Over a hundred Burmese troops stationed around opium fields in Burma’s northern Kachin State are offering protection to growers against attempts by the Kachin Independence Organization to eradicate crops, according to local sources...
Over a hundred Burmese troops stationed around opium fields in Burma’s northern Kachin State are offering protection to growers against attempts by the Kachin Independence Organization to eradicate crops, according to local sources.
Local sources said the Burmese troops told the villagers the fields will be destroyed by the KIO if they do not protect them.
The Burmese troops arrived recently in Sadung Region, in Waingmaw Township, which is controlled by the Burmese Army’s Border Guard Force. It is the largest opium cultivating area in Kachin State, locals said.
Currently, there are over 60 Burmese troops from Light Infantry Battalion No. 321, based in Shwenyaungbin, in Waingmaw Township and over 30 troops from Infantry Battalion No. 298, based in Dawngpan, in Danai Township, in the area, as well as police and government personnel, said sources close to the Burmese troops.
Opium growers said the fields would not be destroyed by the KIO if they pay cash to the Burmese troops. So, some opium growers are busy raising money to pay the Burmese troops, the sources added.
This is mainly happening in the opium cultivating areas near villages like Nga Pyaw, Kungmai and Masa, which are under control of the BGF which was the former New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K), said sources from three villages.
Sadung Region is controlled by both the Burmese junta and the KIO. It is the largest opium producing area in Kachin State annually.
The KIO Drug Eradication Mission has prevented farmers from cultivating opium on over 6,000 acres this year, according to the KIO’s Central Drug Eradication Committee.
The KIO launched its War against Drugs in October last year. The fist mission was initiated in the KIO controlled areas in Kachin State, including Sadung Region and Northern Shan State.
Naw Bu, Spokesperson for the KIO’s Drug Eradication Committee based in its Laiza headquarters, in eastern Kachin state, told the Kachin News Group, the Burmese military offered to co-operate with the KIO in the drug eradication mission.
The junta’s offer was accepted in principal by the KIO, but the KIO decided to work alone, Naw Bu added.
Kachin State has the highest incidence of drug addiction in Burma.
The KIO and Kachin leaders have accused the Burmese regime of escalating the drug problem to harm Kachin youths.
