Did you know your ruby ring paid for crimes against humanity?
Last Sunday, the world was riveted by Rihanna’s breathtaking Superbowl halftime show. One item from her attire that evening that caught our attention is her Bayco Jewels ring that featured a large Burmese ruby.
For decades, Myanmar’s military has committed numerous war crimes against ethnic minority communities as it has consolidated its control over Burma’s gemstone mines. After the Myanmar military’s February 2021 seizure of power, the army has taken total control of the country’s billion-dollar dollar gem industry. Together, we can demand that big international jewelry retailers, such as Bayco Jewels, stop buying Burmese gems that fund the Myanmar military.
Now, would you take a couple more steps to share the word?
Step #1: Tell Your Friends
Please share this action with your friends and on your social media with this short link: https://bit.ly/baycono
Step #2: Post on Rihanna and Bayco Jewels’ social media
Please post messages regularly on the social media accounts of Bayco Jewels.
Does Rihanna know that the million-dollar ring she was wearing helped fund the Myanmar military’s war on the Burmese people? As a superstar, her actions set the trend for others. Maybe she didn’t know about the atrocities the ring funded. Let’s let her know! Adapt this message as you see fit:
Rihanna, as a cultural and style icon, people look to you. Send them a clear message that you support the people of Myanmar and call out Bayco Jewels for their complicity in the military’s crimes against humanity. #GenocideGems
Copy the message below and adapt it as you wish. Add it as a comment on posts showcasing jewelry or watches on the social media pages of Bayco Jewels.
I refuse to purchase your jewelry until Bayco Jewels states publicly that it will no longer buy blood rubies from Myanmar that profit the Burmese military and its atrocities against the peoples of Myanmar.
Step #3: Help Build Our Campaign
Would you make a gift to support our work together? Our campaigns of “citizen sanctions” against the Burmese military’s business empire requires careful research, campaign development, media outreach, and organizing. Please click here to make a gift of $30, $60, $120, $250, or more.
We can and must build our pressure on Myanmar’s military. Your actions have moved your governments to pass tough sanctions and successfully pressed companies, such as Western Union, luxury jeweler Harry Winston, and Japanese beer giant Kirin, to end their business partnerships with the Burmese military. Together, we can build our movement to end the Myanmar military’s corrupt and brutal rule.
Step 4: Sign our petition to Bulgari! Check this out.