Opium

According to the annual report submitted to the 15th annual meeting of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA), 12-14 January, at its main base on the Thai-Burmese border, the number of clashes between the Burma Army and the SSA had dropped to a third of last year’s figur

Col Sao Swy Mangrai, Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA), was asked during a meeting, “How’s the ceasefire going?” In response, he stretched out his arms like he was holding a gun and said, “Like this. Cease! (releases the trigger and lowers the gun) Fire!

Despite a promise to the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) by the Burma Army’s Central Eastern Commander that government troops would be withdrawn from contested SSPP/SSA areas, troop reinforcements are still being sent into the area.

The Burmese military is clearly involved in the drug production and trade in Burma but convincing the international community would be the most daunting task, according to a British researcher speaking to researchers in Chiangmai last week.

The government may be launching poppy destruction campaigns to please the foreign governments, but the real fact is that farmers have also been told they are free to grow opium poppies until 2019, according to sources visiting the border.

http://www.english.panglong.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5501:lo-hsing-han-luo-xinghan-bio-data&c

By China correspondent Stephen McDonnell Australian Broadcasting Commission.