The story of eliminating Opium Crops in the Golden Triangle

国际和平禁毒基金会

“Eliminating Opium Crops in the Golden Triangle．Ancient Tea Mountains Lead to Peace”

Organizations: Institute of Biological Chemistry Academia Sinica．Antrodia Cinnamomea Association of Taiwan Treasure．International Foundation for Peaceful Elimination of Opium Crops

Host：Dr. CHEN, SHUI-TEIN  Researcher of Institute of Biological Chemistry

Speaker: Mr. CHUNG, LARRY  Chairman / Founder of IFPEOC

Guest speakers:

Andy Malanga- Chief Advisor of to the CTBC Anti-Drug Educational Foundation

Adam Oswell- Director of the Wildlife 1 Conservancy

Date: 2019/01/12 Sat.

Time: 9:30-12:00

Venue:Academia Sinica Activities Center Conference RM1

We are a non-profit organization dedicated to helping communities break free of their dependence on opium production for survival. We work toward this goal by planning alternative development strategies and facilitating communication between drug producing communities and the rest of the world.  ing on the world's largest opium-producing region, the Golden Triangle of northeast Myanmar, our work benefits not only the communities we work with, but also people and societies around the world.

Reported from Myanmar Opium Survey 2005 UNODC, food insecurity was more prent in Wa Special Region 2, which has received relatively less external assistance in comparison with other regions. The majority of households (55%) reported a rice deficit of up to 3 months and 45% reported a deficit between 3-12 months. These levels of food deficits are high and explain the strong reliance on opium poppy cultivation in these communities. Lack of income for food is among the main reasons reported by the farmers for growing opium.

Due to the food insecurity and ban opium, Wa People emigrate 86000 opium farmers to southern Wa to start a new life, and during the route there are 3800 emmigrants lost their lives.  Mr. Larry Chung participated the emigration for two years and take the photos for their hard life.  According to the 2005 Opium Survey UNODC, food deficiency is a serious problem in the Wa Region, with 89.5% of the villages reporting food insecurity.  With The opium ban raises there is a possibility that the Wa Region will enter of a downward spiral of poverty, malnutrition and disease.

Since1998, South-East Asia’s share of world global opium poppy cultivation has fallen from 67 per cent to only 12 per cent in 2006.  Much of this drop has been due to large declines in cultivation in Myanmar.  Remarkably, in 2006 no opium cultivation was observed in the Wa region in 2006, which had accounted for 30 per cent of total national opium poppy cultivation in Myanmar in the previous year.（World Drug Report 2007 UNODC, page 38 ）。

 

In the past, Special Region 2 (the - or Wa region) - showed high levels of poppy cultivation, but the cultivation ban has essentially eradicated opium poppies in the region nowadays there are hardly any poppy fields due to the ban on opium poppy cultivation. In contrast, The eastern part of North Shan, bordering the Wa region, showed high concentrations of poppy cultivation, with similar conditions similarly to on the border with Kachin State. The continued poppy cultivation in the latter area is probably related to the chronic insecurity situation that is reflected by in the number of conflicts in this area.（Myanmar Opium Survey Dec. 2017 UNODC）

In 2012, the International Foundation for the Peaceful Elimination of Opium Crops (IFPEOC) repeatedly visited and investigated conditions in various highland areas of Wa Region. The Northern WaBang mountains feature tens of thousands of ancient tea trees, many having survived over 1000 years. These trees area precious natural resource for the Wa people and for all of mankind.  Wa Region is a remote, mountainous region characterized by poor roads and transport, and better roads will be needed to facilitate the transport of tea to markets. The IFPEOC is working with local townships to jointly develop roads and bridges. The tea production facility has been equipped with electrical power and fresh water, making it self-reliant and autonomous. Since 2015, IFPEOC staff have worked to develop the production of this ancient tea in Shan State, and it promises to play an important role in developing the local economy and further reducing dependence on opium poppy cultivation.

At present, Wa Region requires external assistance on several projects: 1) Developing large-scale Chinese language education and general improvement of educational services through fundraising and recruiting of teachers; 2) improving the level of agricultural technology to raise production efficiency through the planting and selection of high-yield crops; 3) improving transport through repairing mountain roads, upgrading road surfaces to asphalt and building bridges.

The Golden Triangle has long suffered from international isolation due to its geographical remoteness, poor transport, political conflict and the presence of the drug trade. The ancient tea trees of this region represent an important natural resource which can be developed sustainably, offering the Wa people the promise of peace and happiness.

email:[e-mail] 

www.ifpeoc.org