Myanmar Junta Reaps Millions in Gem Sales as Economy Crumbles
A buyer examines a piece of jade at a gems market in Mandalay, Myanmar, in March 2019. Photo: IC Photo
(Nikkei Asia) Fresh economic data from private research groups suggest that Myanmar’s economy is deteriorating more sharply than feared after the Feb. 1 coup, with heightened risks of soaring inflation, collapsing trade and increased poverty.
At the same time, recent days have seen a remarkable display of the military’s grasp on Myanmar’s natural resources, with a multi-million dollar, 10-day auction of gems, jade and pearls in the capital, Naypyitaw.
nikkei.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nikkei.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Share
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has placed Myanma Gems Enterprise on its Specially Designated National list which means the vast majority of Burmese rubies, jade, and other gems cannot be purchased by U.S. companies.
Myanma Gems Enterprise also known as Myanmar Gems Corp. and Myanmar Gems Enterprise is a subdivision of the government’s ministry of mines and is “responsible for all gemstone activities in Burma,” according to a statement from the Treasury Department. It also organizes the local emporiums and sales where rubies and jade are sold, including one currently taking place in the country’s capital, Naypyitaw. (The company did not respond to a request for comment submitted via its Facebook page.)