Burma’s export of minerals including jade fell by about 28% in the first three months of this fiscal year, reports Mizzima.
Global Witness has urged the international community to boycott gems and jade mined in Myanmar and called for banning the export of these precious stones and minerals.
Burma Campaign UK says that the army fully controls the mining and trading of the gemstones mined in Myanmar, and could earn about US$2 billion from this business annually. From the the sale of these gemstones the army can buy arms and ammunition to be used in human rights violations in the country.