(23 Jun 2000) English/Nat
XFA
The authorities in the south east Asian nation of Myanmar, also known as Burma, on Friday burned thousands of kilograms (pounds) of seized narcotics with an estimated street value of 1.3 (b) billion (US) dollars.

Myanmar is one of the world's most prolific producers of heroin and opium, and the massive stockpile of drugs was incinerated after last year's promise by the military government there to crackdown on the illegal trade.

Government officials said the effort to battle drugs would continue despite a lack of international assistance.

Myanmar has been condemned by the United States as uncooperative in the war on drugs.

It's one of the world's largest producers of illicit opium and heroin, second only to Afghanistan.

Vast quantities of heroin and other drugs produced in Myanmar make their way through Thailand to addicts in the United States, Western Europe and Australia.

As apart of a government sponsored crackdown on drug production, officials publicly burned thousands of kilos of seized narcotics on Friday.

The drugs had been seized by law enforcement agencies, used as exhibits at trials and finally handed over to the anti-narcotics agency for destruction.

The narcotics bonfire was timed to coincide with the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The flames were fuelled by 1,869 kilograms (4,112 pounds) of opium, 321.7 kilograms (708 pounds) of heroin, 429.5 kilograms (945 pounds) of marijuana and more than 30 million stimulant pills.

Officials estimate the drugs destroyed had an estimated street value in the U-S of 1.3 (b) billion (US) dollars.

The head of Myanmar's anti-drugs effort said Friday's burning - the 14th since 1990 - showed the government was serious about fighting the drugs trade.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"By the amount of the drugs that we have destroyed you can see how much our law enforcement authorities have been able to do this year. This is some of the seizures that there's been since 1999 and this year. These are the seizures that have finished up the legal procedures. "
SUPER CAPTION: Colonel Kyaw Thein, Myanmar Drugs Czar

The burning was witnessed by government leaders, diplomats and representatives of United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations.

And Myanmar pledged that despite the lack of international aid, its 15-year narcotics elimination plan which began in 1999 would continue.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We are cooperating with our fellow law enforcement agencies even those in the U-S drug enforcement administrative officials. If they ever ask us for some information, if it's within my capacity and we are able to give the information legally then we are not beyond giving them this information."
SUPER CAPTION: Colonel Kyaw Thein, Myanmar Drugs Czar

Officials claim that cultivation of opium, the raw material for heroin, was down by 31 percent in 1999 over the previous year.

But they admit that the widespread abuse of stimulants like amphetamines is still a serious threat.

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