In Shanland: Poppies and Oppression

by Antonio Garceffo
At the last outpost. On the frontlines of the war in Burma, Antonio Gracefo, shows us a Burmese government Opium production facility and a village of Shan people, enslaved, living under threat of death, forced to grow poppies. Follow Antonios camera lens as it peeks into an outpost of the Burmese army (SPDC) as well as outposts of the United Wa State Army (UWSA) a proxy force supporting the Burmese governments opium trafficking. Around the Shan State Army (SSA) headquarters of Loi Tailang Antonio takes us on a tour from the defensive fighting trench system to the clinic and orphan dormitories where volunteer medics render much needed medical aid. Soldiers train in hand-to-hand combat alongside children who were born into war and have never known a safety of a life without the constant threat of death.
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Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• SSA
• brooklyn
• monk
• brooklynmonk
• Antonio
• Graceffo
• shan
• state
• army
• tai
• burma
• Burmese
• refugee
• displaced
• war
• thai
• Thailand
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• junta
• rebel

[KhmerSerey1]

Back in CAMBODIA in the early 80's,my entire extended family used marijuana in our cooking.We used it like any other herbs.We chopped,dice,slice it like celantro.Marijuana grew in our back yard.I never even knew there's a money to be made or if there's a huge demand for it in America.We have Marijuana in our yard but not poppy.

[brooklynmonk1]

@KhmerSerey1 what is your point? and what does this have to do with the accusations you made on me, saying that i was looking for opium or pleasure in shan state?

[KhmerSerey1]

Mr.Antonio Garceffo,you're a long way from little Italy.What business do you have in the Shan state ?? are you there for the pleasures or the opium ??

[brooklynmonk1]

@KhmerSerey1 That's a pretty stupid question. I am clearly there to make documentary films and tell the world about this war and the people who need help. I am a journalist. was that not apparent from the video? also i don't use drugs or drink alcohol. and there isnt a lot of pleasure in the war in Burma.

[brooklynmonk1]

@brooklynmonk1 yes i agree with you that Shan State is very far from Little Italy, about 5,000 miles. what was your point? did you not know that? or did you think I didn't realize that fact? or were you implying I have no right to travel?

[Popsicle22754]

how hard was it for you to get into Shan state from Thialand

[KhmerSerey1]

It wasn't an accusation mate,it was a question.

[brooklynmonk1]

there is not and never has beenm a Shan United Army. so your information is not only dated but completely wrong. if you meant the Mong Thai Army , General khun Sa, yes, he made opium and controlled drugs trade but none of the money went to the people. he used the money to fuel his rebellion against SPDC (on the surface), but was probably complisent with SPDC. the junta is the government in control of all of all of burma. the wa only work for them.

[m4ps]

My apologies if I've insulted you. Perhaps my knowledge of Burma is dated, but the areas you're talking about were a lot different under the Shan United Army. When I said lack of government power, I meant a government of the people in control of all of Burma - not the Wa leaders or the Junta.

[brooklynmonk1]

i am antonio, the narrator. how much time did you spend in the war in burma? i am not wrong. the government forces the people at gun point to grow opium and the people dont earna single penny from what they grow so they are not motivated by profit. there is no lack of government power here. the people are living in a police state, watched and threatened every minute of every day by the burmese government and proxy armies.