A new report published yesterday claims that till date the ruling military junta’s drug eradication efforts, have not met with success, as junta personnel themselves rely on the money from drugs, to run their official business.
According to ‘Undercurrents: Monitoring Development on Burma’s Mekong,’ “Most banks were established by drug warlords with drug money, which is still used to finance construction of roads and other infrastructure projects of the military elite and their associated businesses.”
The report was documented by the Lahu National Development Organization (LNDO), which monitors development in eastern Shan State.
It maintains that decrease in prices of opium reflected the increase in poppy production. During the 2007-08 seasons, there were more poppy farms than recent years.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) also figured that Burma’s 2007-2008 drug output had increased by 3 percent.
“Nampang village has a market every 5 days. You can buy as much opium as you want in that market,” a villager from Mongphyak Township was quoted as saying in the report.
On the other hand, officials at Nay Pyi Daw have also been insisting that local authorities do more to eradicate cultivation in their respective areas, but that has not stopped official taxing of the farmers, according to sources.
However, Burma is still the second largest opium producer in the world, after Afghanistan, even though Burma has accelerated poppy destroying operations, says the report.
The other cause that increases poppy production is due to several taxations by the military authorities, which is forcing people to get involved in the drug trade, Japhet Jakui, Director of LNDO said.
“We have to pay several taxes to the Burmese Army. If we do not plant poppies, how can we pay those taxes? We can stay without planting them if we do not have to pay a lot of taxes,” Japhet quoted a villager as saying.
He also said that the reason the junta had not restricted poppy cultivation could be connected to the forthcoming elections.
Each household of poppy farmers had to pay 2 tical (32.55 grams) of opium to a local authority. Even though the farmers had paid the tax they still faced restrictions on selling opium, said the report. To sell it they must have a permit from the relevant authorities, such as militia chiefs and armed groups.
The poppy seasons are also unusual now, the report said. Usually, the poppy season begins in November and the crop is harvested in January.
“Since our ancestors’ time, we have done a lot of experiment on how to grow poppy. Today, we can grow anytime we wish, not only one or two times per year,” an Akha poppy farmer from Monghsat said. “If we avoid the normal poppy season, maybe we can evade the tax of the authorities and the Burmese military poppy cutting operations,” he added.
To stop poppy production the people must have access to substitution and there must be a change in Burma, Japhet said.
“We know that drugs constitute a huge problem all over the world. But, the people in Burma cannot survive without opium because it is one of the few ways for them to survive,” he added.
The LNDO became known to Burma watchers with its second publication “Unsettling Moves: The Wa forced resettlement program in Eastern Shan State” in 2002.
