[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
US Narcotics Policy Towards Burma
- Subject: US Narcotics Policy Towards Burma
- From: bes815@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 18 Aug 1997 15:14:00
Public Statements on US Narcotics Policy Towards Burma
Secretary of State Albright's
Statement to the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
Kuala Lumpur; July 27, 1997
"Let me explain why we believe Burma is now an anomaly within ASEAN, and
why we believe it is in ASEAN's own interest to work for fundamental
change in that country.
"Burma is also the only member of ASEAN singled out by the UN General
Assembly for refusing to honor election results, the only member where
the state and society are fundamentally at odds. Burma is the only
nation in ASEAN where it is illegal to own a fax machine, where the
police arrest legitimate business people to stop currency fluctuations,
where public schools are routinely closed to prevent political unrest.
"BURMA IS ALSO THE ONLY MEMBER OF ASEAN WHERE THE GOVERNMENT PROTECTS
AND PROFITS FROM THE DRUG TRADE. IN FACT, BURMA'S TOP TRAFFICKERS HAVE
BECOME LEADING INVESTORS IN ITS ECONOMY AND LEADING LIGHTS IN ITS NEW
POLITICAL ORDER. DRUG MONEY IS LAUNDERED WITH SUCH IMPUNITY IN BURMA
THAT IT TAINTS LEGITIMATE INVESTMENT.
"Because of its government's actions, Burma is also the only member of
ASEAN and the ARF subject to international sanctions and consumer
boycotts, the only member that is denied multilateral lending, the only
member where foreing investment is stagnating.
"Burma is inside ASEAN, but it will remain outside the Southeast Asian
mainstream and isolated from the global economy until accountable
government is restored. That is not an admonition, but an objective
fact we must acknowledge.
"The admission of Burma presents a challenge: to avoid the possibility
of a chasm within ASEAN, between one part that is open, integrated and
prospering, and another that is closed, isolated and poor.
"Movement toward a more open and democratic Burma, on the other hand,
would reduce tensions created by refugees and ethnic conflict. IT WOULD
CREATE A CLIMATE IN WHICH COOPERATIVE ACTION AGAINST NARCOTICS COULD BE
EFFECTIVE. It would permit the revival of Burma's political and
economic institutions and allow this proud country to contribute to the
well-being of the region"
Secretary of State Albright's
Statement at the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC)
Nine-Plus-Ten Session; Kuala Lumpur; July 28, 1997
"I am very pleased that ASEAN has added a discussion of transnational
issues to its agenda. Problems such as drug trafficking and
deforestation threaten us al as much as protectionism and recession do.
They represent a particular challenge in Southeast Asia, where
integration among nations has proceeded even faster than change within
nations.
"Nothing has done more to harm the health of our people and their faith
in government and law than the epidemic of drug addiction. The American
people have suffered tremendously from this plague. I know that the
people of Southeast Asia have as well. I know that the spread of cheap
heroin and the recent influx of methamphetamines have spared no nation
in ASEAN. We have to attack this problem at all levels--production,
transportation and consumption.
"THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF THESE DRUGS IS BURMA, WHICH IS ITSELF
EXPERIENCING AN ALARMING RISE IN DRUG ABUSE AND AIDS INFECTION.
NARCOTICS PRODUCTION HAS GROWN IN BURMA YEAR AFTER YEAR, DEFYING EVERY
INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. AS A RESULT, DRUG
TRAFFICKERS WHO ONCE SPENT THEIR DAYS LEADING MULE TRAINS DOWN JUNGLE
TRACKS ARE NOW LEADING LIGHTS IN BURMA'S NEW MARKET ECONOMY AND LEADING
FIGURES IN ITS NEW POLITICAL ORDER.
"WE ARE INCREASINGLY CONCERNED THAT BURMA'S DRUG TRAFFICKERS, WITH
OFFICIAL ENCOURAGEMENT, ARE LAUNDERING THEIR PROFITS THROUGH BURMESE
BANKS AND COMPANIES--SOME OF WHICH ARE JOINT VENTURES WITH FOREIGN
BUSINESSES. DRUG MONEY HAS BECOME SO PERVASIVE IN BURMA THAT IT TAINTS
LEGITIMATE INVESTMENT AND THREATENS THE REGION AS A WHOLE. THIS IS A
CHALLENGE WE MUST FACE TOGETHER -- AND ANOTHER REMINDER THAT IT WILL BE
HARD TO DO NORMAL BUSINESS IN BURMA UNTIL A CLIMATE OF LAW IS RESTORED
TO THAT COUNTRY.
"INDEED IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE A LASTING SOLUTION TO THIS REGION'S
NARCOTICS PROBLEM WITHOUT A LASTING SOLUTION TO BURMA'S POLITICAL
CRISIS. THIS IS ONE REASON WHY PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS BARRED FUTURE U.S.
INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTRY."
-----------------------------------------------
Statement of Robert S. Gelbard,
Asst. Secretary of State for International Narcotics and
Law Enforcement Affairs
Press Briefing: Release of International Narcotics Control
Strategy Report (INCSR)
Washington DC; February 28, 1997
"The President continued to stress the seriousness of the heroin threat
by denying certification to Burma, Afghanistan, Iran and Syria.
Significant inroads into the world's heroin problem are impossible
without Burma and Afghanistan, which together produce about 75 percent
of the world's supply of opium.
"BURMA IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST PRODUCER OF OPIUM POPPY BY FAR,
PARTICULARLY SINCE 1988 WHEN THE SLORC TOOK OVER THE COUNTRY, AND IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF HEROIN ON THE STREETS OF THE UNITED
STATES. IN BURMA, OPIUM CULTIVATION AND HEROIN TRAFFICKING GO ON
WITHOUT ANY MEANINGFUL CONSTRAINT BY THE AUTHORITIES. ETHNIC
DRUG-TRAFFICKING ARMIES HAVE NEGOTIATED WITH THE SLORC FOR LIMITED
AUTONOMY TO RUN THEIR HEROIN OPERATIONS IN RETURN FOR A CESSATION OF
HOSTILITIES.
"FAR FROM PUNISHING THE INFAMOUS DRUG LORD KHUN SA, THE SLORC HAS
ALLOWED HIM TO GAIN ACCEPTANCE BY RANGOON'S SOCIETY, WITH IMPUNITY FROM
PROSECUTION OR EXTRADITION. CREDIBLE REPORTS SUGGEST HE IS CONTINUING
TO RUN HIS LUCRATIVE DRUG OPERATIONS FROM RANGOON. WHAT IS MORE, DRUG
TRAFICKERS HAVE BECOME THE LEADING INVESTORS IN BURMA'S NEW MARKET
ECONOMY AND LEADING LIGHTS IN BURMA'S NEW POLITICAL ORDER. DRUG MONEY
IS SO PERVASIVE IN THE BURMESE ECONOMY THAT IT TAINTS LEGITIMATE
INVESTMENT. SINCE 1988, SOME 15 PERCENT OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN BURMA
AND OVER HALF OF THAT OF SINGAPORE (IN BURMA) HAS BEEN TIED TO THE
FAMILY OF NARCO-TRAFFICKER LO HSING HAN"
-----------------------------------------------------
Statement of President Clinton on Investment Sanctions
in Burma (announcing his decision to impose a ban
on U.S. investment in Burma)
The White House
April 22, 1997
"Beyond its pattern of repressive human rights practices, the
Burmese authorities also have committed serious abuses in their recent
campaign against Burma's Karen minority, forcibly conscripting civilians
and compelling thousands to flee into Thailand. The SLORC regime has
overturned the Burmese people's democratically elected leadership.
UNDER THIS BRUTAL MILITARY REGIME, BURMA REMAINS THE WORLD'S LEADING
PRODUCER OF OPIUM AND HEROIN, AND TOLERATES DRUG TRAFFICKING AND
TRAFFICKERS IN DEFIANCE OF THE VIEWS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
THE REGIME HAS SHOWN LITTLE POLITICAL WILL TO STOP THE NARCOTICS EXPORTS
FROM BURMA AND PREVENT ILLICIT DRUG MONEY FROM ENRICHING THOSE WHO WOULD
FLAUNT INTERNATIONAL RULES AND PROFIT BY DESTROYING THE LIVES OF
MILLIONS."
--------------------------------------------------
President Clinton's Speech at
Chulalonkorn University
Bangkok, Thailand; November 26, 1996
"On behalf of General McCaffrey, who leads our nation's antidrug effort
and who is with me today, and all those children whose lives we are
helping to save, I thank the Thai government and the people of Thailand
for moving away from the scourge of narcotics.
"WE KNOW WE MUST DO MORE TO FIGHT ILLEGAL DRUGS AT THE SOURCE. BURMA
HAS LONG BEEN THE WORLD'S NUMBER ONE PRODUCER OF OPIUM AND HEROIN AND
NOW IS ALSO MAKING METHAMPHETAMINES. THE ROLE OF DRUGS IN BURMA'S
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL LIFE AND TEH REGIME'S REFUSAL TO HONOR ITS OWN
PLEDGE TO MOVE TO MULTIPARTY DEMOCRACY ARE REALLY TWO SIDES OF THE SAME
COIN, FOR BOTH REPRESENT THE ABSENCE OF THE RULE OF LAW. EVERY NATION
HAS AN INTEREST IN PROMOTING TRUE POLITICAL DIALOGUE IN BURMA -- A
DIALOGUE THAT WILL LEAD TO A REAL FIGHT AGAINST CRIME, CORRUPTION AND
NARCOTICS AND A GOVERNMENT MORE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE."
Excerts from Op-Ed article by Asst Secretary Gelbard
"SLORC's Drug Links"
Far Eastern Economic Review
November 21, 1996
"SLORC HAS BRAZENLY EXPLOITED DRUG-TRAFFICKING MONEY TO FINANCE PROJECTS
THAT DO LITTLE TO IMPROVE THE LOT OF THE BURMESE. DRUG TRAFFICKERS AND
THEIR FAMILIES ARE AMONG THE LEADING BACKERS OF HIGH-PROFILE
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN BURMA. THEY LAUNDER THEIR MONEY WITH
IMPUNITY IN BANKS CONTROLLED BY THE MILITARY.
"U.S. ANTI-DRUG ASSISTANCE TO THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED IN THE
PAST, AND IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS BURMESE AUTHORITIES HAVE MADE NO
DISCERNABLE EFFORT TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE. FROM A HARD-HEADED,
DRUG CONTROL POINT OF VIEW, I HAVE TO CONCLUDE THAT THE SLORC HAS BEEN
PART OF THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SOLUTION.
"THE LONGER THE POLITICAL IMPASE IN BURMA CONTINUES, THE MORE EBEDDED
THE DRUG TRADE WILL BECOME IN THE ECONOMY -- AND THE HARDER IT WILL BE
FOR ANY GOVERNMENT IN BURMA, DEMOCRATIC OR OTHERWISE, TO ROOT OUT THE
PROBLEM."
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com