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suppress opium in that country because there is much opium in the Shan State. There is also much opium in the areas that cannot be controlled by the Burmese Government, particularly in the areas on the path leading to Lipa. There is also much opium in areas bordering China that cannot be controlled by the Burmese Government.
"In order to suppress the trafficking of opium from Burma to Laos and the trafficking of it in Laos, I propose that the Government ask the U.S. Government for money. I do not think that we need for U.S. $1 million for suppressing the opium trade.
"In fact, opium traders have together invested their funds and established their companies and hired managers to run their businesses. If the Government suppresses the companies, the traders will break up their partnerships and run other businesses and the opium trafficking will no longer exist. I want the Government to purchase the opium that the traders have on hand to be destroyed or used for medicinal purposes. These purchases would be on condition that the traders did not continue to trade in opium. I understand that the traders will be glad to stop trading in opium because they will be safe.
"Many people who cultivated the opium poppy in the six northern provinces had moved to live in areas controlled by the Government. Only those who live in the Neo Lao Hak Sat (NLHS)-controlled areas in Phongsaly, Muong Sai, Nam Tha and Muong Houn continue to cultivate the opium poppy. The Govern- ment should take this opportunity to ask the United States Government to pro- vide it with equipment for clearing the lands and divide the land among those hill tribesmen as suggested by my booklet attached herewith."
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