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[Sexpat]

"Human Rights Watch of America has called on China and Thailand to join the European Union and US in banning imports of Burmese gems and jade, most of which come through Thailand. The group alleged that sale of the gems and jade finance military rule and human rights abuses.

Thailand is the largest importer/processer of Burmese gemstones while China is the main importer of Burmese jade. The call for a complete ban coincided with the opening on Tuesday of a government-run auction of precious stones in Rangoon, where more than 2,000 buyers have flocked for the bi-annual event.

...Burma, the world's largest supplier of rubies and jade, earned an estimated 300 million dollars last year from its gem auctions. Working conditions at government-controlled gem and jade mines in Burma are notorious for using forced labour and allowing atrocious health conditions, with HIV/AIDs and tuberculosis running rampant among the labourers. . .

In the wake of the September crackdown, the European Union has imposed new sanctions to block the import of Burmese precious and semi precious stones, and US Congress is considering legislation that would ban the purchase of Burma-mined gemstones, closing a loophole in existing US sanctions that allows gems from Burma to be sold in the US if they have been processed in a third country."

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=123531