Supply and demand

The decision by six Mekong-region countries to make a determined effort to clamp down on drug trafficking is to be welcomed. But their success will depend on how seriously the Myanmarese authorities crack down on the drug business in the north-east of the country.

There have been encouraging signs that Myanmar is getting serious about ending drug production and trade. The Myanmarese authorities recently burned drugs with a street value of $7.80 billion in Rangoon, to coincide with the meeting of Mekong Six' ministers.

But this is only a tiny fraction of the heroin, amphetamines and other synthetic drugs that are produced in Myanmar and the Golden Triangle region.

As our news report today points out, many observers doubt that Myanmar's leaders are hitting the kingpins of the drug trade as hard as they should. There are reports of collusion between drug producers and elements of the military.

If the war on drugs is to succeed, a two-pronged approach is required. One element has to be an unrelenting battle against the bosses who control the trade. The second has to be programs to provide alternative livelihoods for the many poor farmers who grow crops like opium because they have no other way to earn a living.

International co-operation will be required for the crackdown to succeed. The Myanmarese authorities need to be given resources and help to stamp out drug production and trafficking. This help will have to come not only from within, but outside the region as well, including from the European Union and the United States.

The Myanmarese junta is opening up to the outside world and has begun making tentative efforts to come to an agreement with opposition leaders like Aung San Su Kyi. The campaign against drugs should be an area in which the international community makes greater efforts to engage the Myanmarese leadership, demonstrating to it the benefits of co-operation.

It is not enough to combat the supply of drugs. If international drug trafficking is to be curbed, efforts need to be made to reduce the demand for drugs.

This is where the United States and Europe need to make greater efforts. The Western world, which is the main market for Asian drugs, needs to take a much tougher approach towards eliminating the use of hard drugs.

Unless the demand for drugs is curbed, it is going to be extremely difficult to choke off supply.

-- South China Morning Post, Hong Kong