TNAG-0414-FCO40-460-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 211

APPENDIX C

THE RESULT OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE OPIUM SUPPRESSION IN THE ROYAL Laos

(By Gen. Ouan Rathikoun)

Opium is considered one of the narcotics, destroying health and properties of che world. I have been following up the "opium" story since 1962 which was the time of Finance Minister General Phoumy Norsavane, who ordered me to control opium and opium addicts. I have launched a heavy campaign on opium growing, opium trading, opium trafficking and opium marketing. I can give you the figure number of opium and tell you the necessity of opium growing to the best of my knowledge.

I therefore studied hard in an effort to tackle down the opium problem, espe- cially opium growing, and can give you the details as follows:

WHY DO WE GROW OPIUM? No one knows where the opium originally came from. But some Chinese people said the Europeans had brought the opium in Asia for growing and smoking. The substantial evidence on this allegation could not be proved, it's just rumor.

The opium can grow in the hilly and mountainous area with cool climate. Consequently, the opium is stretchingly grown up along the Himalayas Range up to the Gulf of Tonkin. The countries in which the opium is available or grown are Turkey, India, Burma, Thailand, Laos, China and North Vietnam. Most of the opium is abundant in India, Burma, China and Turkey. In Laos, the opium grows in some Khouengs such as Phong Saly, Houa Khong, Louang Prabang, Samneua, Xieng Khouang, Xayabouri and a certain area east of Khoueng Kham- mouane. The 20-30 tons of opium product are harvested in Laos yearly. But its quantity is depended on the seasons. Most of the opium in foreign markets is exported from Burma, India, China and Turkey. The opium in Laos is mostly consumed locally though some is sent to Saigon, South Vietnam, for sale. Mor- phine and heroin are processed in Burma and Thailand; the Royal Laos of Kingdom does not know how to process them nor use them.

Some countries do not prohibit the people to smoke opium. So the hilltribemen can smoke. But some countries such as Thailand did not allow the people to smoke opium, Morphine and heroin are therefore processed from opium. I dare say that morphine and heroin which have been sent out for sale in Europe and the U.S. must not be from Laos because the Laotian people do not produce them for sale and do not know what drug is called heroin. Heroin should be processed from the countries which can grow a great deal of opium, such as Burma, India, Turkey, Thailand and Mainland China. There is a possibility that Red Chinese are conducting a retaliatory campaign through drugs against European and American people who firstly introduced opium in China in the olden days. We can jump into the conclusion that wherever Chinese are living, there is opium trade more or less.

NECESSITY OF GROWING OPIUM IN THE ROYAL LAOS OF KINGDOM

Geographically speaking, Laos has had opium since the ancient time because opium is one of the Laotians' trade. I'm speaking what I have known and seen when I spent over ten years with the hilltribemen conducting our guerrilla units in the mountainous area. Laos is situated along the Mekhong River, bordering Vietnam to the east. Most of the terrain in Laos are hilly and mountainous, only some parts in the central Laos are plain while northern and eastern Laos are densed jungles. The population in Laos is totally 3 million. There are 46 tribes, included big and small ones. Almost half of the population is living in the mountainous areas, in which they mainly grow rice as their staple food. Rice in the high land has never grown up by flood water but by rain. It is necessary for me to talk about how the tribesmen are living because they have to face

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