Ndf St On News Report Drug Increase Eng

P.O. Box – (101), Maesod, Tak. 63110, Tel / Fax (+ 66) 55 531 463, Email: [email protected]. Website: ndf-burma.org

NDF Statement on Increased Drugs Production & Trafficking 1. The SPDC controlled newspaper, Myanma Ahlin, in early November reported that the SPDC police burned USD 20 million worth of methamphetamine and other types of drugs, seized after fighting with Kokang rebels in Longgai area. The newspaper went on to say that it was the biggest drug seizure in Myanmar this year. 2. On November 26, Mr. Gary Lewis, a representative for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), statement at the UNODC press conference in Bangkok that the “Burmese minority groups that feel under threat from the central government are using drugs trafficking to sustain themselves and keep control of their territories”, is rather misleading and disappointing. 3. It appears that the SPDC military regime is hoping for the US assistance against suppression of narcotic drugs like in the days of the late dictator, Ne Win. If it is the case, the SPDC is clearly out of step with the present time and international order. This is a time when the SPDC cannot cheat even some of the people, some of the time. 4. It is a common knowledge that the SPDC proxy armies, which are now transforming to the so-called Border Guard Force, are the main drugs producers and traffickers, with the approval and involvement of the SPDC. They will go on doing the drug business to get black money for the SPDC leaders even after the planned 2010 election and a new military dominated government. 5. The armed ethnic organizations, without assistance from any quarters, are in resistance against the SPDC military regime for freedom and in self-defense, in spite of great difficulties. This specious propaganda by the SPDC, aiming to label the armed ethnic organizations struggling for freedom, as the major drugs traffickers, is a move by it to cover up its own involvement in drug business and to get international assistance to militarily suppress the armed ethnic organizations that do not accept its BGF plan. 6. After annihilating the Kokang Army by military means, the SPDC has been making up excuses for annihilation of the ethnic ceasefire organizations, which do not accept the transformation of their armies to BGF. The UNODC should investigate the involvement of the SPDC military leaders in drug trafficking, on a large scale, in collusion with the SPDC proxy armies in some ethnic areas. 7. Inside Burma and in the border areas, it is impossible to produce and traffic narcotic drugs without the involvement of the local SPDC military leaders. Only if the UNODC points out, in its report, the involvement of the SPDC in narcotic drugs production and trafficking, can the report be taken as a balanced one and it would go a long way for successful eradication of narcotic drugs in Burma. “Victory through Alliance” Central Executive Committee National Democratic Front (NDF) December 4, 2009 Media Contact: GS- (66) 086 206 4045

œLiberty

JGS- (66) 082 885 7963

œEquality

œSocial Progress