DATE=5/18/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43426
TITLE=PAKISTAN OPIUM
BYLINE=SCOTT ANGER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

INTRO:  THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS PAKISTAN'S EFFORTS TO REDUCE 
OPIUM POPPY CULTIVATION IS THE BIGGEST SUCCESS IN NARCOTICS 
CONTROL IN A DECADE.   SUBSTITUTION CROPS AND OTHER INCENTIVES 
HAVE BEEN USED TO CONVINCE MOST FARMERS TO STOP GROWING THE 
ILLEGAL PLANT.  BUT SOME SAY THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT DOING ENOUGH, 
AND PLEDGE TO CONTINUE GROWING OPIUM POPPIES -- JUST AS THEY HAVE
DONE FOR MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS.  V-O-A ISLAMABAD 
CORRESPONDENT SCOTT ANGER TRAVELED TO THE NORTH-WEST FRONTIER 
PROVINCE AND HAS THIS REPORT.  

                  ///AMBIENT SOUND OF ROAD///  

TEXT:  THE PAVEMENT ENDS JUST A FEW KILOMETERS UP THE VALLEY 
WHERE THE ROAD DECLINES INTO TWO WORN TRACKS HUGGING THE 
MOUNTAIN-SIDE.  

FARMERS HERE IN DIR DISTRICT, IN PAKISTAN'S RUGGED NORTH-WEST 
FRONTIER PROVINCE, SAY THEY NEED MORE DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT IF 
THE GOVERNMENT WANTS THEM TO STOP GROWING OPIUM POPPIES.  THEY 
SAY WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN IS NOT EVEN ENOUGH TO FINISH PAVING
THE ROAD LEADING INTO THE VALLEY.  

                 ///AMBIENT SOUND OF FIELD///  

A FARMER, WHO DOES NOT WANT TO BE NAMED, WALKS THROUGH A 
WAIST-HIGH WHEAT FIELD TO A HIDDEN PLOT OF YOUNG OPIUM PLANTS, 
WHICH HE SAYS HE IS GROWING BECAUSE THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT HAS 
NOT FULFILLED ITS PROMISES.  

  ///FARMER ACT IN PASHTO, FADE UNDER ENGLISH TRANSLATION///  

 THE GOVERNMENT PROMISED SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS AND ROADS BUT NOTHING
IS BEING DONE. HAVE YOU SEEN DEVELOPMENT HERE? THE GOVERNMENT IS 
ASKING US TO GROW WHEAT, BUT THAT HARDLY FULFILLS THE NEEDS OF MY
OWN FAMILY.  BUT IF I GROW OPIUM HERE, THAT WILL PRODUCE 3 
KILOGRAMS AND EACH KILOGRAM WILL GIVE ME (NEARLY 200 DOLLARS).  
IT IS OUR MAIN LIVELIHOOD.  HOW CAN WE GIVE IT UP IF WE ARE NOT 
PROVIDED A SUBSTITUTE?  

                         ///END ACT///  

BUT THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS IT IS PROVIDING THE INCENTIVES NEEDED
TO STEM OPIUM PRODUCTION.  AS A RESULT, PRODUCTION HAS FALLEN 
FROM 800 METRIC TONS 20 YEARS AGO TO ABOUT FIVE TONS TODAY.  

THE WORLD BODY SAYS IT HAS SPENT OVER 34-MILLION DOLLARS ON 
PROJECTS IN DIR DISTRICT IN THE LAST 15 YEARS -- BUILDING ROADS, 
DRINKING WATER PROJECTS AND HELPING FARMERS PLANT NEW CROPS.  

BERNARD FRAHI IS THE U-N'S DRUG CONTROL PROGRAM REPRESENTATIVE IN
PAKISTAN.  HE SAYS PAKISTAN IS A WORLD SUCCESS STORY AND THE WORK
THE UNITED NATIONS HAS DONE IS BENEFITING EVERYONE IN THE 
DISTRICT -- INCLUDING FARMERS WHO DO NOT GROW ILLEGAL CROPS.  

                        ///FRAHI ACT///  

 THE PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS, EVEN AFTER 15 YEARS, COMPLAIN.  HOWEVER,
THEY WILL HAVE A NEW ELECTRIFICATION SYSTEM, THEY WILL HAVE A BIG
INFRASTRUCTURE PUT IN PLACE THAT BENEFITS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY 
AND ITS ENTIRE POPULATION.  THE IMPORTANT POINT TO BE CONSIDERED 
IS THAT DIR IS NOT OCCUPIED ONLY BY OPIUM GROWERS.  MOST OF THE 
POPULATION IS NON-OPIUM GROWERS.  

                         ///END ACT///  

OPIUM FARMERS SAY THEY WILL STOP GROWING THE ILLEGAL CROP, ONLY 
IF THE GOVERNMENT FULFILLS ITS PROMISES.  

THE GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN IS CONFIDENT IT WILL COMPLETELY 
ERADICATE POPPY CULTIVATION WITHIN ITS BORDERS BY THE YEAR 2001 
-- BY USING CROP SUBSTITUTIONS AND OTHER INCENTIVES. (SIGNED)   

NEB/SA/PLM

18-May-99 7:03 AM EDT (1103 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.