Dope peddlers in khaki: Report



 
Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF)’s latest report has accused both police and military authorities of “making money out of the (drug) issues, instead of trying to address them” and violating human rights in the process.

Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF) logo
“The police (in Tachilek, opposite Thailand’s Mae Sai) arrest drug users only if they think they could get some money,” the monthly report that was published at the end of February charges.

For instance, police patrols like to detain and extort money from young people during the late hours of the night by accusing them of using drugs. “Those who refused to let their urine tested were then outrightly accused of being actual drug addicts and threatened with 10 years jail term, unless they paid a fine of 200,000 Thai baht ($ 6,666),” reads the report, while those who agreed to the urine test were demanded to pay 40,000 baht ($ 1,333) in advance, promising they would be freed immediately if they passed the test.

Tachilek police have also been charged of selling drugs to many of the video game shops in the city. “It was said that when large amounts of drugs were seized, the police only officially registered 2/3 of the amounts and secretly kept 1/3 for themselves.” These drugs were then sold through agents at various venues including the said video games. “Because of that, many young people have become addicted not only to video games but also to various kinds of drugs.”

Meanwhile, military authorities in Mong Nai (Murng Nai) township, Lang Kher district, particularly troops from Infantry Battalion 248, have also been charged with extorting money from the poppy farmers.

According to the report, a 37 strong patrol from the unit, on arrival at Kawng Yaao village in Naa Khaan village tract, on 11 November 2012, demanded that the villagers provide them with a pig and some chickens without payment.

The next morning, they patrolled the area of Nawng Leng and Nawng Saai villages for three days to collect “taxes” from the opium farmers.

Mong Nai together with the nearby Mongpan, both known as major opium producers, have been chosen at the meeting hosted by UN Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), in Tachilek last October between representatives from the government and the Restoration Council of Shan State / Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) for a joint crop substitution project.

The home ministry had announced on 5 October the extension of the deadline for its 15 year master plan for the elimination of drugs from 2014 and 2019. So far no further details have been made public.

For further details, please visit: www.shanhumanrights.org




 

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