BURMA/DRUGS (r)

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

DATE=2/11/99

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-245391

TITLE=BURMA / DRUGS (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=GARY THOMAS

DATELINE=BANGKOK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 


INTRO: OFFICIAL MEDIA IN BURMA THURSDAY REPORTED THE DESTRUCTION 

OF THOUSANDS OF HECTARES OF OPIUM POPPIES.  THE PUBLICATION COMES

LESS THAN TWO WEEKS BEFORE AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE 

HEROIN TRADE, WHICH IS TO BE HELD IN RANGOON.  HOWEVER, AS VOA 

SOUTHEAST ASIA CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS, THE BOYCOTT OF 

THE CONFERENCE BY SOME WESTERN NATIONS UNDERSCORES THE SKEPTICISM

IN SOME GOVERNMENTS ABOUT BURMA'S DRUG ERADICATION EFFORTS.


TEXT: BURMA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT SAYS IT DESTROYED NEARLY 

25-HUNDRED HECTARES OF POPPY FIELDS IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS.  IN

A STATEMENT  RELEASING THE STATISTICS, THE GOVERNMENT SAYS IT IS 

RESOLVED TO ERADICATE NARCOTICS AS A NATIONAL DUTY.


DIPLOMATIC ANALYSTS SAY THE TIMING OF THE RELEASE OF THE NEW 

STATISTICS IS NOT COINCIDENTAL.  BURMA IS TO HOST A CONFERENCE ON

THE HEROIN TRADE SPONSORED BY INTERPOL, THE INTERNATIONAL POLICE 

AGENCY, IN JUST UNDER TWO WEEKS.  ANALYSTS SAY THE GOVERNMENT IS 

ANXIOUS TO SHOWCASE ITS EFFORTS AT DRUG ERADICATION, AND SEES THE

CONFERENCE AS GIVING LEGITIMACY TO THOSE EFFORTS.


BUT SOME WESTERN GOVERNMENTS DO NOT WANT TO CONFER THAT KIND OF 

LEGITIMACY ON BURMA AND WILL BOYCOTT THE CONFERENCE.  THE UNITED 

STATES, BRITAIN, THE NETHERLANDS, DENMARK, AND NORWAY WILL NOT 

SEND ANYONE.  A U-S STATEMENT DESCRIBES THE DECISION TO HOLD THE 

INTERPOL CONFERENCE IN RANGOON AS "TROUBLING" AND THAT IT WOULD 

PREFER THAT IT BE HELD ELSEWHERE.


THE AUSTRALIA-BURMA COUNCIL, A PRIVATE SYDNEY-BASED ORGANIZATION,

SHARPLY CRITICIZED AUSTRALIA'S DECISION TO PARTICIPATE AS GIVING 

A PROPAGANDA BOOST TO WHAT IT TERMED A "BRUTAL, INCOMPETENT, AND 

CORRUPT" GOVERNMENT.


THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT SAYS IT GREATLY REGRETS THE U-S AND 

BRITISH BOYCOTT.  A BURMESE STATEMENT SAYS THOSE TWO COUNTRIES 

HAVE WHAT IT TERMS A "SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY" TO ATTEND BECAUSE 

THEY ARE TWO OF THE LARGEST HEROIN-CONSUMING NATIONS.


BUT IF THE UNITED STATES HAD ITS WAY, IT WOULD, ACCORDING TO THE 

U-S  STATEMENT, TURN THE SPOTLIGHT ON BURMA'S DRUG PRODUCTION 

RATHER THAN DRUG ERADICATION EFFORTS.


BURMA IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST PRODUCERS OF OPIUM AND ITS 

MORE ADDICTIVE BYPRODUCT, HEROIN.  BURMA'S CRITICS -- INCLUDING 


BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES -- ALLEGE THAT FAR FROM SUPPRESSING

THE NARCOTICS TRADE, BURMA'S GENERALS ARE DEEPLY INVOLVED IN IT. 

THE U-S STATEMENT SAYS THE INTERPOL CONFERENCE SHOULD FOCUS ON 

MONEY LAUNDERING, CORRUPTION, AND SMUGGLING.


THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT IS ALREADY UNDER SERIOUS INTERNATIONAL 

CRITICISM FOR ITS HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD.  SO WHILE WESTERN 

GOVERNMENTS CRITICIZE BURMESE EFFORTS IN NARCOTICS SUPPRESSION, 

THEY WILL NOT OFFER ASSISTANCE FOR DRUG ERADICATION.  ONE WESTERN

DIPLOMAT HAS PRIVATELY SAID THAT IT IS JUST NOT WHAT WAS TERMED 

"POLITICALLY FEASIBLE" TO DO SO.  (SIGNED)


NEB/GT/PLM


11-Feb-99 5:28 AM EST (1028 UTC)