Statement from the 6th Myanmar opium farmers' forum

Opium field Flickr Alastair Rae

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Statement from the 6th Myanmar opium farmers' forum

7 June 2018

By the Transnational Insitute

Between 26 and 28 May 2018, representatives of opium farming communities in several states in Myanmar came together in Lashio, Shan State, to share experiences, concerns, and initiatives on the issue of illicit cultivation, especially in relation with supply-side policies which have affected their lives and livelihoods. A final statement was concluded at the end of the forum.

Lashio, Northern Shan State

28 May 2018

We, representatives from Kayah, Kayan, Shan, Pa-O, Lahu and Kachin opium farming communities, came together in Lashio in Shan State during 26-28 May 2018, to discuss the challenges we face in our lives, and to share experiences and find ways to solve our problems. We set up the Myanmar Opium Farmer’s Forum (MOFF) to make our voices heard in 2013, and this was our 6th annual MOFF meeting. Drug policies and laws should respect the rights of producers’ communities, and we should be involved in decision making processes that affect our lives.