Block Burmese JADE (Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2007:
Get Your Representative to Co-Sponsor!

Dear David,

Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA) introduced new sanctions to cut off major revenue from Burma's military junta. The Block Burmese JADE (Junta's Anti- Democratic Efforts) Act of 2007 has the power to force the regime to negotiate with Burma's democracy leaders and Ethnic nationalities. We must show the people of Burma that the U.S. is taking action to support their calls for freedom, democracy and human rights.  Call and write to your Representative today asking them to support the Block Burmese JADE Act! Organize your community to call in as well. Find your Representative and their contact info here - http://www.house.gov/writerep .

What the Act Does:

The regime makes hundreds of millions of dollars each year of the sale of gems.  More than 90 percent of the world's rubies and fine-quality jade comes from Burma.  The new sanctions will crack down on the regime's practice of avoiding U.S. sanctions by laundering gemstones through third countries before they are sold.

This Act also freezes the assets of Burmese political and military leaders, prevents Burma from using U.S. financial institutions via third countries to launder the funds of those leaders or their immediate families, and prohibits Burmese officials involved in the violent suppression of protesters from receiving visas to the United States.

 "This legislation will turn off a huge cash spigot for the thuggish Burmese regime," Lantos said. "If my colleagues come together and act quickly to pass these new sanctions, we can put an end to huge profits for the junta and its unscrupulous middle-men. We must ensure that the sale of some of the Earth's most beautiful natural resources does not continue to enable the horrors inflicted upon the people of Burma."

Burma also uses third countries to access the U.S. banking system.  These overseas banks process accounts in and through the United States for Burma's rulers, providing the regime with much-needed hard currency.  The regime uses these funds to purchase weapons and luxury goods, while the bulk of Burma's population lives in poverty.

Lantos' legislation tightens existing sanctions to prevent Burma's military rulers from profiting from sales to the United States, and blocks access to the U.S. financial system not just for Burmese human rights violators but also to those who provide the regime with banking services.

The Block Burmese JADE (Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2007, if passed, would be the strongest action yet that the U.S. takes to pressure Burma's military regime to negotiate with Burma's democracy leaders and ethnic nationalities.

Contact information:

Contact information on your individual representative can be found easily by accessing the House website, www.house.gov/writerep . Once there, enter your zip code in the "Find your representative" box in the top left corner of the screen. This will give you a link to his House site, with all the relevant contact information.

Contact your representative's staffer. If he is not there leave a message and ask him to call you back. Call today and call every day until you get an answer!

To add their name as a cosponsor

Let them know that to co-sponsor they should contact Eric Richardson at the Committee on Foreign Affairs office at eric.richardson@mail.house.gov or 225-5021.

Talking Points for Staffer:

- Tell the staffer you want your representative to co-sponsor the Block Burmese JADE Act of 2007

- Give her/him proof that this policy works. It cuts off hundreds of millions of dollars to the regime and will specifically target the top generals' finances. 

- Mention that the military junta still deserves sanctions. On top of brutally crushing thousands of peaceful demonstrators, including monks, the military regime has destroyed more than 3,000 villages. It has forcibly displaced more than half a million people inside Burma as well as causing a million refugees to flee across the border to neighboring countries and has made no efforts to move toward democracy.

- Let her/him know it is important to send a strong signal to the regime that the US government will continue to keep American money out the hands of the junta.

- This is not the only action being taken against Burma. On top of many diplomatic efforts, the EU has imposed new sanctions, as well as Australia, and even Japan has decreased aid to Burma. 

- Finally ask the staffer to call you back when your representative has co-sponsored the Block Burmese JADE Act. Important: Leave your phone number!

Let him/her know that his/her constituents care about Burma!

Please let me know when you have contacted your Representative and how it went - thelma@uscampaignforburma.org.  These new sanctions will hit the regime where it hurts.