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WASHINGTON: The US Congress on Tuesday sent legislation to President George W. Bush seeking to block import of gems from Myanmar, in a move to deprive its ruling government of hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue.
The Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE Act, passed by the Senate Tuesday and by the House of Representatives last week, will keep the gems, including jade and rubies, from entering US markets via third-party countries.
Despite a longstanding ban on all Myanmar imports, gems from the impoverished country have entered the United States via third nations such as Thailand, China, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore, rights groups have said.
The gems trade is one of the most lucrative sources of profit for the Myanmar government, accused of blatant human rights abuses and stifling democratic opposition.
"This is bipartisan legislation that is now on its way to the president for his signature," said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell after the bill was unanimously approved.
"By focusing the sanctions on the (military rulers), this bill sends a clear message to (Myanmar’s government) that the United States stands squarely with the freedom-loving people of Myanmar," McConnell said.
The bill also makes the generals and their families ineligible for visas to the United States and enhances existing financial sanctions against the country.
They include new reporting requirements which will provide greater transparency about Myanmar’s government in terms of their financial holdings, information about countries that provide military aid to the country and background on Myanmar's timber trade, McConnell said.
"We cannot allow (the Myanmar government) to prosper financially while they continue to violate the human rights of their own people," said Howard Berman, Democratic chairman of the House foreign affairs committee.
"This bill hits the 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," Berman said.
The Jewelers of America, representing more than 11,000 jewellery stores nationwide, supports the ban on gem imports, and major retailers such as Tiffany's and Bulgari have voluntarily implemented a ban.
The European Union and Canada have similarly banned the import of Myanmar gems.
"The 'blood' colour of rubies not only brings (Senior General) Than Shwe's government US$300 million per year, it signifies all the blood lost by innocent civilians in our struggle for human rights," said Aung Din, a former political prisoner and co-founder of the US Campaign for Myanmar.
"We want to thank the United States Congress for taking strong and meaningful action."
An earlier version of the legislation was introduced last fall by human rights advocate Tom Lantos, a senior lawmaker who died of cancer in February, in response to the government’s deadly crackdown of peaceful protests.
But Congress began to consider it in the aftermath of a cyclone that ravaged the country earlier this year, when the military government blocked entry to many foreign aid workers and relief shipments, relenting only after a personal visit by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
The disaster left at least 138,000 missing or dead.
The new legislation also urged US energy giant Chevron to consider divesting from a lucrative gas project if the Myanmar government did not embrace reforms.
Lawmakers had dropped a plan to impose sanctions that would have pressured Chevron to pull out from the Yadana gas project after the company argued that other firms from nations such as China and India could easily take over its stake if divested.
- AFP/yb
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