Community

Community-run rehab centers in the north

Drugs

Reporter: Hawkeye

Frustrated by the alarming rise of drug addition among the young and the overall inaction from the state sector, people along the Sino-Burma border have been organizing their own community-run rehabilitation centers, according to ceasefire and civilian sources. 

According to surveys made early this year by Shan State Peace Council, a joint setup of Shan State Army "North" and Shan State National Army a.k.a Shan State Army "Central", there were 1,800 addicts in the town of Namkham, 2,500 in Muse, 500 in Panghsai and 300 in Namtoom. "These do not include tens of thousands of addicts on the make," said an SSNA officer. 

Community elders had talked to friendly government officials, but they said it was beyond their authority. "Some said they would forward their requests to their superiors," he said. "They waited for months, but no official response ever came." 

The first rehabilitation center, named Physical and Mental Reconstruction Home, was opened on 17 May at Wannawng, a neighborhood in Namkham, that has already treated 157 addicts, age between 20-24; the second on 8 August in Nawngkawk village, north of Namkham, that has treated 37 addicts; the third on 27 August in Namma village, west of Namkham treating 17 addicts at present; the third in Wiangkarng village, also west of Namkham, treating 15 at present; and the latest on 7 October at Zayhai, east of Namkham. 

The opening ceremony at Zayhai was joined by local members of the Shan Nationalities League of Democracy and representatives from the SSPC. 

The SSPC had set up a rehabilitation center at Wanhai and Kawng Htolin, between Muse and Namkham, in 1998, but was forced to close them in 2000 after the authorities announced them illegal. 

"The authorities have so far taken no action against these new centers," said a local, who is active in the movement. "Maybe because they were initiated by the local communities themselves. Moreover, the centers were set up on the temple grounds and jointly managed by the monks. But we are worried, because you never know when they might change their minds." 

Xinhua News Agency reported on 31 January, quoting government statements, that since 1988, Rangoon had established 40 major and smaller treatment centers across the country. According to government statistics, the number of addicts in Burma is less than 70,000, while UN estimates that the total number is some 1.2 million. 

There are 319 townships in Burma, according to The Golden Land of Myanmar, published 2001, 56 in Shan State alone.