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Rubies in Burma in Marie Claire (Fr



Subject: Rubies in Burma in Marie Claire (French)

March issue of the French national woman's magazine 'Maire Claire', a
three page color story 'Calamity Jane en Birmanie' -to that effect I may
not have the exact title, by author Cathala,- talks about Burmese ruby
trade. How the workers dig in deep water tons of dirt and mud and rock
for a single rubie, sold for a few dollars, in Burma, then to merchants
on the border for eight to ten times that price, say, $100, then sold
for some $7000 to 10 000 in the west, paris, or wherever. Nothing in it
about democracy struggle. Just rubies and precious stones. I remember
once around Metro Cadet when visiting a friend in the Jewish section of
town in Paris, where alot of jewelers trade and make incredible jewelry
for the Place Vendome houses like Van Clef and others, how a full drawer
of rubies fell on the floor, scattering several hundreds on the floor
and we were down on hands and knees scooping them up by the
dozens...They were put in jewelry, bracelots, rings and necklaces that
sell for a lot more than a couple thousand dollars. A lot more. And the
Bumese workers who find them, toiling in the mud get next to nothing for
it all so that rich men in the west can look proud and rich and
dignified. Wierd, no? The story ought to send a lot of french pioneers
out into the jungle hunting for fortune. I always here stories about
French travelers coming back with rubies as souvenirs, a sort of 
status symbol of their trip to Burma.

Which goes to say, the trade is very active on many levels here in
France.

dawn star