတ်ပြန်ခဲ့သည့် “၂၀၁၈ ခုနှစ် မြန်မာနိုင်ငံဆိုင်ရာ ဘိန်းစစ်တမ်း”၌ ပဋိပက္ခတွင်း ပါဝင်ပတ်သက်နေသည့် အဖွဲ့အစည်းအချို့ကို တိတိပပစွပ်စွဲပြောဆိုထားသည့် အချက်များပါဝင်လျက်ရှိသည်။ ဤ သုံးသပ်ချက်အတွင်း မြန်မာနိုင်ငံ၏ ရှုပ်ထွေးလွန်းလှသည့် လက်တွေ့အခြေအနေများကို ထင်ဟပ်မှုမရှိဘဲ လိုရာဆွဲ၍ မည်ကဲ့သို့ပုံဖော်ရေးသားထားကြောင်း ရှင်းလင်းဖော်ပြထားပါ သည်။ မန်မာနိုင်ငံအတွင်း ဆယ်စုနှစ်ပေါင်းများစွာ ဗဟိုအစိုးရနှင့် တိုင်းရင်းသားလက်နက်ကိုင် တော်လှန်ရေး အဖွဲ့အစည်းများအကြား ဖြစ်ပွားလာခဲ့သည့် တိုက်ပွဲများ၏အဆုံး၌ မူးယစ်ဆေးဝါးနှင့် ပဋိပက္ခအကြား ဆက်စပ်မှုသည် အလွန်ရှုပ်ထွေးသည့် ကွင်းဆက်ဖြစ်စဉ်တစ်ခုအဖြစ် ကျယ်ပြန့်လာခဲ့သည်။ ပဋိပက္ခ၏ ဇစ်မြစ်သည် နိုင်ငံရေးဖြစ်သော်လည်း မူးယစ်ဆေးဝါးထုတ်လုပ်သည့် နယ်မြေဒေသများရှိ မူးယစ်ဆေး ဝါးကုန်ကူးမှုနှင့် ပတ်သက်လာပါက မိမိတို့၏လက်များ စွန်းထင်းခြင်းမရှိဘဲ သန့်စင်လျက်ရှိသည်ဟု ပြောဆိုနိုင်သည့် ပဋိပက္ခဇာတ်ကောင်များ လွန်စွာနည်းပါးသည်။ မြန်မာနိုင်ငံသည် ၁၉၆၂ ခုနှစ်က တည်းက စစ်တပ်ကြီးစိုးထားသည့် အစိုးရအဆက်ဆက်အောက်၌ ကျရောက်ခဲ့ပြီး ယခုအချိန်ထိလည်း ကမ္ဘာ့မျက်နှာစာထက် စစ်ပုံသွင်းမှု အကျယ်ပြန့်ဆုံးနိုင်ငံတစ်ခုအဖြစ် ရပ်တည်နေဆဲဖြစ်သည်။
လတ်တလောထုတ်ပြန်ခဲ့သည့် ကုလသမဂ္ဂ မူးယစ်ဆေးဝါးနှင့် ပြစ်မှုဆိုင်ရာရုံး၏ “၂၀၁၈ ခုနှစ် မြန်မာ နိုင်ငံဆိုင်ရာ ဘိန်းစစ်တမ်း”၌ အောက်ပါအတိုင်း သုံးသပ်တင်ပြထားသည်။ “ကာလရှည် လက်နက် ကိုင်ပဋိပက္ခဒဏ်သင့်ခဲ့သည့် ရှမ်းပြည်နယ်နှင့် ကချင်ပြည်နယ်တို့၏ အချို့သောနယ်မြေဒေသများ၌ ဘိန်းစိုက်ပျိုးထုတ်လုပ်မှု ဆက်လက်ထူထပ်နေခြင်းက ဘိန်းစိုက်ပျိုးထုတ်လုပ်မှုနှင့် ပဋိပက္ခအကြား အပြန်အလှန် ဆက်နွယ်ပတ်သက်မှုရှိကြောင်း ရှင်းရှင်းလင်းလင်းပြဆိုလျက်ရှိသည်။”၁ ဤအဆိုနှင့် ပတ်သက်၍ ဝိဝါဒကွဲပြားစရာ အကြောင်းမရှိသလို သုံးသပ်ဖော်ပြချက်သည်လည်း မြေပြင်အခြေအနေ ကို ထင်ဟပ်လျက်ရှိသည်။...''
Source/publisher:
Transnational Institute (TNI)
Date of publication:
2019-03-05
Date of entry/update:
2019-03-11
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Drugs and conflict, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, UNODC (formerly UNDCP and ODCCP) (English), Burma: opium and heroin
Language:
English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
more
Description:
''After decades of fighting between the central government and various ethnic armed organisations in Myanmar, the links between drugs and conflict have spiraled into a complex chain reaction. The roots of the conflict are political, but today very few of the conflict parties in drugs-producing areas can claim to have clean hands when it comes to the narcotics trade. Myanmar has been under military-dominated government since 1962, and it remains one of the most militarized countries in the world.
The recently-released “Myanmar Opium Survey 2018” by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) makes the following conclusion: “[In] parts of Shan and Kachin experiencing a protracted state of conflict, high concentrations of poppy cultivation have continued – a clear correlation between conflict and opium production.”1 There is nothing controversial in this statement, and the description reflects the situation in the field.
The UNODC, however, then goes on to make specific accusations against several of the conflict actors. In the process, the UN agency makes a number of errors and appears to omit important information, thereby distorting realities of the situation on the ground...''
Source/publisher:
Transnational Institute (TNI)
Date of publication:
2019-03-05
Date of entry/update:
2019-03-10
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Drugs and conflict, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, UNODC (formerly UNDCP and ODCCP) (English), Burma: opium and heroin
Language:
English
more
Description:
''Over the past decade, methamphetamine use has grown more popular in Myanmar, Thailand and Southern China. Based on in-depth interviews conducted with individuals who use methamphetamine, this briefing sheds light on the importance of promoting an environment that reinforces, rather than undermines, the ability of people who use methamphetamine to regulate their drug use, preserve their health and adopt safer practices.
Over the past decade, methamphetamine use has grown more popular in Myanmar, Thailand and Southern China. The substance has become more easily available, while prices have either decreased or remained at low levels. A similar trend has been observed across the entire region, despite a sharp increase in drug seizures and related arrests. This situation highlights the ineffectiveness of current policies, mainly based on repression, to curb the availability and consumption of methamphetamine.
Methamphetamine tablets are the most popular form of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) in the region, in particular in Myanmar. However, crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice”, is strengthening its position on the market. While methamphetamine tablets are mostly smoked, crystal methamphetamine has a greater potential to be injected and is also a more potent substance. It therefore carries specific health risks that need to be addressed through the lens of public health, rather than criminal justice...''
Source/publisher:
Transnational Institute (TNI)
Date of publication:
2019-02-18
Date of entry/update:
2019-02-20
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Drugs: regional and global, Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) - Myanmar, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Burma: drug production and trafficking
Language:
English
more
Description:
''Our great friend and colleague Thura Myint Lwin passed away on Sunday 10 February. Thura was the co-author of TNI’s recent Drug Policy Briefing ‘Methamphetamine use in Myanmar, Thailand and Southern China: assessing practices, reducing harms’. Although he was not able to participate in the report launch, he saw the final copy and was proud of it. We dedicate this report to him.
Himself a former drug user, Thura was intimately familiar with the reasons why people use drugs, the problems they face, and the type of support they and their families need. Like many other drug users of his generation, he did not have access to sterile injecting equipment. Neither did he have access to Hepatitis C treatment, the preventable disease that took his life.
Thura was a pioneer and very active member of self-help groups that campaigned for greater access to ART treatment in the country. He worked tirelessly to end the discrimination and stigmatisation of people living with HIV, drug users and other marginalised groups such as sex workers and men having sex with men. He was involved in establishing the Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV/Aids (GIPA) group in 2005, and was also one of the founders of the self-help group “Oasis” and the Myanmar Positive Group, the largest network of people living with HIV in the country...''
Source/publisher:
Transnational Institute (TNI)
Date of publication:
2019-02-19
Date of entry/update:
2019-02-20
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Burma: HIV/AIDS-Heroin Nexus, Drugs: regional and global
Language:
English
more
Description:
''It seems Shan State’s stigma of being the epicenter of narcotics production won’t go away easily even after nearly three decades of Afghanistan took over as the leader in opium trade in 1990, pushing Shan State to the second place until today.
The period from 1950s onward until the 1990s was the era of opium refined heroin. But now in 21st century it is the crystal methamphetamine called “ice”. Recent International Crisis Group (ICG) report “Fire and Ice: Conflict and Drugs in Myanmar’s Shan State” pointed out that Shan State is the epicenter of this manufactured synthetic drugs, which again lent the area the stigma of narcotics center of production.
“The trade in ice, along with amphetamine tablets and heroin, has become so large and profitable that it dwarfs the formal economy of Shan State, lies at the heart of its political economy, fuels criminality and corruption and hinders efforts to end the state’s long-running ethnic conflicts,” wrote the ICG report...''
Sai Wansai
Source/publisher:
Shan News via " International Crisis Group (ICG)''
Date of publication:
2019-02-04
Date of entry/update:
2019-02-04
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Burma: opium and heroin, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Drugs in Shan State
Language:
English
more
Description:
''Myanmar (Burma) is the world's second largest producer of opium. Opium bans have left many poppy farmers without sustainable sources of income. Coffee is supposed to be an alternative. A Report by Bastian Hartig...''
Bastian Hartig
Source/publisher:
DW News
Date of publication:
2015-02-14
Date of entry/update:
2019-01-30
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Burma: HIV/AIDS-Heroin Nexus, Burma: opium and heroin, Drugs in Shan State, Drug bans and poppy crop substitution
Language:
English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ), Shan
more
Description:
Key Points:
• Myanmar has serious drug use problems, largely related to unsafe practices such as
needle sharing by injecting heroin users. The country?s current approach to addressing
drug-related problems focuses on repression, mainly by arresting and incarcerating drug
users. This paper analyses the impact of drug law enforcement practices on drug users
in Myanmar. It shows the failure of the current drug law enforcement system, with drug
users and their families as the principal victims.
•
The criminalisation of drug use and possession for personal use is heavily impacting the
lives of drug users and their families. It is cause for stigmatisation by the community they
live in; it increases risky drug use behaviour, and is the basis for police harassment and
corruption.
•
The vast majority of arrests made as a result of drug laws concern drug users and small
dealer/users. Prisons are overcrowded with drug users sentenced to excessively long jail
terms. Prisons and labour camps lack appropriate health care and do not provide for the
basic needs of inmates. Very few large-scale traffickers are targeted for arrest or have
been put in prison.
•
Female drug users, in particular, have received very little support to face their problems.
Often abandoned by their families and communities, female drug users are in need of
services targeting their specific needs.
•
Instead of a repressive approach, voluntary and evidence-based treatment and public
health services, including harm reduction, should be made available to people who
use drugs. Harassment by enforcement officials and corruption in the justice system
should be addressed. A harm reduction approach needs to become generally accepted
by enforcement officials and by the community at large. Myanmar?s drug laws should
be reformed to address these issues, and support drug users and other marginalised
communities affected by drugs instead of punishing them.
Ernestien Jensema, Nang Pann Ei Kham
Source/publisher:
Transnational Institute (TNI)
Date of publication:
2016-09-00
Date of entry/update:
2016-10-20
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Description:
"This report information was submitted to KHRG in November 2012 by a community member describing events occurring in Pa?an District, during October 2012. On October 14th, a 21-year-old M--- villager, named Naw W---, was killed after being raped by a 23-year-old man from P--- village, Saw N---. Saw N--- reportedly used amphetamines that were manufactured and distributed by Border Guard Battalion #1016. According to villagers in T?Nay Hsah Township, the drug has caused problems for local communities, which are looking for ways to control use and distribution."
Source/publisher:
Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication:
2012-12-11
Date of entry/update:
2012-12-23
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Armed conflict in Burma - Impact on village life, including health and education, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
38.03 KB
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Description:
Executive Summary: "This report documents how women in the Palaung area are affected by domestic violence and gender discrimination. Survey results collected by PWO show that almost all respondents had experienced or seen physical violence within families in their community, and that physical violence is occurring with alarming frequency, in many cases on an almost daily basis. PWO?s research shows that gender discrimination is widespread in the Palaung area, and that many people?s attitudes conform to traditional gender stereotypes which assume that women must fulfil the role of homemaker and accept sole responsibility for childcare duties. Since the 2010 election, Burma?s military-backed regime has failed to take any effective action to promote women?s rights and gender equality, or to uphold its commitments to CEDAW. Burma remains one of only two ASEAN countries lacking a specific law criminalising domestic violence, and PWO?s research has found that there are no government-led projects to raise awareness of domestic violence and women?s rights in the rural areas of northern Shan State, where the vast majority of the Palaung population live. The ?new? regime has yet to address the economic and social crises fuelling domestic violence in the Palaung area. The economic crisis afflicting the Palaung people as a direct result of the state?s monopoly of the tea industry, as well as the increase in opium cultivation and addiction in the Palaung area since the 2010 election have directly contributed to the problem of domestic violence, as males resort to physical violence as a means of expressing their anger and frustration with their situation. More than five decades of civil war have bred a culture of male domination, fear, and violence in Burma. Palaung people, especially males, have been socialised into this culture, and see violence as a necessary means of asserting their authority over their wives, in the same way as the state uses violence to assert its authority over Burma?s ethnic nationalities. The regime appears to have no intention of bringing an end to Burma?s culture of violence, and continues to wage war against ethnic rebels in northern Shan State. 5 Domestic violence has a devastating impact on individuals, families and communities. Apart from the obvious physical impact of domestic violence, women also suffer psychologically. Domestic violence threatens the stability of the family unit, often has a negative impact on children?s education, and acts as an obstacle to community development. Burma?s military-backed regime needs to recognise domestic violence and gender discrimination as obstacles to achieving a peaceful society in Burma, and to embark upon a program of genuine political reform which addresses the social and economic factors fuelling domestic violence and gender discrimination."
Source/publisher:
Palaung Women?s Organization (PWO)
Date of publication:
2011-11-25
Date of entry/update:
2012-01-25
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Culture of violence, Reports about women of Burma by national, regional and international NGOs, Discrimination/violence against women: reports of violations in Burma, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma
Language:
Burmese
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.91 MB
Local URL:
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Description:
Executive Summary: "This report documents how women in the Palaung area are affected by
domestic violence and gender discrimination. Survey results collected by
PWO show that almost all respondents had experienced or seen physical
violence within families in their community, and that physical violence is
occurring with alarming frequency, in many cases on an almost daily basis.
PWO?s research shows that gender discrimination is widespread in the
Palaung area, and that many people?s attitudes conform to traditional gender
stereotypes which assume that women must fulfi l the role of homemaker
and accept sole responsibility for childcare duties.
Since the 2010 election, Burma?s military-backed regime has failed to take
any effective action to promote women?s rights and gender equality, or
to uphold its commitments to CEDAW. Burma remains one of only two
ASEAN countries lacking a specifi c law criminalising domestic violence,
and PWO?s? research has found that there are no government-led projects to
raise awareness of domestic violence and women?s rights in the rural areas
of northern Shan State, where the vast majority of the Palaung population
live.
The ?new? regime has yet to address the economic and social crises fuelling
domestic violence in the Palaung area. The economic crisis affl icting the
Palaung people as a direct result of the state?s monopoly of the tea industry,
as well as the increase in opium cultivation and addiction in the Palaung area
since the 2010 election have directly contributed to the problem of domestic
violence, as males resort to physical violence as a means of expressing their
anger and frustration with their situation.
More than fi ve decades of civil war have bred a culture of male domination,
fear, and violence in Burma. Palaung people, especially males, have been
socialised into this culture, and see violence as a necessary means of asserting
their authority over their wives, in the same way as the state uses violence
to assert its authority over Burma?s ethnic nationalities. The regime appears
to have no intention of bringing an end to Burma?s culture of violence, and
continues to wage war against ethnic rebels in northern Shan State.
5
Domestic violence has a devastating impact on individuals, families and
communities. Apart from the obvious physical impact of domestic violence,
women also suffer psychologically. Domestic violence threatens the stability
of the family unit, often has a negative impact on children?s education, and
acts as an obstacle to community development.
Burma?s military-backed regime needs to recognise domestic violence
and gender discrimination as obstacles to achieving a peaceful society in
Burma, and to embark upon a program of genuine political reform which
addresses the social and economic factors fuelling domestic violence and
gender discrimination."
Source/publisher:
Palaung Women?s Organisation
Date of publication:
2011-11-25
Date of entry/update:
2012-01-25
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Culture of violence, Reports about women of Burma by national, regional and international NGOs, Discrimination/violence against women: reports of violations in Burma, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.5 MB
Local URL:
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Description:
Summary:
"Almost one year after Burma?s long-awaited elections were held in November
2010, Palaung communities in northern Shan State are suffering from the
effects of an even greater upsurge in opium cultivation than in previous years.
Local paramilitary leaders, some now elected into Burma?s new parliament,
are being allowed to cultivate and profi t from drugs in return for helping the
regime suppress ethnic resistance forces in Burma?s escalating civil war. As a
result, drug addiction has escalated in the Palaung area, tearing apart families
and communities. Burma?s drug problems are set to worsen unless there is
genuine political reform that addresses the political aspirations of Burma?s
ethnic minority groups.
Research carried out by Palaung Women?s Organisation in Namkham
Township shows that:
???? Opium cultivation across 15 villages in Namkham Township has increased
by a staggering 78.58% within two years.
???? 12 villages in the same area, which had not previously grown opium, have
started to grow opium since 2009.
???? A signifi cant number of these villages are under the control of government
paramilitary ?anti-insurgency? forces, which are directly profi ting from
the opium trade.
???? The most prominent militia leader and druglord in the area, ?Pansay?
Kyaw Myint, from the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development
Party, was elected as an MP for Namkham in November 2010; he promised
voters that they could grow opium freely for 5 years if they voted for him.
???? Government troops, police and militia continue to openly tax opium
farmers, and to collect bribes from drug addicts in exchange for their
release from custody.
???? Drug addiction in Palaung communities has spiralled out of control. In
one Palaung village, PWO found that 91% of males aged 15 and over were
addicted to drugs. Drug addiction is causing huge problems for families,
with women and children bearing the burden of increased poverty, crime
and violence."
Source/publisher:
Palaung Women?s Organization (PWO)
Date of publication:
2011-10-00
Date of entry/update:
2011-10-25
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Drugs in Shan State, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Burma: opium and heroin
Language:
English, Burmese
Format :
pdf pdf pdf
Size:
417.31 KB 68.49 KB 85.42 KB
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Description:
Executive Summary: Community assessments by the Palaung Women's Organisation during the past two years reveal that the amount of opium being cultivated in Burma's northern Shan State has been increasing dramatically. The amounts are far higher than reported in the annual opium surveys of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and are flourishing not in "insurgent and ceasefire areas," as claimed by the UN, but in areas controlled by Burma's military government, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). Between 2007-2009, PWO conducted field surveys in Namkham and Mantong townships, and found that the total area of opium cultivated increased almost fivefold over three years from 964 hectares in the 2006-7 season to 4,545 hectares in the 2008-9 season. Namkham and Mantong are both fully under the control of the SPDC. The areas have an extensive security infrastructure including Burma Army battalions, police, and pro-government village militia. These militia are allowed to engage in illicit income-generating activities in exchange for policing against resistance activity, and are being expanded in the lead up to the regime's planned 2010 elections. Local authorities, in "anti-drug teams" formed by the police in each township, have been systematically extorting fees from villagers in exchange for allowing them to grow opium. During the 2007-8 season in Mantong township, at least 37 million kyat (US$37,000) in bribes in total were collected from 28 villages. PWO data shows that the "anti-drug teams" are leaving the majority of opium fields intact, and are filing false eradication data to the police headquarters. PWO found that only 11% of the poppy fields during the 2008-9 season had been destroyed, mostly only in easily visible places. The fact that authorities are profiting from drug production is enabling drug abuse to flourish. In one village surveyed in Mantong, it was found that that the percentage of men aged 15 and over addicted to opium increased from 57% in 2007 to 85% in 2009. Around the town of Namkham, heroin addicts flock openly to "drug camps," and dealers sell heroin and amphetamines from their houses. PWO's findings thus highlight the structural issues underlying the drug problem in Burma. The regime is pursuing a strategy of increased militarization in the ethnic states to crush ethnic resistance movements, instead of entering into political negotiations with them. For this, it needs an ever growing security apparatus, which in turn is subsidized by the drug trade. The regime's desire to maintain power at all costs is thus taking precedence over its stated aims of drug eradication. Unless the regime's militarization strategies are challenged, international funding will make little difference to the drug problem in Burma. A negotiated resolution of the political issues at the root of Burma's civil war is urgently needed to seriously address the drug scourge which is impacting the region..."
Source/publisher:
Palaung Women's Organization
Date of publication:
2010-01-26
Date of entry/update:
2010-01-29
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Drugs in Shan State, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Burma: opium and heroin
Language:
Burmese
Format :
pdf pdf
Size:
3.93 MB 3.38 MB
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Description:
Executive Summary: Community assessments by the Palaung Women's Organisation during the past two years reveal that the amount of opium being cultivated in Burma's northern Shan State has been increasing dramatically. The amounts are far higher than reported in the annual opium surveys of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and are flourishing not in "insurgent and ceasefire areas," as claimed by the UN, but in areas controlled by Burma's military government, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). Between 2007-2009, PWO conducted field surveys in Namkham and Mantong townships, and found that the total area of opium cultivated increased almost fivefold over three years from 964 hectares in the 2006-7 season to 4,545 hectares in the 2008-9 season. Namkham and Mantong are both fully under the control of the SPDC. The areas have an extensive security infrastructure including Burma Army battalions, police, and pro-government village militia. These militia are allowed to engage in illicit income-generating activities in exchange for policing against resistance activity, and are being expanded in the lead up to the regime's planned 2010 elections. Local authorities, in "anti-drug teams" formed by the police in each township, have been systematically extorting fees from villagers in exchange for allowing them to grow opium. During the 2007-8 season in Mantong township, at least 37 million kyat (US$37,000) in bribes in total were collected from 28 villages. PWO data shows that the "anti-drug teams" are leaving the majority of opium fields intact, and are filing false eradication data to the police headquarters. PWO found that only 11% of the poppy fields during the 2008-9 season had been destroyed, mostly only in easily visible places. The fact that authorities are profiting from drug production is enabling drug abuse to flourish. In one village surveyed in Mantong, it was found that that the percentage of men aged 15 and over addicted to opium increased from 57% in 2007 to 85% in 2009. Around the town of Namkham, heroin addicts flock openly to "drug camps," and dealers sell heroin and amphetamines from their houses. PWO's findings thus highlight the structural issues underlying the drug problem in Burma. The regime is pursuing a strategy of increased militarization in the ethnic states to crush ethnic resistance movements, instead of entering into political negotiations with them. For this, it needs an ever growing security apparatus, which in turn is subsidized by the drug trade. The regime's desire to maintain power at all costs is thus taking precedence over its stated aims of drug eradication. Unless the regime's militarization strategies are challenged, international funding will make little difference to the drug problem in Burma. A negotiated resolution of the political issues at the root of Burma's civil war is urgently needed to seriously address the drug scourge which is impacting the region..."
Source/publisher:
Palaung Women's Organization
Date of publication:
2010-01-26
Date of entry/update:
2010-01-26
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Drugs and the Burmese Government, Drugs in Shan State, The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Burma: opium and heroin
Language:
English
Format :
pdf pdf
Size:
3.38 MB 3.93 MB
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Description:
"?Poisoned Flowers: The Impacts of Spiraling Drug Addiction on Palaung
Women in Burma?, based on interviews with eighty-eight wives and mothers of drug
addicts, shows how women in Palaung areas have become increasingly vulnerable due
to the rising addiction rates. Already living in dire poverty, with little access to
education or health care, wives of addicts must struggle single-handedly to support as
many as ten children.
Addicted husbands not only stop providing for their families, but also sell off property
and possessions, commit theft, and subject their wives and children to repeated verbal
and physical abuse. The report details cases of women losing eight out of eleven
children to disease and of daughters being trafficked by their addicted father.
The increased addiction rates have resulted from the regime allowing drug lords to
expand production into Palaung areas in recent years, in exchange for policing against
resistance activity and sharing drug profits. The collapse of markets for tea and other
crops has driven more and more farmers to turn to opium growing or to work as
labourers in opium fields, where wages are frequently paid in opium.
The report throws into question claims by the regime and the UNODC of a dramatic
reduction of opium production in Burma during the past decade, and calls on donor
countries and UN agencies supporting drug eradication programs in Burma to push
for genuine political reform..."
Source/publisher:
Palaung Women?s Organization
Date of publication:
2006-06-09
Date of entry/update:
2006-06-08
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
The human impact of drugs and drug policies in Burma, Articles, reports and sites relating to women of Burma, Discrimination against women: reports of violations in Shan State, Drugs in Shan State, Substance abuse
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
631.56 KB
Local URL:
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