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AFGHANISTAN DAILY DIGEST
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From: Ina Iankulova (iiankulova@sorosny.org)
Date: Tue Apr 22 2003 - 13:34:21 EDT
OPIUM CULTIVATION CONTINUES IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN
Baghlan Province Deputy Governor Gholam Sakhi said that opium-poppy cultivation continues to take place in the province's districts of Qaysar, Tala wa Barfak, Dahana-ye Ghuri and Doshi, Kabul weekly "Sirat" reported on 19 April. Gholam Sakhi criticized the Afghan Transitional Administration for not disarming the "irresponsible gunmen" who support the poppy cultivation, according to the report. Baghlan Province Agriculture Department head Abdul Ghani Ehsas agreed with the deputy governor, adding that the situation is as bad in neighboring Konduz and Samangan provinces, "Sirat" reported. Despite a ban by Karzai on opium-poppy cultivation, Afghanistan produced 3,400 tons of opium in 2002 compared to 185 tons produced in 2001, according to a 3 February report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (see "RFE/RL Afghanistan Report," 20 February 2003). AT
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