Manipur facing fallout from poppy boom in Chin state
Source: Chronicle News Service / Chingthou Keicha

Imphal, December 14 2024: The surge in opium production and poppy cultivation in Myanmar, particularly in Chin state, which shares border with Manipur's Kuki-Zo dominated Churachandpur and Chandel district, has reached a critical juncture with serious implications for neighbouring Manipur, India.

A recent report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) revealed a notable 8 per cent decline in Myanmar's overall opium production from 1,080 tons in 2023 to 995 tons in 2024 .

However, this reduction is overshadowed by a contrasting increase in cultivation in Chin state, particularly in areas bordering India, raising concerns about the interconnectedness of drug trade, regional instability, and socio-economic challenges.

Chin State, located in Myanmar's rugged terrain, is emerging as a hotspot for poppy cultivation, showing a marked increase in cultivation density near the border with Manipur's Churachandpur district.

The lack of eradication efforts in Chin State since 2021 has been identified as a key factor behind this surge.

Proximity to the infamous Golden Triangle-the tri-border region of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand- further facilitates the region's integration into the global narcotics trade.

The UNODC report underscores that Chin State now exhibits one of the highest poppy cultivation densities in Myanmar, with over six acres per square kilometre, equivalent to roughly five football fields per square kilometre.

Despite Myanmar's overall decline in opium production, Chin State reported a 13 per cent increase in output and 18 per cent increase in poppy cultivation in 2024, contrasting with the nationwide reduction.

This surge coincides with a significant expansion of poppy cultivation in neighbouring Manipur's Churachandpur district, where illicit farming has flourished despite sustained government eradication campaigns.

Farmgate prices for opium have further fuelled the dynamics of cross-border labour migration.

In Myanmar, the national average price for fresh opium in 2024 was around USD 300 (approximately INR 25,500) per kilogram, and USD 330 (approximately INR 28,000) for dry opium.

In Manipur, however, the local price for opium is significantly higher, ranging from INR 50,000 to 70,000 per kilogram, and soaring to as much as INR 1,50,000 during the off-season in 2019 .

The price may rise higher in 2024.Coupled with the current unrest in Myanmar, this stark price difference incentivises labour migration from Myanmar to Manipur, where workers, predominantly from Chin state, are employed on poppy farms in the state's hill districts.

This cross-border labour movement underscores the economic desperation in Myanmar's rural communities, compounded by poor security conditions and limited alternative livelihoods.

The lucrative returns on poppy cultivation, when compared to traditional crops like rice and vegetables, make it an attractive option for marginalised communities on both sides of the border.

Manipur has been grappling with widespread poppy cultivation in its hill districts, with a recent report by the Manipur Remote Sensing Applications Centre (MARSAC) confirming over 11,000 acres of poppy cultivation in 2023-2024 across nine districts, including Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and Ukhrul.

This marks a decline from the 16,890 acres recorded in 2022-2023 and 28,598 acres in 2021-2022, attributed to aggressive eradication drives under the state's "War on Drugs" campaign.

Since 2017, the Manipur government has destroyed over 19,000 acres of illegal poppy plantations, with Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts accounting for the largest shares.

However, these efforts have provoked social tensions, particularly among the hill tribes of these districts who rely on poppy farming as a primary source of income.

The Kuki tribes, who predominantly inhabit the hill districts, have expressed grievances over the destruction of their livelihoods due to forced eradication drives.

These efforts often coincide with harvest seasons, leaving tribal farmers in debt and unable to recover their investments.

The tensions have been exacerbated by the Meetei-majority government's stringent policies, which some critics allege disproportionately target tribal communities.

The current ethnic violence in Manipur, which erupted in May 2023, has deepened the crisis.

The conflict stems from the Meetei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, opposed by the Kuki tribes who fear a loss of their rights and autonomy.

While the immediate cause of the violence was this protest, deeper issues, including drug trafficking and the economic reliance on poppy cultivation, have fuelled the unrest.

Manipur shares a 400-kilometre porous border with Myanmar, facilitating the trafficking of opium and its derivatives, such as heroin.

Authorities have frequently seized large quantities of narcotics in the region, underscoring the transnational nature of the trade.

Churachandpur, a district severely affected by ethnic clashes, is strategically located near Chin State's high-density poppy fields, highlighting the symbiotic relationship between Myanmar's drug trade and Manipur's poppy crisis.

This illegal practice of poppy cultivation proliferates into Kangpokpi district, overtaking Churachandpur in terms of area of cultivation.

The interconnectedness of poppy cultivation, drug trafficking, and insurgency further complicates the situation.

Reports suggest that Myanmar-based insurgents operating in Chin State have ties with poppy planters in Manipur, sharing trafficking routes and profits.

Disruptions in Manipur's poppy trade inevitably impact Chin State, where the economy is heavily reliant on the illicit drug industry.

The Meetei community alleged that the influx of labourers from Chin State is tied to illegal immigration and the involvement of Kuki-Chin insurgents in poppy cultivation.

These claims, however, are strongly refuted by Kuki groups, who argue that the narrative of illegal immigrants is a political ploy to justify crackdowns on their community.

The economic allure of poppy cultivation continues to trap vulnerable communities in a cycle of dependence.

A study by Prof Ngamjahao Kipgen of IIT Guwahati revealed that one hectare of land can yield 5-7 kilograms of opium, offering a significantly higher return than traditional farming.

For many impoverished families, the profits from poppy farming represent their only means of survival.

However, the high costs of cultivation and the risks of eradication campaigns leave farmers in precarious financial positions.

Forced eradication not only strips these communities of their income but also drives up farmgate prices, creating stronger incentives for continued cultivation.

This vicious cycle perpetuates the narcotics trade while fostering resentment and social unrest, the study reported.

The conversion of opium to heroin depends on several factors: the morphine content of the opium, the efficiency of extracting morphine and converting it to heroin, and the purity of the final product.

However, the UNODC states these aspects are not well-re-searched in the Myanmar context.

Meanwhile, opium yields from Manipur are considered richer and command higher prices in the international market, according to an anti-narcotics officer who served in Moreh until May, leaving amid escalating violence.

The officer noted that various power groups aim to control the lucrative poppy trade.

The Meetei community alleges that the migration of Kuki-Chin labourers from Myanmar to work in Manipur's poppy farms has surged over the past two decades, claiming this influx is linked to the current unrest.

They accuse Kuki-Chin insurgents, who signed the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the government, of violating territorial integrity by demanding a separate administration.

Kuki groups, however, dismiss these allegations, calling them baseless and politically motivated.

Intelligence sources suggest links between Myanmar-based insurgents and Manipur's poppy farmers, who share trafficking routes, though official confirmation remains elusive.

Dr Nemthian Guite of JNU earlier asserted that drug trafficking has long been pervasive across communities in Manipur, with tribal farmers often scapegoated for systemic issues.

Addressing the intertwined issues of poppy cultivation, ethnic violence, and drug trafficking in Manipur and Chin State requires a multifaceted approach.

Enhanced border security, stricter monitoring of trafficking networks, and targeted development programs are essential to provide alternative livelihoods for marginalised communities.

The rise in poppy cultivation in Myanmar's Chin State and its spill over into Manipur underscores the urgent need for coordinated efforts at the local, national, and international levels to address the root causes of this complex issue.

Without sustainable solutions, the intertwined challenges of narcotics, economic disparity, and social tensions will continue to undermine stability in the region.

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