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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: maceng2 who wrote (38650)	8/19/2002 12:57:42 PM
From: maceng2	Respond to of 281500

Poppy production soars in Afghanistan The Taleban took a stand against opium in 2000 United Nations drug officials say the new Afghan Government has largely failed in its efforts to eradicate the opium poppy crop. A UN spokesman, Hector Maletta, said a government campaign, launched in April, had had a very limited impact. The announcement confirms reports earlier this year that hardly any opium poppies had been destroyed despite government assurances. Now the UN estimates that more than $1bn worth of the crop is now being produced in farms in the country. The UN says production levels are now close to those of the late 1990s before the Taleban banned poppy cultivation entirely. In those days Afghanistan was the world's largest producer of opium, supplying 70% of the world's supply. Ineffectual ban Opium poppies provide a quick cash crop for farmers who are often struggling to survive. The Taleban banned poppy cultivation in 2000. amd the UN and US drug agencies say that this meant an almost total halt to opium growing in the 2001 season. The compensation offered to farmers is far smaller than opium profits It was the US-led war that ousted the Taleban last year, that prompted Afghan farmers to plant the opium poppy again over tens of thousands of hectares. The interim government of President Hamiz Karzai banned the production in January this year but, according to the UN report, most of this year's opium crop had been already planted by then. Three months later, the authorities announced an eradication programme. The government said the farmers would be paid compensation of $1,250 per hectare for destroying their crops. But the UN says this was only a fraction of the estimated $16,000 per hectare of gross income which a farmer can earn. Wheat affected The UN report says that 90,000 hectares of poppy were planted this year, and 60,000 to 70,000 hectares will have been harvested by the end of the year. The move back into poppy production has also reduced the area of irrigated wheat by about 10%. Recently Mr Karzai repeated his government's committment to eradicating the drug crop. But the UN specialists are not so optimistic - they are predicting an even larger crop next year. "The returns and employment opportunities are high and the risks are seen to be low given the large numbers of farmers involved and the perceived improbability of prosecutions," concluded the report. news.bbc.co.uk

To: maceng2 who wrote (38650)	8/20/2002 11:01:47 AM
From: maceng2	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

Russia outraged by Chechnya crash The Mi-26 is one of the world's largest helicopters The Russian military has come under heavy criticism over a helicopter crash in Chechnya on Monday in which 105 people are reported to have died and 33 people were injured. President Putin described the incident as a "catastrophe" A Russian investigation team which has arrived at the scene of the crash near the Chechen capital, Grozny, says it is open-minded about the causes of the crash. But there is public scepticism about the authorities' handling of the incident, and a consensus is growing that the huge Mi-26 was shot down by a rebel missile. Russian television is reporting that the commander of Russian ground forces aviation, Colonel Vitaly Pavlov, has been suspended until the investigation is completed. Russian newspapers have voiced anger at apparent attempts by the authorities to conceal events surrounding the crash - the seventh of its kind in recent months - and have accused the military of gross negligence. The reports suggest this may be the biggest single loss the Russian army has suffered in the three-year Chechen war. Rocket attack The inquiry team is investigating two theories - that the helicopter was brought down by a missile, or that it crashed due to a technical function. Helicopter crashes in Chechnya Feb 2002 - Eight killed Jan 2002 - 14 senior Russian officials killed Sept 2001 - 10 passengers and three crew killed Aug 2001 - two killed July 2001 - nine troops killed Feb 2000 - 15 killed Chechen rebels are maintaining that they shot the helicopter down. The separatist news agency Kavkaz Centre described the crash as the "greatest act of sabotage by Chechen fighters in two years". And more and more witness reports are emerging to support their claim. Prior to crash-landing metres away from the Khankala army base, the pilot reported a loud bang in the right engine and a fire. Officers at the base where the helicopter was headed have said they saw a small rocket following the helicopter. Local residents have made similar claims. The pilots of a smaller helicopter, which was following the Mi-26, also say they saw rocket traces going towards the larger aircraft. And survivors have also spoken of a missile hit. But the BBC's Nikolai Gorshkov in Moscow says the Russian military command is reluctant to accept this theory, because it will mean a major embarrassment for the generals who have long claimed that the rebels were all but crushed. Media anger Our correspondent says the military's handling of the crash is reminiscent of its response to the Kursk nuclear submarine disaster two years ago. And there has been similar media criticism of the armed forces, voicing anger at an apparent cover-up attempt. The Izvestiya newspaper says the military are "as usual" trying to conceal the number of dead and wounded. And Vremya Novostey says if rebel action is found to have brought down the helicopter, it will lead to "organisational conclusions about the military command". There has also been strong criticism of the frequent overloading of the helicopters, beyond the proper 85-passenger capacity. "The Mi-26 often flies to Khankala with 100-110 people on board, plus a huge amount of cargo, including cheap Ossetian vodka," writes Kommersant. Other commentators have pointed out that the Mi-26, a huge and slow-flying machine, nicknamed "the cow", is an ideal target for the rebels. The crash follows a surge in rebel action, including attacks late last week which killed nine servicemen and five civilians. The war in Chechnya has been going on for nearly three years, but the Russian Government maintains that only isolated groups of rebels are holding out against federal forces. news.bbc.co.uk