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US Narcotics Policy Towards Burma (r)



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."



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