Ceasefires killing poppies

• Published: 19/02/2012 at 07:22 AM      Bangkokpost        

I am writing to both clarify errors in the Bangkok Post's Sunday Spectrum article, ''Myanmar reforms 'mask meteoric rise in drug trade''' by Phil Thornton and appeal for a problem-solving approach to the challenge of poppy cultivation in Myanmar.

The article claims that a major factor in the growth of opium cultivation has been ceasefire deals struck between the government of Myanmar and armed ethnic groups. This is untrue.
From 1996 to 2006, poppy cultivation in Myanmar decreased by 86%. Areas under ceasefire accounted for a significant part of this reduction.
Poppy flourishes in areas of conflict, poverty and insecurity, as documented in our annual poppy survey. Since 2006 opium cultivation has doubled to 43,660 hectares, and Shan State accounts for over 90% of current poppy cultivation. Significant increases in poppy cultivation have been observed in conflict areas where there were no ceasefire agreements.
We therefore see the recent ceasefires in Shan State as a significant step forward in the response to domestic poppy cultivation and human security in Myanmar. It would be wrong to imply that the people of Myanmar are better off without these ceasefire agreements.
Furthermore, the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) does not provide financial assistance to illicit crop eradication in Myanmar. UNODC assistance currently is limited to three small development projects in south Shan State. The amount involved is a modest US$7 million (216 million baht) spread over four years. It is managed by the UNODC, and provided directly to communities on the ground. Our funds do not go straight into the pockets of generals, as your feature asserts.
The article also questions the reliability of UNODC surveys. Our survey methodology in Myanmar is not unique. We use the same systematic approach in Afghanistan, Colombia and Bolivia. Using a rigorous, well documented and widely accepted scientific process the UNODC opium poppy surveys in Myanmar deliver a reliable estimate of poppy cultivation and opium production annually.
Given recent political developments and drug control actions by Myanmar authorities, what is now required is for the international community to support the farmers whose poppy has been eradicated. Unfortunately, your feature does not examine this essential element of the solution in any detail. But this is where the ultimate success in reducing poppy cultivation will lie. This is a top priority for the UNODC, as it should be for anyone who values stability rather than insecurity, and peace rather than conflict.

Gary Lewis
UN Office on Drugs and Crime Regional Representative
Bangkok

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/280521/ceasefires-knock-poppy-out