Letter to Editor: “Genocide Gems” we buy from Myanmar
The movie Blood Diamond, although fictional, helped bring the issue of “conflict diamonds” an uncut diamond mined in an area of armed conflict and traded illicitly to finance funding — to the mainstream. There has been significant progress since then including a “passport system” adopted by diamond retailers, providing transparency to where diamonds purchased are coming from.
If there was ever a need for a sequel to that movie, it takes place in Myanmar. Myanmar is the site of an ongoing genocide by the government and military against the Rohingya minority. Its regime also controls two large holding companies accounting for the 90% of the world’s high-end rubies as well high-end sapphires and jade, none of which adhere to the transparency standards diamonds do.
After pressure from the public and groups like the International Campaign for the Rohingya, Cartier has stopped selling gems sourced Myanmar. Bulgari is another major jeweler though who continues to do so.
With the international community not doing enough to hold Myanmar accountable so far, challenging if gems are coming from Myanmar and pressuring companies like Bulgari is something any consumer can be doing. Jewelers responded to the public outcry over blood diamonds. Let’s do the same for gems.
Petition to tell Bulgari to stop selling Burmese Genocide Gems: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tell-bulgari-stop-selling-burmese-genocide-gems
