ICA OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON MYANMAR AND GEMSTONES OF BURMESE ORIGIN

ICA as the International Organization related to colored gemstones fully supports the UN Human rights Council resolution ratified by the Security Council Presidential statement of October 11th 2007 and condemns the violent repression of individuals, human rights and pro-democracy movements in Myanmar.
 
ICA exhorts its members to desist buying Burmese gemstones from any government sources and marketing organizations.
 
ICA further warns against any hasty decisions towards a systematic ban to trade with Burmese gemstones and strongly recommends that all parties
cautiously consider the negative impact and collateral damage that indiscriminate measures could inflict upon independent and poor populations engaged in mining, processing and trading activities in Myanmar and other countries.

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For more information contact:

International Colored Gemstone Association
19 W. 21st Street, Suite 705
New York, NY 10016
USA
Tel: 1-212-620-0900
Fax: 1-212-352-9054
ica @ gemstone.org


The International Colored Gemstone Association, headquartered in New York City and operating additional "GemBureaus" in Idar-Oberstein and Dubai, is the nonprofit trade association that represents the international colored gemstone industry, an extremely important and influential segment of the jewelry business. ICA has over 500 members in 46 countries worldwide.