Taliban and the Opium Trade

Illegal narcotics was one of the most serious social problems we are facing as a Nation. In U.S. legal context, narcotic refers to opium, opium derivatives, and their semi-synthetic or fully synthetic substitutes "as well as cocaine and coca leaves." Opium released by lacerating the immature seed pods of opium poppies. As we knows, Afghanistan remains world's biggest opium producer. Opium production in Afghanistan has been a significant problem (or a significant business) for Afghanistan, especially since the downfall of the Taliban in 2001.

Afghanistan's role as the world's largest opium producer is well documented. In Soviet period (1979 - 1989), warlords flourished and with it opium production as regional commanders searched for ways to generate money to purchase weapons. Then, in Warlord period (1989 - 1994), several warlords started fighting against each other for power. They resorted ever more to poppy cultivation to finance their military existence. While, in Taliban period (1994 - 2001), the Taliban instituted a strict Islamist policy against the opium trade during the final years of their regime. But, Afghanistan occupation turned Taliban from opponents to supporters of the opium trade. Opium growing soared as soon as the Taliban fell, rising to 74,000 hectares in 2002. The majority of Afghan opium production had taken place in Taliban controlled territory, such as in Helmand and Kandahar. The Taliban, which controls 96 percent of the territory where poppy is grown, promoted poppy cultivation to finance weapons purchases as well as military operations. From Afghanistan, opium is transported to Pakistan, the former Soviet republics of Central Asia and Iran, and from there to the rest of the world. A Taliban imposed tax rate of 10% on poppy cultivation is widely cited together with varying rates for sporadic taxation of processing and transportation. Today, under predominantly Taliban rule in several province, international terrorists and drug traffickers have been able to operate with impunity in Southeast Afghanistan.

The Taliban has declared that the trade of opium "halal," or permitted by Islamic law. They also said that opium is permissible because it is consumed by kafirs (unbelievers) in the West and not by Muslims or Afghans. But, in fact, more and more people in Afghanistan are using opium as a painkiller due to a severe lack of medical supplies in the country. Then, if their babies cry, they feed them opium, just to make them calm and quiet. In combination with poor hygiene, opium abuse and the weakening of the immune system that comes with such abuse, the effects are devastating. opium addiction also aggravates the poverty of Afghan people.

The Afghan government must creating alternative livelihoods, developing a nationwide information campaign against illegal poppy cultivation and getting the cooperation of the ministries of defense, interior, judiciary, as well as law enforcement and religious leaders. Today, the Afghan government, backed by Britain, which has taken the lead in the anti-narcotics campaign along with the United States and other countries is determined to implement the Counter Narcotics Implementation Plan.