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MORE PROPAGANDA THROUGH XINHUA ABO



MORE PROPAGANDA THROUGH XINHUA  ABOUT BURMA SO-CALLED DRUG ERRADICATIONS

  Are these numbers real?? Are the loans and $3.3 million in aid
actually going to drug eradication ??   Are they really putting in poppy
substitutes ??  Or are they just killing off the farmers and local
people??   Will the world learn that the Shan, Mongyang, Karen,
Tachilek, Arakan and Wa states(et.al.) are NOT legally part of Burma and
the SPDC/SLORC has no legal authority there ??



Roundup: Myanmar Endeavors for Drug Eradication

          Xinhua
          03-JUN-98

          YANGON (June 3) XINHUA - Myanmar
          has been doing its best to eradicate
          narcotic drugs without losing momentum
          this year on the basis of the achievements
          made in the previous year. 

          In the first four months of 1998, the
          Myanmar authorities destroyed a dozen
          heroin refineries in Shan state following
          the destruction of 33 in the state in 1997. 

          Over 2,600 kilograms of narcotics
          including more than 170 kg heroin were
          also seized in the country by the
          enforcement agencies with over 8, 000
          hectares of poppy plantations destroyed in
          the same period, according to official
          statistics. 

          In 1997, the authorities confiscated a total
          of 15,146 kg of narcotic drugs, including
          1,401 kg heroin and 7,883 kg opium as
          well as more than 5 million tablets of
          amphetamine stimulant, taking action
          against 5,361 people in connection with
          3,864 drug-related cases. 

          Following the surrender of former drug
          warlord Khun Sa and his 15, 000-member
          Mong Tai Army in early 1996, Myanmar
          made another achievement in 1997 for
          turning the Mongla region into an
          opium-free zone under a six-year plan
          (1991-1997). 

          Similar efforts are being made to
          transform Kokang and Wa regions into
          opium-free zones by the year 2000. 

          In its latest annual narcotic drugs
          destruction ceremony held in the capital of
          Yangon in February, Myanmar set ablaze
          a total of 5,759 kg seized drugs including
          898 kg heroin and 4,587 kg opium. 

          At the beginning of this year, Myanmar
          launched a three-month nationwide
          campaign to collect baseline data on
          opium cultivation and drug addicts in the
          country. 

          According to a recent official report, more
          than 16,000 hectares of illicit poppy
          plantations in 17 townships of Shan state
          were destroyed between November and
          January. 

          Myanmar has been cooperating not only
          with neighboring countries but also those
          in the region in its drug control efforts. The
          country has signed bilateral agreements
          on the move with Bangladesh, China,
          India, Laos, the Philippines, Russia,
          Thailand and Vietnam. 

          Recently, the United States and Japan
          have pledged grants totaling 3.8 million
          U.S. dollars to help Myanmar eradicate
          poppy cultivation in the border areas,
          implying that the U.S. has resumed its aid
          to Myanmar in drug control. 

          A joint U.S.-Myanmar team also carried
          out a poppy yield survey in the country's
          Shan state in February for the fourth time
          since 1993 under the two countries'
          anti-drug program. 

          Myanmar is also cooperating with the
          United Nations agencies in drug
          eradication endeavors. 

          Three Myanmar-UNDCP projects of
          integrated rural development in eastern
          Shan state's Mongyang and Tachilek and
          Southern Wa region's Wan Ho Tao were
          carried out since 1994 and successfully
          completed in 1996 and 1997. 

          The UNDCP is also reportedly planning to
          draft a global 10-year project for the
          elimination of poppy cultivation and
          development of opium substitute
          undertakings involving Myanmar with an
          annual allotment of 25 million U.S. dollars
          for the country. 

          Myanmar has laid down two strategies of
          eradication of narcotic drugs --
          designating drug eradication and
          prevention activities as a national
          duty and gradual elimination of poppy
          cultivation by promoting the standard of
          living of the national races. 

          A senior Myanmar drug control official
          said that Myanmar is committed to doing
          its best for drug control, calling for
          international participation in the country's
          drug eradication endeavors.