Political Crackdown Sparks Spurning of Myanmar’s Rubies
Nov 19th, 2007 • Posted in: NewsBANGKOK, Thailand
Sales of rubies and other gems from Myanmar are slumping, apparently as a result of international outrage and the threat of widespread sanctions following brutal repression of protestors in the nation formerly known as Burma.
Critics have questioned the morality of trading in the gems and have called them “blood rubies,” likening them to “blood diamonds” — stones mined in war-torn areas and used to fuel insurrection, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Burmese rubies account for about 90 percent of the world’s supply, reports the Voice of America. They are often sold from venues in neighboring Thailand.
According to a news summary from the Christian Science Monitor, some of the world’s largest jewelers, including Cartier and Tiffany, have told their suppliers they will not buy gems from Burma, and a bill currently before Congress would prohibit the import of Burmese gems that are cut or polished in another country.
But as The New York Times reports, the issue also has resurrected recurring ethics arguments about sanctions. Some argue that stanching trade in rubies will hurt the ruling military junta’s pocketbook, while others contend that sanctions will hurt impoverished Burmese miners who earn their money independently of the government, often by smuggling their gems to Thailand.
The Times report also notes that there is some question as to whether authorities can accurately identify rubies of Burmese origin. Some experts claim that Burmese rubies can be identified by chemical signatures, though some disagree.
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