Pubdate: Fri, 12 Apr 2002
Source: Star, The (Malaysia)
Copyright: 2002 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd.
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com.my
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/922
Author: AFP
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

AFGHAN GOVERNMENT DESTROYS POPPY FIELDS

KABUL: Afghan interim authorities have begun destroying poppy fields 
despite violent protests from farmers who are about to harvest the 
heroin-producing crop, a United Nations official said on Wednesday.

UN Drug Control Programme country director Bernard Frahi said Afghan 
security forces had been mowing down the lucrative flowers in Nangarhar, 
Helmand and Uruzgan provinces.

"The destruction began on April 8 ... by the security forces of the interim 
administration and the provincial authorities," he said.

"There are many fields to be destroyed," he added, without giving an 
estimate of the total area under opium poppy cultivation.

Afghanistan was the world's biggest producer of opium, the raw ingredient 
of heroin, until the Taliban regime stopped poppy cultivation last year.

But with the collapse of the hardline Taliban in November, many farmers 
quickly reverted to growing what is easily the most lucrative crop in 
Afghanistan.

Faced with violent protests from poppy farmers who refused to destroy their 
fields, the government has reportedly raised compensation payments from 
US$250 (RM950) per 2,000 sq metres to US$350 (RM1,330).
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager