PERSPECTIVE: Osama-bin Laden, Khin

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         PERSPECTIVE: Osama-bin Laden, Khin Nyunt and Opium War

By Kanbawza Win
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)

Nov.14: It would be very naive for an average person to compare the two
protagonists, but a clear and careful thinking would reveal that they
have several common factors. They both hate democracy and America,
especially the universality and indivisibility of human rights whom they
label as the Western version imposed upon them through economic,
military, social and cultural might of the West led by the Great Satan,
the United States of America. Both depend on narcotics for their
survival. Most of the leading companies in Rangoon starting from the
Singapore based Asia World to the petty traders in Burma are related to
the narco economy while most of the shining gentlemen of Rangoon such as
U Khun Hsa, U Hwe Hsieu Kang, U Lo Hse Han (the prefix U pronounced as
Oo in the Burmese language means Mister or rather Honourable person) are
all known drug war lords.

The world marveled at Taliban when Mullah Mohammad Omar, on 27th July
last year, issued a decree that cultivating opium is not conducive to
Islam. That resulted in a substantial reduction of the poppy under
cultivation. This also propels the Burmese Junta led by Lt. Gen. Khin
Nyunt to become an undisputed opium king of the world. He secretly began
directing his captains to distribute the opium seeds to Western Burma,
especially the Chin Hills. But their reign lasted only about a year when
on 2nd September the Taliban rescinded the ban on opium growing.
(Paradoxically both the CIA and DEA could not read the writing on the
wall that Osama-bin Laden is doing something dramatic which came 9 days
later with devastating effect on the American cities of New York and
Washington). It was announced over the Taliban run radio Voice of
Shariat (this news was by passed since none of the North American could
speak or understand Pushtu, the language of the Taliban). But this
announcement cause much consternation among the Burmese Generals because
they knew that the days of their reign as the main supplier of heroine
is numbered. At that period Burma or rather Myanmar as the Generals
would like to be called, is producing just a little over 4,0000 tons of
opium annually under its proxy the United Wa State Army (UWSA is an
ethnic army that have arrived a cease fire with the Burmese army in
return for the free hand on opium). Much of it is refined into heroin
number 4 and about 150 tons of white powder found its way to North
America annually.

But soon Afghanistan overtook the Burmese Generals and harvested 4,600
tons of opium. Most of the increase is in Helmand province just west of
the Kandahar, the Taliban headquarters. The Burmese army is still having
a hard time expanding its poppy cultivation from the Shan States in
eastern Burma to the Western tribes who are Christians and resisted,
hence there was much persecution of Christianity in that area. But
Afghanistan?s heroin could not match the Burmese heroin known as the
?China White?, which is pure and more expensive and hence is set aside
for the European market, while the Junta?s product dominated the
American market. However, the Taliban, not to be outdone smuggled the
?brown powder? as Afghanistan?s product was known into Thailand Burma
border area, refined into ?China White? re-packed it into containers
with well-known Southeast Asian brand names, and re-exported disguised
as China White. The crafty Burmese Generals have at last met their match
in this shadowy narcotics trade and hence would have nothing to do with
the Taliban. To take revenge they initiated several Muslim riots in the
Burmese cities.

How come that these two protagonist became involved in narcotics? Once
upon a time they were puritans or may be even religious. Osama bin laden
was very upset when he lost the major resources of income from several
construction businesses, which has to close down after the bomb attacks
on the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1988. Thus, to supplement
his income he has to turn on narcotic drugs. The proof of it is that he
often met with the narcotic traffickers linked to the Taliban and helped
them with funds for shipping cost to Europe and America, which enabled
them to sell the heroin more cheaply. For after all his rationale is
that, ?A Muslim does not violate the principles of Islam by just
cultivating opium poppies which the plant itself is the gift of Allah.
But heroin processing, trafficking and the use of heroin is wrong to all
the Muslims. These processing are mostly done by the Chinese syndicate
and of course trafficking is by the well established people of the West
and so what if heroin is intended for export to the Satanic countries
like America and the infidels of West?? Thus from his perspective it is
very legitimate to extend his jihad to include drug running in the West.

As in the case of the Burmese Generals who exploited Buddhism by
pretending to be devoutly religious and are often seen constructing
pagodas and making merits here and there have no choice but to rely on
the narco-economy. This is partly due to the Western sanctions but
mainly because of the mismanagement of the economy. They are desperate
for foreign exchange. Nearly half a century of ethnic cleansing program
has driven all the ethnic tribes into rebellion and the illogical
Burmese Way to Socialism spearheaded by the Burmese army has driven the
country to the least of the developed status in the UN have impoverished
the country. The four-cut policy of the scorch method by the mighty
Tatmadaw (Burmese army) have left them with only one exportable
commodity and that is narcotic drugs. But the top generals are not
stupid, they themselves will not get involved in this dirty business
even through their lower echelons may do it. They used the proxy the
UWSA whom they allow free narco- transport within the country. The Wa
narco-empire have now spread from the Chinese border-via Thai border on
to the Andaman Sea in Tennaserim division on to he international
shipping route.

Their rationale is somewhat similar but not so ambivalence as to
Osama-bin Laden. ?We always adhere to the five principles of peaceful
coexistence since the Bandung Conference of 1965 and why did Uncle Sam
poke its nose into the internal affairs of Burma in 1988? It is none of
your business that we kill a few thousands Burmese students and launch
an ethnic cleansing policy: or whether arrest the Burmese Nobel Laureate
and NLD party members? What is it to you that we did not honour our own
elections? It is nothing of your affair. And why did you take sanctions
and block the international funding to us. Is it a form of economic
imperialism you Nga Pwa Gyi (in Burmese meaning a hooked nose
foreigner). Don?t you  recollect the opium wars you wage on our brother
Pauk Phaw (Chinese brother). It is sweet revenge to know that our heroin
is finding their way to your cities. You?ll have to think twice in
criticizing Burma again. Remember I am not Bin Laden and don?t have the
means and resources that he has; our ways are more subtle and gentle but
equally disastrous. President Bush you should remember that every act
has its effects.?

The only logic that is missing is that America who has now taken a lead
in facing  terrorism and is fighting tooth and nail against Osama-bin
Laden and his Taliban gang did not take on Khin Nyunt and his Military
Junta? Like the Taliban, the Burmese Junta is harbouring state terrorism
and has ample of proof of linking up with the well known dictators like
Slobodan Milosevic, Saddam Hussein and the likes whom they always signed
treaty of friendship and cooperation? It won?t cost much for the US to
knock out this narco regime as their fleet is in the vicinity: but, more
importantly, the entire people of Burma are ready to rise enmasse
against the vehemently hated Burmese army.



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<center><font color="#3333FF"><font size=+2>PERSPECTIVE: Osama-bin Laden,
Khin Nyunt and Opium War</font></font></center>

<p><i><font color="#FF0000">By Kanbawza Win</font></i>
<br><i><font color="#FF0000">Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)</font></i>
<p><b><font color="#FF0000">Nov.14: </font></b>It would be very naive for
an average person to compare the two protagonists, but a clear and careful
thinking would reveal that they have several common factors. They both
hate democracy and America, especially the universality and indivisibility
of human rights whom they label as the Western version imposed upon them
through economic, military, social and cultural might of the West led by
the Great Satan, the United States of America. Both depend on narcotics
for their survival. Most of the leading companies in Rangoon starting from
the Singapore based Asia World to the petty traders in Burma are related
to the narco economy while most of the shining gentlemen of Rangoon such
as U Khun Hsa, U Hwe Hsieu Kang, U Lo Hse Han (the prefix U pronounced
as Oo in the Burmese language means Mister or rather Honourable person)
are all known drug war lords.
<p>The world marveled at Taliban when Mullah Mohammad Omar, on 27th July
last year, issued a decree that cultivating opium is not conducive to Islam.
That resulted in a substantial reduction of the poppy under cultivation.
This also propels the Burmese Junta led by Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt to become
an undisputed opium king of the world. He secretly began directing his
captains to distribute the opium seeds to Western Burma, especially the
Chin Hills. But their reign lasted only about a year when on 2nd September
the Taliban rescinded the ban on opium growing. <i>(Paradoxically both
the CIA and DEA could not read the writing on the wall that Osama-bin Laden
is doing something dramatic which came 9 days later with devastating effect
on the American cities of New York and Washington)</i>. It was announced
over the Taliban run radio Voice of Shariat (this news was by passed since
none of the North American could speak or understand Pushtu, the language
of the Taliban). But this announcement cause much consternation among the
Burmese Generals because they knew that the days of their reign as the
main supplier of heroine is numbered. At that period Burma or rather Myanmar
as the Generals would like to be called, is producing just a little over
4,0000 tons of opium annually under its proxy the United Wa State Army
(UWSA is an ethnic army that have arrived a cease fire with the Burmese
army in return for the free hand on opium). Much of it is refined into
heroin number 4 and about 150 tons of white powder found its way to North
America annually.
<p>But soon Afghanistan overtook the Burmese Generals and harvested 4,600
tons of opium. Most of the increase is in Helmand province just west of
the Kandahar, the Taliban headquarters. The Burmese army is still having
a hard time expanding its poppy cultivation from the Shan States in eastern
Burma to the Western tribes who are Christians and resisted, hence there
was much persecution of Christianity in that area. But Afghanistan?s heroin
could not match the Burmese heroin known as the ?China White?, which is
pure and more expensive and hence is set aside for the European market,
while the Junta?s product dominated the American market. However, the Taliban,
not to be outdone smuggled the ?brown powder? as Afghanistan?s product
was known into Thailand Burma border area, refined into ?China White? re-packed
it into containers with well-known Southeast Asian brand names, and re-exported
disguised as China White. The crafty Burmese Generals have at last met
their match in this shadowy narcotics trade and hence would have nothing
to do with the Taliban. To take revenge they initiated several Muslim riots
in the Burmese cities.
<p>How come that these two protagonist became involved in narcotics? Once
upon a time they were puritans or may be even religious. Osama bin laden
was very upset when he lost the major resources of income from several
construction businesses, which has to close down after the bomb attacks
on the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1988. Thus, to supplement
his income he has to turn on narcotic drugs. The proof of it is that he
often met with the narcotic traffickers linked to the Taliban and helped
them with funds for shipping cost to Europe and America, which enabled
them to sell the heroin more cheaply. For after all his rationale is that,
?<i>A Muslim does not violate the principles of Islam by just cultivating
opium poppies which the plant itself is the gift of Allah. But heroin processing,
trafficking and the use of heroin is wrong to all the Muslims. These processing
are mostly done by the Chinese syndicate and of course trafficking is by
the well established people of the West and so what if heroin is intended
for export to the Satanic countries like America and the infidels of West??
</i>Thus
from his perspective it is very legitimate to extend his jihad to include
drug running in the West.
<p>As in the case of the Burmese Generals who exploited Buddhism by pretending
to be devoutly religious and are often seen constructing pagodas and making
merits here and there have no choice but to rely on the narco-economy.
This is partly due to the Western sanctions but mainly because of the mismanagement
of the economy. They are desperate for foreign exchange. Nearly half a
century of ethnic cleansing program has driven all the ethnic tribes into
rebellion and the illogical Burmese Way to Socialism spearheaded by the
Burmese army has driven the country to the least of the developed status
in the UN have impoverished the country. The four-cut policy of the scorch
method by the mighty Tatmadaw (Burmese army) have left them with only one
exportable commodity and that is narcotic drugs. But the top generals are
not stupid, they themselves will not get involved in this dirty business
even through their lower echelons may do it. They used the proxy the UWSA
whom they allow free narco- transport within the country. The Wa narco-empire
have now spread from the Chinese border-via Thai border on to the Andaman
Sea in Tennaserim division on to he international shipping route.
<p>Their rationale is somewhat similar but not so ambivalence as to Osama-bin
Laden. <i>?We always adhere to the five principles of peaceful coexistence
since the Bandung Conference of 1965 and why did Uncle Sam poke its nose
into the internal affairs of Burma in 1988? It is none of your business
that we kill a few thousands Burmese students and launch an ethnic cleansing
policy: or whether arrest the Burmese Nobel Laureate and NLD party members?
What is it to you that we did not honour our own elections? It is nothing
of your affair. And why did you take sanctions and block the international
funding to us. Is it a form of economic imperialism you Nga Pwa Gyi (in
Burmese meaning a hooked nose foreigner). Don?t you&nbsp; recollect the
opium wars you wage on our brother Pauk Phaw (Chinese brother). It is sweet
revenge to know that our heroin is finding their way to your cities. You?ll
have to think twice in criticizing Burma again. Remember I am not Bin Laden
and don?t have the means and resources that he has; our ways are more subtle
and gentle but equally disastrous. President Bush you should remember that
every act has its effects.?</i>
<p>The only logic that is missing is that America who has now taken a lead
in facing&nbsp; terrorism and is fighting tooth and nail against Osama-bin
Laden and his Taliban gang did not take on Khin Nyunt and his Military
Junta? Like the Taliban, the Burmese Junta is harbouring state terrorism
and has ample of proof of linking up with the well known dictators like
Slobodan Milosevic, Saddam Hussein and the likes whom they always signed
treaty of friendship and cooperation? It won?t cost much for the US to
knock out this narco regime as their fleet is in the vicinity: but, more
importantly, the entire people of Burma are ready to rise enmasse against
the vehemently hated Burmese army.
<p>&nbsp;</html>

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