NAMUNC VI
UN General Assembly
(SPECPOL)
The Afghan Drug Trade
Afghanistan’s top export
is opium poppies and heroin, providing 52% of the country’s 5.2 billion
dollar Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Afghanistan is, in fact, the world’s
largest producer of opium, providing 72% of the global supply in 2000, and
also a leading supplier of heroin, a more refined and stronger form of the
already dangerous narcotic. Based in Helmand Province, the Afghani drug
trade spreads to more than 30% of the country’s farmers and funds the
Taliban, hold the nation in a continuous cycle of violence and criminality.
Production has only increased, going up by 44% from 2006 to 2007 and overall
showing a 150% increase since 2001.
SOME HISTORY
The Taliban have a long
history with Afghanistan’s drug trade, having lifted Islamic (Sharia Law)
ban on drugs for the growing of poppies as long as the drugs were for use by
Americans and other foreigners. In 2000, the Taliban banned the growing of
poppies, but rather than a concession to the UN for recognition it proved a
profitable move with the 10% tax applying to suddenly much higher prices,
driven up by the restricted supply. The Taliban also sold from their
stockpiles at these higher prices, profiting greatly from control of the
government in a corrupt country. Ironically, the drug trade has exploded
since the toppling of the Taliban and the occupation by US and NATO forces.
CURRENT PROBLEMS
One problem with the
increased supply of heroin is the higher level of purity, which can lead to
an increase in deaths due to overdose as well as a surge of HIV/AIDS in user
populations. Yet preventing the drug trade in Afghanistan will mean many
hurdles because opium production has many advantages in Afghanistan. Of
course the socio-economic situation in the country is a primary concern.
Poor farmers grow the valuable poppies, which travel along a well-developed
black market infrastructure such as does not exist for other exports. Opium
is also drought-resistant, a huge benefit with an arid country and little
reliable electricity for irrigation. Opium is cheap to grow, requiring
little initial investment, and Afghani raw poppies actually produce about
40% more refined opium than the flowers do in other regions such as
Southeast Asia. Other crops such as pomegranates and other fruit could be
just as valuable at market, but getting produce to markets in the area and
overseas with the current level of destroyed infrastructure is near
impossible. A recent UN survey indicated that farmers would be happy to
grow something other than poppies, but most do not have the means to make
that switch and while supporting their families.
A few of the NATO
countries with forces in Afghanistan have internal conflicts over whether
their militaries should be responsible for a war on drugs in a foreign
land. Some critics now fear that President Karzai may even be protecting
drug lords, with his friends profiting even more from the drug trade than
his Taliban enemies. Stopping the drug trade in Afghanistan is not just a
political and military issue, convincing local governments and implementing
a solution in unstable regions, but also an economic question. Some favor
aerial eradication, but others believe that is too drastic a measure and
might alienate too many Afghanis and ruin the livelihoods of so many
farmers. Others back less dramatic efforts against Afghanistan’s poppy
fields such as subsidies for farmers who grow agricultural products rather
than opium poppies. Whatever path is taken, it is clear that Afghanistan
cannot shrug off the insurgency and reach stability while drug production is
such a massive problem in the country.
Some
Useful Sources to Begin Your Research:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1691091,00.html
http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/research/afghanistan/2001/crs_taliban_and_the_drug_trade.htm
http://www.kabulpress.org/my/spip.php?article2728
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7523285.stm
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2008/07/2008724234833723652.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7201085.stm
http://www.voanews.com/uspolicy/2008-02-08-voa8.cfm
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/10/07/europe/letter.php
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/29/narcotics.report/
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1828750,00.html
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1823753,00.html
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1725548,00.html
