While scrapping opium resin from a seedpod in remote popods of Myanmar, the displaced farmer Aung HLA described the drug addiction, which is the only possibility in the country that became barren in a country with conflict. A 35 -year -old rice farmer was a farmer when Junta seized power in the 2021 coup, which added a pro -democracy guerrilla to a long -running civil struggle between military and ethnic armed groups.
Four years later, the United Nations has stated that Myanmar has been interpersonally placed in the “polycaris” of compound struggle, poverty and environmental damage.
After fighting after the coup, Aung Hala was excluded from his land in Mo by village. When he survived, his normal crops were no longer profitable, but Hardy Popi had “promised” for livelihood “.
“Everyone thinks that people grow poppy flowers to be rich, but we are working hard to get the bus,” they told AFP in the Rural Pench Township of Eastern Shan State.
He says that he regrets the substance and regrets – the main component in heroin – but said that income is the only thing that separates it from starvation.
“If someone was in my shoe, they probably would have done the same.”
Displaced and desperate
Myanmar’s opium production was first second to Afghanistan, where Popi farming flourished after the US -led attack in view of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
According to the Drugs and Crime (UNODC) at the United Nations Office, after the Taliban government launched a rift, Myanmar beat Afghanistan as the biggest producer of opium in 2023.
Myanmar’s opium economy – including the value of domestic consumption as well as exports abroad – according to the UNODC, is estimated between $ 589 million and $ 1.57 billion.
Each year between September and February, dozens of workers cut the seeds of immature poppy seeds, which cut a small amount of sticky brown resin.
The 48 -year -old Aung Ning, gently moves the resin collected from a small trough on a leaf plate.
Prior to the coup, which ended a brief experiment with democracy, Aung Ning was a improved opium farmer. But the difficulty in the war forced him back to crop.
“There is more poppy cultivation due to difficulties in the livelihood of residents,” they say.
“Most farmers who put poppy seeds get displaced,” he said. “Residents who cannot live in their villages and have run into the forest are working in poppy fields.”
For the control and attractive drug trade of all local resources of Myanmar’s fringe, ethnic armed group, border military and military.
Aung Ning says that Popi makes a slightly higher profit than food crops such as maize, bean curd and potato, which is also unsafe for the disease in case of rain.
According to the UNODC, a small fraction of what it receives in the international black market, only in 2024, was sold by Myanmar farmers by the farmers of Myanmar.
And crop is more expensive than rice – more labor intensive, expensive fertilizers are required and with small yields.
Aung Ning says that he is shy with a profit of $ 30 for every kilo. “How can we be rich with him?” He asks.
‘vulnerable’
The United Nations Office for the coordination of human affairs estimate that more than 3.5 million people are displaced in Myanmar. But fleeing from the struggle areas to cultivate opium does not guarantee safety.
“Military fighter jets are flying on us,” said Aung Ning. “We are working in the pope areas with anxiety and fear. We feel insecure.”
Poppy cultivation and production in Myanmar between 2023 and 2024, according to the UNODC – due to the ongoing clashes between armed groups.
The 43 -year -old farmer Shwe Khin says, “If our country was in peace and there were many job opportunities in the region, we will not plan any pope farm, even if we have been asked,” 43 -year -old farmer says Shwe Khin.
Aung Hala agreed. With war, he said, “We have no choice”.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is published by a syndicated feed.)
