Burmese Language
Shan army seizes ‘heroin factories’
Three military bases in eastern Burma belonging to a pro-government militia group believed to be stocking material for the production of heroin have been raided by the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S).
Around 100 SSA-S troops on 28 February launched coordinated attacks on encampments belonging to the armed wing of the Pa-O National Organisation (PNO) in Shan state’s Nansang township.
“The militia camps were stocking raw opium and materials needed to produce heroin,” said SSA-S spokesperson Sai Lao Hseng. “The SSA obtained information that they are likely to produce heroin in those places so we cleared them as part of our drug elimination policy.”
Six Pao-O troops died in the assault, Sai Lao Hseng said, adding that his soldiers had seized over 160 kilograms of raw opium and some firearms.
Shan state has long been Southeast Asia’s biggest source of illicit drugs, and once held the distinction of being the world’s top producer of heroin until it was usurped by Afghanistan in the late 1990s. In the place of heroin however has come an explosion of methamphetamine, or ‘yaba’, which is trafficked mainly to neighbouring Thailand.
A report released last year by the Thailand-based Shan Drug Watch claimed that junta-backed militias had taken over ethnic armies as Burma’s main drugs’ producers. Rising hostilities between ethnic armies and the Burmese had, according the report’s lead author, Khunsai Jaiyen, prompted a clampdown on their drug production and mobility.
He told DVB today that Shan militias such as the Nayai and Markkieng are rapidly catching with the former heroin kingpins, the United Wa State Army (UWSA), and that he “wouldn’t be surprised if in the next few years, they are being outdone completely both in the yaba and heroin fields”.
The PNO, whose chairman Aung Kham Hti competed in the November elections last year, was granted a Self-Administered Zone by the Burmese government comprising Hopong, Hsihseng and Pinlaung townships in southern Shan state. According to the ALTSEAN advocacy group, it has been awarded a number of business concessions in the local, and lucrative, gem mining industry.
A damning report by the US State Department yesterday said that Burma had “failed demonstrably” in its proclaimed efforts to eradicate the country’s narcotics industry. The UN Office on Drugs and Crimes estimates that between 2006 and 2009, opium cultivation in Burma increased from 21,500 hectares to 31,700 hectares, despite repeated assertions in state media of success in its elimination programmes.
Tags: burma, heroin, methamphetamine, myanmar, Shan
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You can’t even spell the name of “Pa-Oh” correctly, how can I know if this information you report is true? The most likely is, this is just a political propaganda of SSA, as they always did attacking on the Pa-Oh people politically and physically. They try to discredit the Pa-Oh people internationally, and attempt to project the Pa-Oh as drug producing group, which is not true, because the Pa-Oh has proper, solid and strong business, such mining, agriculture, tourism, transportation, factories and so on. They do not need to depend on drug. The SSA do not have any proper business. I wonder and am so curious how they can feed their soldiers and support the approximate 10,000 of their troops, which they, themselves always claim the biggest non-cease fire rebel army. Where do they get all the money? They are the group that most likely to deal with drug, smuggle “Yaba” to neighboring countries.
@ An observer
How do you as well know “the Pa-Oh has proper, solid and strong business, such mining, agriculture, tourism, transportation, factories and so on(and) they do not need to depend on drug” ?
What we read on the web are mainly third hand or fourth hand news. Only a few are first hand news.
How can you say propoer business especially in a country like Burma? if that Pa -oh business is proper than so as Tay Za , cronies business are as law abiding business. What a joke.
i worry for SSA cos US not happy with control of drug yaba.US will chase SSA i worry. SSA please no sell yaba or drug.
Pls see the SSA statement.
Don’t worry Pa-O.
SSA wipe out the militia who product the drug not attack Pa-O.
http://www.taifreedom.com/eng2/
Statement on Shan State Army launched a raid on the drug refinery of militia unit of Wan Zit tract, Nam
Zarn Township
4 March 2011
1. On 28 February 2011, Shan State Army raided and seized a drug refinery of militia unit of Wan
Zit tract, Nam Zarn Township. This has been done in accord with the anti-narcotic policy of
Restoration Council of the Shan State. This is not concerning with the ethnic problem to attack
the ethnic Pa-O. RCSS/SSA does not have the policy to attack ethnics in the same homeland.
2. Burma army has always been planning for the ethnics and the Shan to have misunderstanding
among themselves and fight one another. The Burma army uses persuasion and oppression
methods on the ethnic ceasefire groups to be transformed into militia units under their command,
and intentionally gives them encouragement and privileges of dealing with the drugs business.
These are what Burma army has planned for the world community to see our national struggle in
the wrong way and again created misunderstanding, fighting and unending ethnic problems
among us.
3. In order not to have misunderstanding and ethnic problems as planned by the Burma army, and
for the better understanding to occur among us, RCSS/SSA always extends opened arms to all
the ethnics and all Shan including the groups deserted from SSA. We will continue our efforts for
the understanding and establishment of unity among us.
4. However, if we, the ethnics in the same homeland, do not trust and recognize one another, and
accept the Burma army policy to become the SPDC backed militia units in oppressing the people
and being against the RCSS policy and tasks, we will not be able to accept it.
Central Executive Committee
Restoration Council of the Shan State (RCSS)
The media groups should be careful on reporting the news. They should not let themselves to be used by some groups as propaganda tools to attack another groups. Do your works with consciousness, dignity, neutrality base on the principle of fairness and justice.
An Observer is correct to be suspicious of any propaganda activity but he should be careful about hurling accusations. The SSA-S is not suspected of trafficking.