Action, not words, will stop drugs

Myanmar claims that its efforts to combat drugs are unappreciated. It is right. The military dictatorship pursues policies which encourage and aid big-time drug traffickers. Myanmar appears satisfied to increase the influence and profits of its major drug traders.

The opium crop in northern Myanmar, heroin dealer to the world, diminished last year. Immediately, a war of words began among Myanmar, the United Nations and countries concerned about drugs such as Thailand and America. Myanmar officials complained strongly last week that the world doesn't give credit to Yangon's antidrug efforts -- which is probably correct.

Outside Myanmar, officials have a different and perhaps bigger picture. First, the 31 percent drop in poppy cultivation last year was almost exclusively because of poor weather during the growing season. Myanmar agrees with this assessment, although with reservations. Second, the fall in opium production from 1,750 tons to 1,085 tons is essentially meaningless. The crop is still far more than what is needed to fill the veins of every heroin addict on the Myanmar customer list.

Most importantly, as the head of the Asia-Pacific UN drug office pointed out, the drop in opium production has been more than matched -- qualitatively and quantitatively -- by the massive increase in methamphetamine production by the close Wa friends of the Yangon regime. If Myanmar's claims of a large- scale drug program are correct, then that project is a massive failure.

The war of words over the opium crop is unhelpful. Even Myanmar admits that its crop-substitution program is small, nascent and modest. The regime has a point when it criticizes the lack of U.S. aid in drug efforts. But Myanmar has access to advice, help and physical aid which it does not take. Our own Thai drug officers have volunteered to help many times.

In the end, we will measure the success of the Myanmar leadership by results, and not by words. Yangon is right when it says that we don't appreciate its drug efforts. That is because we see so few, while our own citizens addict and ruin themselves on a growing -- not declining -- supply of Myanmar drugs.

-- The Bangkok Post