The sale of Burmese gems has become the target of a growing boycott following the violent crackdown of pro-democracy protesters in Burma in September.  While Burma's ruling military government holds another gem auction, the market for those precious stones is getting smaller.  As VOA's Kane Farabaugh reports from New York, more and more jewelry retailers in America are refusing to sell Burmese gems.

The people who mine them call the coloring of these precious stones "pigeon-blood" red. Thomas Moses, who works for the Gemological Institute of America, or GIA, knows the value and uniqueness of these gems, which come from only one place in the world. "Historically, Burma rubies were one of the most sought after gems in the gem and mineral kingdom," he tells us.

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