Myanmar: The yaba-monger neighbor | http://www.ourtimebd.com/beta/2018/06/10/myanmar-the-yaba-monge...

Monday, 11 June 2018

Myanmar: The yaba-monger neighbor

OurtimeBD.com
10.06.2018

Sarwar J. Minar, Senior Officer, International Programs and Relations, IUB

: After causing awful atrocities against the Rohingya people, another identity of
Myanmar is gradually unfolding. It is a massive yaba producer and supplier; it has
been smuggling yaba to its neighboring countries for a long period of time.
Yaba (also known as energy pill, crazy pill, horse medicine etc.) is a small tablet that
contains methamphetamine (also known as crystal meth) and caffeine. Yaba gives a
false sense of extra energy, confidence, and happiness etc. However, it gradually
destroys the abuser’s life, both psychologically and physically. Once taken, the
abusers feel compulsion to continue intaking it.
Though the history of narcotics in this region can be traced back to the colonial era,
yaba as a narcotic drug is essentially the discovery of Myanmar. It is found that in
the early 1990s when the usage of opium and heroin declined, Myanmar
discovered yaba and filled up the narcotic-drug vacuum. Since then Myanmar has
been smuggling yaba to its neighboring countries. Cheap production cost, easier production method, and easier to
smuggle made it possible. Though Thailand is considered as one of the largest distributors, Myanmar is considered to
be the biggest producer and distributor of yaba. However, there is record of methamphetamine-pill use during the World
War II. Nazi force used a pill named Pervitin to enhance soldier’s belligerence and perseverance in the war.
Shan state of Myanmar is home to numerous known yaba production factories and about dozens of types of yaba are
produced in those factories. The designated smugglers collect these and deliver to the drug dealers of different
countries. The production rate and quantity of smuggled yaba has increased at an alarming rate and this made it
pervasive and more readily available in the neighboring countries.
Thailand has been one of the biggest yaba (yama) markets as well as a smuggling route to other countries for
Myanmar. Interestingly, the very word yaba came from Thai language. Around the 70s yaba started gaining popularity in
Thailand and the Thai government banned yaba, but it still persists. Due to surge of yaba supply, the Thai government
took stern steps several times since the 80s. Steps taken in 2003 resulted in the death of 2,500 yaba dealers, but the
problem remained unsolved. While the yaba market in Thailand started shrinking since 2003, new yaba-markets in
other countries were sought. Thus, the yaba dealers gradually started smuggling yaba in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia,
Malaysia, Bangladesh, India etc.
The experience of Bangladesh to tackle yaba smuggling has been very difficult. When Bangladeshi law enforcing
agencies caught yaba being smuggled, the government reached out Myanmar for solution. Though Myanmar agreed to
take action and fight against yaba smuggling along with Bangladesh several times, especially in 2011, 2015, and 2017,
nothing fruitful happened; reversely, the amount of smuggled yaba went up from thousands to millions.
State sponsored or not, various militia groups operated factories or not, such a huge business cannot operate without
the acknowledgement, security, and cooperation of the law enforcement agencies and especially without the
involvement of influential people who are integral part of the ruling authority and/or military junta in Myanmar.
All the countries around Myanmar have become yaba-victim nations. Till date, all the countries have been taking
initiatives to fight drug-crime in own countries which turned out to be futile. Therefore, all the countries around Myanmar
should come together to take action so that Myanmar stop production of this harmful narcotic-drug. Bangladesh may
take the initiative to bring all the countries together. Yaba threatens people, society, progress, wellbeing of the people
and causes significant national loss of all the countries. If necessary, the countries should find ways to force Myanmar
to take immediate steps. As Myanmar has been a member of Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) since
1997, it may be a good mechanism. Yaba defeats ASEAN’s goals – decelerates social progress and harms economic
development of the member countries. The countries should also investigate how a meaningful legal action can be
taken through international arrangements (e.g., UN Convention of Transnational Organized Crime, International Court
of Justice etc.).
The countries along with regional and global powers may also think about establishing a multilateral platform and
dialogue (i.e., Myanmar inclusive) regarding how to stop this yaba menace.
In this 21st century globalized world, while the global community is championing human rights, economic development,
well-being, extraordinary scientific and technological achievements, ways to healthier and better life, we hope that
Myanmar will soon come forward with concrete steps to solve the yaba problem in meaningful ways.

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Myanmar: The yaba-monger neighbor | http://www.ourtimebd.com/beta/2018/06/10/myanmar-the-yaba-monge...

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