Detained poppy growers to be recruited into Chin resistance force

The People’s Defence Force (PDF) Zoland, a Chin resistance group that captured more than 200 poppy farmers in northern Chin State’s Tedim Township earlier this month, says it intends to train most of them as new recruits. The farmers, who were working as day labourers in poppy fields around Laythar Hill (Kennedy Peak) in Tedim Township, were arrested on February 5 as part of efforts to curb poppy cultivation, the group said. Nearly two dozen detainees, including two pregnant women, have recently been released after receiving four cane strokes, a local resident told Myanmar Now. More than 190 men are still being held, including displaced people from conflict-affected villages in Tedim Township and neighbouring Kale Township in Sagaing Region. In a statement released on February 8, the Zomi Federal Union (ZFU)—the political wing of PDF Zoland—stated that detainees between the ages of 18 and 35 who are not household heads, only sons, or physically or mentally ill would be required to undergo military training. Others with family members already in the resistance will also be exempted. The ZFU is a member of the Chin Brotherhood, a coalition of Chin resistance forces established in the wake of the military coup in February 2021, and maintains close ties with the Arakan Army. A PDF Zoland spokesperson declined to comment on the group’s recruitment policies and reports that some of the detainees had been beaten, but said that it was serious about tackling poppy cultivation. He added that PDF Zoland had also cleared over 20 acres of poppy fields in Tedim Township in October 2024. Bruises seen on the back of the legs of a released poppy farmer who was allegedly beaten while in PDF Zoland custody (Photo: Supplied) “PDF Zoland will take gradual steps to tackle and eliminate the poppy fields,” the spokesperson said, adding that the fields where the workers were arrested in the latest action had been left intact. Five years after the launch of the armed resistance movement in Myanmar, many groups are struggling to find new recruits. Some are now competing with others to replenish their ranks, as they continue to lose troops in combat or through desertion. Residents of Tedim Township told Myanmar Now they were not happy with the arrest and forcible recruitment of the poppy farmers, saying it was unclear what purpose it was meant to serve. “Is their goal to destroy poppy fields or just recruit new soldiers? From my perspective, this appears to be an ambush serving their own interests under a vague policy,” a local man complained. Another resident of the area argued that the arrests were unlikely to make a dent in poppy cultivation, which according to a report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in December 2025 had increased by 26 percent in Chin State compared with the previous year. The state now has more than 2,500 acres (1,040 hectares) of poppy fields, the report said. “These arrests and poppy reduction efforts are misguided. Considering Chin State’s current social, economic, and livelihood conditions, this approach is simply not practical,” the local said. Another local man remarked that eliminating poppy cultivation is not a short-term challenge but a problem that will take years of persistent effort to resolve. PDF Zoland clear poppy fields in Tedim Township, Chin State, in October 2024 (Photo: PDF Zoland) “Eradicating poppy cultivation won’t be easy and could take up to a decade. Recruiting workers is also inappropriate, as it amounts to forced conscription,” he added. Residents stated that while poppy cultivation had previously been limited to areas near Tonzang in northern Chin State, the fields have expanded as far as the Laythar Hill range since the coup. They say that poppy cultivation offers quick profits amid ongoing conflict and rising commodity prices. What was once hidden in forests and mountains has seen a sharp increase in production since 2023. In recent years, local resistance forces have attempted to stop the spread of poppy fields, but some have acknowledged that they are unable to provide alternative sources of income. “Amid ongoing fighting, it is difficult for us to plan and implement activities. We cannot replace poppy fields with other crops after destroying them, and we neither tax nor promote poppy cultivation,” said the spokesperson for the Civic Defence Militia- Siyin, a Chin resistance force operating in Tedim Township. The spokesperson added that efforts to reduce poppy cultivation are being carried out gradually through consultations and public education among local residents. Elsewhere in the country, other resistance forces are facing similar challenges. Last month, the People’s Revolution Alliance Magway announced that it had cleared nearly 30 acres of poppy fields during a two-day operation in resistance-controlled areas of southern Ngape Township in Magway Region, and on February 9, the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force destroyed poppy fields in Kaarenni (Kayah) State’s Demoso Township. Nationwide, the amount of land used to grow opium poppies has risen by nearly 17 percent from last year, marking a 10-year high, according to the UNODC report.

Detained poppy growers to be recruited into Chin resistance force

Most of the 200 farmers arrested by the PDF Zoland earlier this month are to be given military training, the group said

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