Government restrictions pose difficulty for MNLA anti-drug activities, says MNLA leader

July 22, 2015

On 18 July, 2015, a group from the Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA), the New Mon State Party’s (NMSP’S) armed wing, arrested two drug dealers as they travelled through Sakhan Gyi Village, Thanbyuzayat Township, located in Mon State. Nai Cheain Kakao, an MNLA leader who coordinated the operation, spoke to HURFOM about the arrests. He also discussed worries that government restrictions on armed groups’ movements preclude hopes for success of the MNLA’s campaign to eradicate drug use in Mon regions.

According to Nai Cheain Kakao, the MNLA’s recent arrests were carried out as drug dealers Zaw Moe and Thiha, both aged 20 and from Karoppi Village (of Thanbyuzayat Township), returned from a trip to Sanpya Village, just east of Sakhan Gyi. The MNLA had been aware of these dealers for a long time, having been informed that the two men had been selling drugs to village youths and boatmen in Karoppi Village’s port. In this instance, the drug dealers had gone to Sanpya village to buy fresh supplies of drugs. With the help of local informants, the drug dealers were apprehended by the MNLA in Sakhan Gyi, as they travelled back to Karoppi.

Nai Cheain Kakao explained, “It was 7pm. We have informants in that village. After [the informants] told us [about the drug dealers], we stopped their motorbike on their way back. But, because it was dark, we could not find the drugs. We brought them back to the NMSP’s administrative office in Zee Hna-Pin Village and detained them”.

The next morning, Nai Cheain Kakao’s group tried looking for drugs inside the arrested drug dealers’ motorbike. Eventually, the MNLA found drugs hidden inside the motorbike’s front light. 49 pills remained from a 50-pill pack. The MNLA reported the dealers to the district authorities immediately.

While the MNLA made successful arrests in this case, Nai Cheain Kakao discussed how the success of the MNLA’s anti-drug campaign is limited by the Burmese government’s restrictions on armed groups’ movements and activities. In particular, MNLA soldiers are unable to wear their full uniform, including arms, in areas outside the NMSP’s control; instead, they must dress as unarmed civilians if they wish to travel in government-controlled regions. This is considered to pose a grave danger to their safety should they attempt to arrest drug dealers.

“Our group cannot make many arrests in the city because we cannot bear arms or wear our uniform there’, said Nai Cheain Kakao. ‘We don’t know if the drug dealers and users have guns or not. When we go to arrest them, we might get into trouble if we [aren’t armed]’.

Nai Cheain Kakao detailed that the MNLA faces similar problems in villages outside NMSP territory. He continued, “There are many people who sell and buy drugs in Sanpya Village. If we had permission to make arrests there in our full uniform [and bearing arms], then at least, if a shooting happened, if they shot we could shoot too”.

Nai Cheain Kakao explained that in his opinion such restrictions on the MNLA hinder effective responses to regional drug problems, especially given a lack of action from government authorities. He concluded, “The government restricts us from going here and there, but they don’t take action against drugs. It is like they are allowing free drug use. Restricting our travel won’t help to resolve the drug problem in Mon and Karen areas”.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News