Interview: Even Burmese soldiers grow poppies

No.07 - 12/2007
14 December 2007
Drugs
 
The following are excerpts from its interviews with representatives coming from Mongnawng sub-township, Kehsi township, Loilem district and Homong sub-township, Mawkmai township, Loilem district.

Identities of the interviewees have been withheld for their safety.

Interview I (Kehsi):   Commander encourages poppy growing
           
Earlier this year, we attended a meeting called by the Infantry Battalion 287 based in Wanzing. At the top of the agenda was physic nut. The commander told us we would be buying 2 condensed milk-cans per household for K2,000 per milk-can. Each village would be required to grow at least 20 acres.
 
He then asked us, “Do you grow poppies? If you don’t, what are you going to eat? Only if you have enough to eat, we (soldiers) can also eat.”
 
What he said was true. Everything the Army needs, whether it’s rice, chicken, Tolaji (farm tractors) or motorcycles, it is for us to fulfill it. And we are often cursed or beaten on failure to comply with.

Who grow opium
            Top growers are Lahu who came to the area following the 1996-98 forced relocations. They are led by Yosay, the militia leader in the area. Then we have Palaung, Lisu and us Shans. We also see a number of Burmese soldiers tending their own fields.
 
Planting season
            It varies in relation to the elevation. In the high mountains, we usually start planting in the Ninth Lunar Month (August). In the lowlands, it may be the 11th Lunar Month (October) or even 12th Lunar Month (November).
 
Interview II (Homong):         Envy started it
            Our village has about 80 households. Until last year nobody grew poppies. But last year an ethnic Chinese moved in and he planted his poppy field. He made a lot of money from it, which started everybody talking. After this year’s paddy season, I didn’t have anything special to do anyway and many others were already growing poppies. I couldn’t very well let other people say I was lazy and no-account. So I’ve planted my own field with a can of seeds.
 
Interview III (Homong):        More people engaging in the cultivation
            At least 50% increase. Even where I live, we had about 25 fields last year, but now we have no less than 40. And we are growing two crops. The first crop has already been harvested, from which we got B20,000 ($590) per viss (1.6 kg). Last year’s opium fetched as much as B30,000 ($885) per viss.
 
The Burma Army knows
            The fields of course cannot be hidden from the Army patrols. Last year one of them arrived in the valley where there were 3 fields, one of which was mine and asked for B5,000 as “tax”. We pooled in together what we had and managed to satisfy them with B4,000 ($120 or K160,000).
 
People coming from Hsamu and Na Mark Ti areas (east of Homong) also told us that many farmers are moving into Burma Army controlled areas so they could grow opium, because the Wa (United Wa State Army), based in Sankarng and Khailong, have banned it this year.
 
Big farmers
            Most of us have our own fields, but some are working as hired hands for some ethnic Chinese financiers for B1,000 ($30) per month with meals.

Other reports agree that there is a significant increase of cultivation in Shan State for the 2007-2008 season, despite or because of continued opium ban in Kokang, Wa and Loimaw (Tangyan).