16 February 2000

16 February 2000 

Dear Colleague/ Sir/ Madame: 

Could you subscribe to the attached recommendations? 
Please respond to the contact person. 
S.H.A.N. 

Non-Burmans On Drug Control: Engage Us 

A series of meetings among the Non-Burman groups have resulted in the issuance of a joint statement on Wednesday when they demanded participation in drug control policies. 

The grouping of 8's 6-point recommendations called for a resolution of the ongoing crisis in Burma, spoke against unilateral programs implemented through the military rulers, and urged all agencies concerned to engage directly with the non-Burman peoples. 

"The people of the Shan States have long been implicated in narcotics. Programs which directly engage these people are the most likely to succeed. In contrast, engaging SPDC and marginalizing the people of the Shan States will fail to control narcotics while further jeopardizing local people and constituting one of the main destabilizing factors in the region," it said. 
Commenting on it, a leader of the Shan Democratic Union, a signatory to the statement, said, "Being Shan, you are automatically identified with drugs. It is like saying, 'Ah! You are Italian, so you must be a mafioso.'" 

The grouping which includes the Karenni National Progressive Party, Lahu Democratic Front, Palaung State Liberation Front, Pa-O People's Liberation Organization, Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army, Shan Democratic Union, Shan State Organization and the Wa National Organization, also appealed to all groups concerned to support the recommendations. 

Date: 16 February 2000 
Press Release

Ethnic Peoples of Burma call for Participation in Narcotics Control Policies 

In January, 2000, the second of a series of Narcotics Control Policy seminars was held at a location along the Thai-Burma border. The goal of the seminar was to bring together representatives of ethnic peoples and organizations from Burma to discuss current narcotics control strategy options, the narcotics policies and activities of the junta (the State Peace and Development Council, or SPDC), and the current policies of organizations including the UNDCP, the European Union, the U.S. agencies involved in narcotics, and those of ASEAN. Participants discussed the narcotics control policies and programs of their own organizations, and the need for coherent, coordinated, and informed narcotics policies for Burma which would include the active participation of the ethnic peoples involved. There was considerable consensus and information sharing on the failure of current drug control programs to address the root causes of Burma's narcotics economy. Several groups shared information on SPDC involvement in narcotics production in their areas. All agreed that without a resolution to the political crisis within Burma under SPDC, narcotics control programs would almost certainly fail. 

The groups present agreed on a common framework for narcotics control policy in their areas. Six "Drug Policy Recommendations" were developed. These recommendations were then brought back for discussion to the leaders of each of the participating groups, and have now been agreed upon and ratified.

They are:

Drug Policy Recommendations 

1. The narcotics production situation in the Shan States, and in other ethnic states in Burma, must be understood and addressed in the context of the ongoing political crisis in the country. Control programs that fail to address the political conflict will have little or no support among the local people and are likely to fail.

2. Solutions to the narcotics situation must be advanced with the participation and involvement of the peoples of the growing areas and their political and ethnic leaders. Unilateral programs implemented through SPDC will not have local support and so cannot succeed. 

3. SPDC have proven to be poor-faith partners in narcotics control. There are reliable reports that forces under SPDC command have committed gross violations of human rights in the guise of narcotics control operations. For implementation of narcotics control to be successful, ethnic communities and non-governmental organizations must be included in program planning and implementation. 

4. The peoples of Burma have a legitimate right to participate in the development and narcotics control initiatives that affect their lives. They have been denied the right to participate in nation-building by the junta. The International Community cannot and should not be party to the denial of this fundamental right.

5. Narcotics control in Burma is likely to be a long-term development based series of initiatives, rather than any single or short-term solution. Without the sustained participation of the people of Burma themselves, this is likely to be impossible. Only the long-term goals of peace, national reconciliation and the resolution of the political and social injustices in Burma will provide the context for effective narcotics control programs. 

6. The people of the Shan States have long been implicated in narcotics. Programs which directly engage these people are the most likely to succeed. In contrast, engaging SPDC and marginalizing the people of the Shan States will fail to control narcotics while further jeopardizing local people and constituting one of the main destabilizing factors in the region. 
   These recommendations have been endorsed by: 

• The Karenni National Progressive Party 

• The Lahu Democratic Front 

• The Palaung State Liberation Front 

• The Pa-O People's Liberation Organisation 

• The Restoration Council of the Shan State/Shan State Army-South 

• The Shan Democratic Union 

• The Shan State Organisation 

• The Wa National Organisation

As representatives of the ethnic organizations listed here, we call on all parties and international organizations involved in narcotics control issues in Burma to engage with us, expand the current dialogue, and to include the ethnic peoples of Burma in all discussions which involve their lives.

For further information contact: 

Sao Sengsuk
Advisor, Shan Democratic Union 
Coordinator, Shan State Organization 
Tel: 66-53-235 020 
Fax: 66-53-232 102 
e-mail: syammax@cscoms.com