This Valentine's Day, Take Action for Burma

This Valentine's Day, Take Action for Burma

This Valentine's Day or soon thereafter, show your love and support for the people of Burma by secret shopping for Burmese "Blood Rubies." Click here to take action.

Recently, Congress decided to ban the import of Burmese "Blood Rubies" in response to Burma's military regime's atrocities against ethnic minorities and the violent suppression of peaceful Monks and democracy activists. "This bill hits the Burmese leaders where it hurts - in the wallet. It's our hope that these sanctions will push other countries to examine their own financial dealings with Burma," said Representative Berman, a Democrat from California.

Regardless of their aesthetic value, buying rubies that could fuel oppression in Burma is immoral.

We are asking you to become a secret shopper. Please go to your local jewelery store and inquire if they sell rubies from Burma.

The recently enacted "Block Burmese JADE (Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act" now makes it illegal for jewelers and their suppliers to import rubies from Burma. This was a huge victory in the movement for a free and democratic Burma. However, it is possible that in anticipation of this new law, jewelers and their suppliers may have stockpiled rubies from Burma because it is not illegal to sell rubies that were imported prior to the enactment of the JADE Act.

Once you identify a jeweler(s) selling Burmese rubies, you should inform us. We will write to the jewelers to inform them of the situation in Burma, the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE Act, and why it is important not to sell Burmese rubies. We will ask them to do the ethical thing and stop selling all Burmese rubies. If the jewelers do not stop selling Burmese rubies, we will take further action, including a possible consumer boycott of that company.

Thank you for your continued support,

Mike Haack
Campaigns Coordinator
U.S. Campaign for Burma
mike@uscampaignforburma.org
(202)234-8022


Support 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi and the struggle for freedom and democracy in Burma:

Will you Arrest Yourself to help the people of Burma?

Even though January is over, there is still time to make a new year's resolution for human rights in Burma.

Will you "arrest yourself" to help the people of Burma?

Every year, we ask people around the world to stay at home for 24 hours in solidarity with Aung San Suu Kyi, the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient, who is currently under house arrest in Burma. We'll send you all the materials you'll need to host a gathering in your home while you "arrest yourself", including DVDs, recipes for traditional Burmese food, sample invitations and petitions that your guests can sign so that we create a ripple effect of people around the world who are concerned with helping Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of Burma.

You can "arrest yourself" and host your event anytime between now and Aung San Suu Kyi's 64th birthday on June 19th, 2009.

Click here for more information or sign up now to make your resolution for human rights in Burma.

Sincerely,

Mike Haack
Campaigns Coordinator, USCB
Mike@uscampaignforburma.org
(202) 234-8022



Support 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi and the struggle for freedom and democracy in Burma: