Jewelers of America (JA) has sent letters to Congress as well as an advisory to its members detailing its deep concern over the current unrest in Burma and its military government's longstanding human-rights violations.

JA has asked Congress in its letters to amend the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, which bans the importation of products from Burma, to include gemstones mined in that country. JA has asked that this amendment remain effective until Burma agrees to the democratic reforms outlined in the proposed January 2007 resolution put before the U.N. Security Council.

The proposed January 2007 resolution, which did not pass, called for national reconciliation and democratization in Burma, the release of all political prisoners, an end to human-rights abuses in the country and the inclusion of opposition and ethnic minorities in dialogue leading to a genuine democratic transition. The majority of the Security Council (including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and Italy) supported the resolution, but other countries such as China vetoed it.

JA president and chief executive officer Matthew A. Runci said JA is advising its members to source their gemstones in a manner that respects human rights. This includes contacting suppliers to ascertain whether or not any of the gems they supply are from Burma and seeking written assurances from suppliers that they will not knowingly supply gems mined in Burma on all future orders until the process of democratic reform has started.

JA said they believe that following these steps is the quickest way possible to make certain that members can assure themselves and their customers that they are doing their part to help end the human-rights abuses ongoing in Burma.

"JA members believe it is their responsibility to support and respect the protection of international human rights within their sphere of influence and to make sure the sourcing of gemstones is not complicit in human-rights abuses, in line with the commitments they assume as members of Jewelers of America," Runci said in a statement. "These commitments include adherence to the principles of U.N. Global Compact, which JA has agreed to support."

JA members agree to the association's Statement of Principles, which outlines their support of U.N. Global Compact.