Pubdate: Tue, 01 Feb 2005
Source: BBC News (UK Web)
Copyright: 2005 BBC
Contact:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/558

US WARNED OVER AFGHAN DRUG CULL

The US has been warned by some of the world's leading aid agencies that its 
plan to eradicate Afghanistan's opium fields could backfire.

In a letter to new US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, they warn that 
any "premature" act risks destabilising large parts of the country.

They call for a greater emphasis on providing rural development and 
alternative crops for opium farmers.

The UN says drug exports now account for 60% of Afghanistan's economy.

The US has strongly backed Afghan President Hamid Karzai's declared "holy 
war" against the drugs trade.

Washington announced in November it would spend $780m in an attempt to 
eradicate the country's crop, which now supplies about 75% of the world's 
opium.

But 20 non-government agencies - including Care, the International Crisis 
Group and Oxfam - have urged caution.

Mystery Crop-Spraying

They point out that many farmers depend on the crop to earn their living 
and any "premature effort" to wipe it out will play into the hands of 
government opponents.

"It's a policy that needs to be handled in a very careful, progressive 
fashion - it needs to allow for the rise of alternative livelihoods before 
you start eradicating the drugs," said Robert Templer, the Crisis Group's 
Asia programme director.

They say any short-term solution could just drive opium production 
underground or into more remote areas.

Longer-term solutions are needed, they say. This includes greater rural 
development, the provision of alternative livelihoods, access to 
infrastructure and new ways for the communities to police themselves.

The US has postponed plans to spray Afghan opium crops from the air, but 
says it will continue to destroy them on the ground.

The move came after the Afghan government reacted angrily at the mystery 
spraying of herbicide on opium crops in eastern areas in November.

Both the US and Britain denied involvement in any such activities.