Military

DATE=8/5/1999
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=BURMA / DRUGS
NUMBER=5-44007
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  The southeast Asian nation, Burma, is one of  
the world's largest producers of illegal narcotics.  
Burma's rulers say they are trying to suppress the  
trade of illicit drugs, but complain their efforts are  
suffering from a lack of resources. V-O-A Southeast  
Asia Correspondent Gary Thomas reports professional  
counter-narcotics officials are concerned sanctions  
imposed on Burma because of its handling of human  
rights issues in the country are crippling efforts to  
fight narcotics traffic.
TEXT: Law enforcement officers from both the west and  
Thailand say political concerns over human rights in  
Burma are making it more difficult to stem the flow of  
narcotics in Southeast Asia.
These officers -- most of whom did not want to be  
quoted by name -- believe Burma is making good faith  
efforts to stamp out the drug trade and that those  
efforts could be far more effective with Western  
technical help.  However, sanctions -- leveled against  
Burma for its treatment of the pro-democracy movement  
-- bar any kind of U-S assistance to Rangoon,  
including counter-narcotics aid.
Major General Viraj Juttimita is deputy commissioner  
of Thailand's Narcotics Suppression Bureau and the  
only official interviewed willing to speak on the  
record.  He is sharply critical of the U-S linkage  
between narcotics and human rights.
                                // Viraj Actuality //
I think we should separate apples from pears when we  
are dealing with human rights.  It is a totally  
separate issue from narcotics enforcement.  And if we  
want to stop narcotics from coming to the youth in our  
country, we've got to attack the source's country. And  
to attack the source's country, you've got to talk to  
the people to mount a way and to plan and to scheme  
and to try to push them, urge them, cajole, whatever  
you name it, to try to make them do the work.  And if  
you don't talk to them - say, "no, no, no, no, we  
cannot talk, we cannot do this, we cannot do that" -  
then how are you going to get the problem solved?  Why  
do you talk to the Mexicans? Why do you talk to the  
Colombians? Huh? They are all drug producers and  
violators of human rights.
                                        // End Actuality //  
Burma is considered to be the world's largest producer  
of illicit heroin and opium.  There has also been a  
sharp rise in the production of amphetamines.
Asked about the assertions, a U-S government spokesman  
repeated the statement that Burma is not doing enough  
to stem the flow of illegal drugs.
However, two years ago, Burmese drug kingpin Li Yun  
Chung -- who was wanted in the United States -- fled  
to Burma after he was released on bail in Thailand.   
According to a former high-ranking official of the U-S  
Drug Enforcement Agency in Asia, who asked not to be  
named, Burma turned him over to Thailand knowing full  
well he was to be extradited to the United States.   
The former drug agent said the Burmese government was  
hurt when it received no public credit from United  
States for this.
Burma recently hosted a conference in Rangoon on  
suppressing the heroin trade.  The west -- led by the  
United States -- boycotted the meeting.  However, the  
former Drug Enforcement Agency official said the D-E-A  
wanted to send a delegation but was blocked from doing  
so by the State Department.
General Viraj says the constant diet of criticism is  
not helping counter-narcotics efforts in Burma, also  
known as Myanmar.
                                // Viraj Actuality //
So why should we turn around and point to them,  
"Myanmar is bad, bad boy, bad boy."  When they've  
done something good you never compliment them or  you 
never pat them on the back.  Every human  being they 
need to be sometimes encouraged not  discouraged all 
the time.
                                        // end actuality //
 The former D-E-A official says there is a growing  
sentiment to exempt counter-narcotics assistance from  
the ban on aid to Burma.  However, he says that would  
have to win the support of Burmese pro-democracy  
leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is against any kind of  
aid to the ruling generals.  He said there is also a  
fear among democracy activists that knowledge acquired  
from law enforcement training might be used by the  
government against the democracy movement. 
However, the U-S spokesman said there is no  
possibility, in the near future, of having a ban on  
aid to Burma lifted. (signed)
Neb / gpt / gc / wd
05-Aug-1999 07:07 AM EDT (05-Aug-1999 1107 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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