Opium

Whilst a twenty year ceasefire still holds, there is unlikely to be peace and democracy in Burma without a political settlement that addresses ethnic minority needs and goals.

From Golden Triangle to Rubber Belt?

Tom Kramer

In the Kokang and Wa regions in northern Burma opium bans have ended poppy cultivation, but have caused chronic poverty and food insecurity as a result.

Drug report in Southeast Asia

Martin Jelsma

Tom Kramer

The assumption that reducing opium production would lead to less drug use has been proven wrong. It has instead contributed to a pattern of an increased use of stronger drugs and more harmful patterns of use

Withdrawal Symptoms in the Golden Triangle

Drug control agencies have called the significant decline in opium production in Southeast Asia over the past decade a 'success story'. This casts serious doubts on this claim noting that Southeast Asia suffers from a variety of 'withdrawal symptoms' that leave little reason for optimism.

Withdrawal symptoms for Golden Triangle drug trade

Martin Jelsma

Tom Kramer

Opium production in the Golden Triangle has decreased significantly over the past decade. But the rapid decline has caused major suffering among former poppy-growing communities in Burma and Laos, making it difficult to characterise developments as a "success story".

Crop spraying

Drugs and Democracy

The United States is putting strong pressure on the Afghan government to officially adopt the strategy of eradicating the opium poppy through aerial spraying of the crops with the herbicide glyphosate.

Missing Targets

Drugs and Democracy

Despite efforts by the Afghan government and the international community to reduce poppy cultivation, opium production in Afghanistan has once again reached record levels in 2007.

Opium jihad

Martin Jelsma

Martin Jelsma and Tom Kramer

Per le strade dell'Afghanistan - osservando i risultati della guerra contro l'opio

Martin Jelsma

Martin Jelsma e Tom Kramer

Opiumbestrijding in Afghanistan

Martin Jelsma

Tom Kramer & Martin Jelsma