Diary of visit to drug rehabilitation center at the border of China and Myanmar
Time: August 19th, 2007—August 25th, 2007-10-27
Participants: Zhang Yongzheng (artist), Liu Jun (graduate student in Yunnan University), Gao Yunfei (photographer), Wang Jun (artist), Li Xu (photographer), Luo Fei (curator), Dou Yu (artist), Cheng Chunliang, Wu Yuequan and Zhou Zongyue
August 19th, (Luo Fei’s diary)
Ten of us started from Loft at 9:20.
On the way to our destination, most of us spent time sleeping, and talking occasionally.
We arrived in Mangshi at 7, and tried authentic Dai food and rice wine.
We wanted to find local traditional ‘café’, but Ha Fresh (a chain Café in modern cities) instead after over half an hour. We understood the ‘modernization’ of such a small border city. At last, we found a real local café in an old street, a really good one.
August 20th, (Luo Fei’s diary)
We started from Mangshi at half past eight, enjoying the pretty and neat scenery along the way.
The soil smelled very fresh and greens looked lovely because of the heavy rain days ago, which reminded me of Kikujiro no natsu. The spreading fields, foggy surroundings, and newly built road seemed specially designed for us, without any other’s disturbance. It was like somebody’s childhood, pursuing a dream when drove there.
We arrived at the drug rehabilitation center right at noon. I jumped out of car with camera. The house we lived in last year was empty and lifeless. There were plenty of big sugar canes and grass, with some cows eating. This was the first time for me to be here in the middle of summer.
August 20th, (Dou Yu’s diary)
We arrived at the drug rehabilitation center at the border of China and Myanmar. On our way there we could see a lot of propaganda on drug rehabilitation and AIDS prevention, which showed this area was seriously affected by drug abuse and AIDS caused by drug abuse. This place neighbors ‘The Kingdom of Drug’, Myanmar, and is the main rout for drug transportation. The main product here is heroin, or what we call ‘powder’, which is extracted from opium poppy. Heroin is a kind of nerve anesthetic and people can be addicted to it with fantasy. I used to think that drug abuse should be very far away from me but realized it is as common as smoking cigarette here. It is said that there were only the old and children here in the village and most of the young people were addicted to drug or died of drug. In the village with worst situation, only seven people don’t abuse drug.
This drug rehabilitation center gives people an impression of a Xanadu without locked gates, serious policemen but covered with green sugar cane. There is a road covered by grass, and at the end of the road there are two one-storey building. At that moment, a middle aged man with dark skin welcomed us with warm smile. From our team leader he should be the one in charge of this center, Mr. Dong. Mr. Dong is a man with family and children and he spends nearly all his time with people in the center. What’s precious is his family is in another country, but he is supported strongly by his family. His tone, voice and laughter touched everyone there and made us really want to help people there to quit drug. Who would know, however, Mr. Dong used to be a drug abuser 15 years ago and failed to quit for several time. His younger brother died of AIDS caused by drug abuse, and his mother died with a broken heart for that drug abuser son. There were a lot of tragedies going on after drug. Mr. Dong knew how harmful the drug was because of his personal experience and he was determined to help more people to get out of the hell of drug.
August 21st, (Dou Yu’s diary)
Today is my happiest day. 13 people from the center started to kill pig and preserve fish for the barbeque in the afternoon since morning. After we went through field paths and dense sugar cane field with firewood and bowls, it started to rain. But everyone was happy as long as the fire was on. Banana leaves were our dinner table and that open space was our house. Twenty of us shared the favor from God sitting on the ground. We were like brothers and sisters and forgot each other’s identity, eating together. After dinner, Mr. Dong led us to jump into river and begin a new game. In the setting sun, I saw new lives were growing and a new positive attitude toward life was being born.
August 22nd, (Dou Yu’s diary)
I raised two questions for all the people in drug rehabilitation center. Firstly, say one sentence about drug based on your own experience. Secondly, your expectation and what you want to tell other drug abuser. I received thirteen sentences, profound sentences. Everyone had too much to say, especially about drug. I could feel their bitterness and helpless at that moment. I had to mention one man: Zhen XX. He said: ‘I want to help more people to quit drug abuse, and I hope to work with other to let more people know about the harm of drug’.
Zhen XX, a man from X county. ‘I started to abuse drug from 1993. I knew nothing about drug and thought it was trendy to take some. After three times of taking drug I was addicted. Actually it is not very hard to quit drug if you just start for a short time, but it’s possible to quit if you repeated for too many times. I tried numerous times but all failed. I really hate abusing drug. When I was in Yingjiang, I needed to take one gram of heroin per day already, that amount kept increasing and I had to spend more than 50 Yuan per day. I spent every penny from family and had to cheat like a gangster. Later, I went to Myanmar to try to quit drug. I found a job of assembling motorcycle and everyday I could earn 150 Yuan. Life seemed to get better. But everyone around me took marihuana and alcohol and I could resist, taking drug again. In 2003 and 2004, I was penniless because of drug. I wanted to commit suicide with ephedrine and antipsychotic but failed. When I took drug, we share needles and I was infected with AIDS. Now, I am a HIV carrier. I have sore all over my body and I am bald. I though I would die but later my syndromes was all cured. Government pays to cure me. I will go to AIDS hospital regularly to help others with AIDS and to cheer them up.
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