A female patrol team on the China-Myanmar border has transformed their hometown from a drug-plagued village into a tourist attraction in the past 13 years.
Ka'nan Village — a border village mainly inhabited by Jingpo people, from one of China's 55 non-Han ethnic minorities, in Ruili City of southwest China's Yunnan Province — used to suffer from drugs. According to villagers, taking drugs was a "fresh fashion" for young villagers 13 years ago.
"At the time, Ka'nan Village was notorious for drug addicts and weak security. Anything of value, even an axe, would be stolen and sold to buy narcotics," recalled Pai Nanxiang, head of the female patrol team. As a result, all households were reduced to dire poverty in the village full of adobe (sun-dried mud brick) houses.
Fortunately, everything is getting better thanks to the female patrol team.
One afternoon 13 years ago, six female villagers were venting their frustrations while working on a farm when they came up with an idea of rising up against traffickers to make a change.
"We sought support from the local police and asked them to help us fight against drugs," said Pai. With the help of the local police, the six women formed a patrol team, declaring a war on the illegal activities.
"Headed by police officers, we patrolled the village every day. Upon seeing suspicious-looking strangers, we went to cross-examine them and stopped them from entering," said Pai.
At the time, the village had more than 20 drug addicts, with most being robust laborers supporting their families. In addition to cutting off drug supplies, female patrollers also tried hard to help and persuade existing addicts to go clean.
To date, the female patrol team has grown to 16 members, mainly taking responsibility for cracking down on drug use and trade. Thanks to their painstaking efforts, Ka'nan Village has taken on a new look.
Former unsurfaced roads have been paved with asphalt, former adobe houses were replaced with brick buildings, and anti-drug promotion boards have been erected under each street lamp.
"Those who have completely gotten rid of drugs have lived better-off lives," said Pai.
Today's Ka'nan Village has bidden farewell to drugs and thus the female patrol team has shifted their work to focus on economic development. "We plan to establish a Jingpo culture research institute in the village," Pai added.
As Ka'nan Village sits in the outskirts of Ruili City, the villagers are keen on developing tourism and want to turn the village into a tourist attraction featuring Jingpo culture.
Pai is glad to see tourists visit their village, for she thinks most of them would surely want to share their travel stories online that there is a beautiful village on the border between China and Myanmar, which is no longer a drug-fueled mess but an idyllic, harmonious fairyland.
(Source: chinanews.com/Translated and edited by Women of China)
http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/transforming-drug-plagued-border-town-into-scenic-spot/
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