Myanmar is one of the world's largest producers of opium and one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia. In this country, there is a region known as the "Golden Triangle", which is an important part of the global drug trade**. In this area, there are tens of thousands of opium poppy growers, who risk their lives every day, for a small income, to grow this plant, which can make drugs such as ***. They know it's illegal, they know it's harmful, they know it's not going to get rich, so why do they still plant it?
Myanmar is a multi-ethnic country with long-standing problems of ethnic conflict and political instability. On February 1, 2021, the Myanmar military staged a coup d'état that overthrew the elected people**, triggering nationwide ** and violent clashes. This has led to chaos in social order, economic recession, soaring prices, and difficulties in people's livelihood.
In such an environment, many Burmese people have lost their normal jobs and incomes, and their lives have been struggling. In Myanmar's Shan region, the situation is even more severe. Shan State is the largest state in Myanmar and one of the most unstable. There are several armed groups here, and there are frequent armed clashes with the ** army and other ethnic groups. These armed groups often maintain their power by controlling and participating in the drug trade to obtain funds and **.
As a result, it has become the largest opium poppy growing area in Myanmar, with more than 100,000 acres of opium poppy cultivation. Here, many local people have no choice but to rely on opium poppy cultivation for their livelihoods. A poppy grower said that after 2021, prices in Myanmar doubled**, and the crops grown by the local people could not be good** and profitable, so most of the local people started to grow opium poppies.
Opium poppy is highly profitable and easy to make money, so many people switch to opium poppy cultivation. Another woman who grows opium poppies said that at this time, we don't have the corn we grow ourselves, but the price of a bag of rice has risen to 150,000 kyats, and we are very likely to starve. In order not to starve, we can only grow opium poppies.
Myanmar's legal system is not perfect, the formulation and revision of laws are often subject to political interference and influence, and the application and interpretation of laws lack uniformity and fairness. Myanmar's law enforcement agencies are inadequate, with low capacity and level of law enforcement, poor efficiency and effectiveness, and a lack of transparency and oversight of the process and results of law enforcement. The judicial system in Myanmar is unfair, the independence and impartiality of the judiciary are subject to political and economic interference and corruption, and judicial procedures and sentences lack credibility and fairness.
The social environment in Myanmar is poor, the moral and legal awareness of the society is very low, the social supervision force is very weak, and the social pressure and restraint are very small. Under such circumstances, Myanmar's drug laws often become a dead letter, Myanmar's drug law enforcement often becomes a joke, Myanmar's drug justice often becomes a farce, and Myanmar's drug society often becomes a tragedy.
In such an environment, the legal risks for opium poppy growers are not high. They can often evade legal sanctions and punishments through bribery, threats, evasion, etc. They can often protect their security and interests through cooperation and collusion with armed groups, drug lords, ** and other stakeholders.
They can often find excuses and justifications for their actions by exploiting loopholes and uncertainties in the law. They can often find support and help for their situation by relying on the empathy and understanding of society.
In addition to the pressure to survive and the risks of the law, there is another important factor that influences the choices of opium poppy growers, and that is cultural traditions and social habits. In some ethnic groups and regions of Myanmar, opium poppy cultivation has a long history and deep roots. In these places, the opium poppy is not just a cash crop, but also a cultural symbol and social bond. The seeds, flowers, fruits, and juice of the opium poppy have various uses and meanings, such as edible, medicinal, sacrificial, married, befriended, and gifted.
The cultivation, harvesting, processing, and marketing of opium poppy also have fixed norms and habits, such as time, place, method, and object. The cultural and social value of the opium poppy often outweighs its economic and legal value, giving opium poppy growers a special affection and identification with it. In the eyes of these poppy growers, opium poppy cultivation is not a sin or a shame, but an honour or a duty. They are not there to break the law or harm others, but to preserve or pass on their culture and society. They do not try to escape or rebel, but to adapt or fit into their environment and group.
The opium poppy scourge in Myanmar is an issue that requires our common attention and efforts. We hope that through our article, more people can know and understand the opium poppy problem in Myanmar, inspire more people to care for and help opium poppy growers in Myanmar, and promote more people to participate in and contribute to opium poppy control in Myanmar. We believe that as long as we share the same goals and visions, the same responsibilities and responsibilities, the same ideas and methods, and the same actions and results, we will be able to achieve the solution of the opium poppy in Myanmar and let the poppy growers in Myanmar get rid of the darkness and move towards the light. Myanmar