Leber Jeweler

A Brief Allegory About Burma

Posted on May 2, 2012, 12:53 pm, by Leber Jeweler and received Comments Off.

Three gunmen storm into a crowded bank. They announce that it’s a robbery and, to make their intentions clear, kill the bank’s guard and a teller. The police arrive and there’s a standoff. The gunmen, who now have a dozen hostages inside of the bank, demand $1 million dollars and safe passage. After several hours the gunmen, as a show of good faith, release half the hostages, hoping their demands will be met. In gratitude for this gesture, the police immediately promise to end the standoff, give the gunmen the $1 million dollars they demanded plus whatever they can carry with them from the bank’s vault, and guarantee there will be no criminal charges for robbing the bank or killing the two innocent victims, so the gunmen will be free to go since they seem like they’re on the path to reform. (The police have largely forgotten about the hostages by now.)

Ridiculous? Not if this story is an allegory about Burma.

Global Activism Expo 2012 Saturday, April 28, 2012

Posted on April 22, 2012, 5:16 pm, by Leber Jeweler and received Comments Off.

Derived from WBEZ’s Global Activism Series hosted by Worldview’s Jerome McDonnell, the Global Activism Expo gathers hundreds of Chicago-area global activist organizations, each providing ways you can immediately get involved and join their efforts.

Representing work taking place in over 100 countries, the services these organizations provide range from buying cows for Kenyan families to helping victims of human trafficking in Vietnam to shipping bicycles, shoes, backpacks, books, medicines, and even bridges to people all over the world.

For additional information, visit the WBEZ website for event details.

Polar Bears in Peril

Posted on April 18, 2012, 12:41 pm, by Leber Jeweler and received Comments Off.

Here at Leber Jeweler, we like polar bears. Not because they were the de facto poster animal for the first Canadian diamonds, but because they are beautiful creatures surviving in some of the most remote corners of the northern hemisphere.

As many of our clients have an activist streak much like ourselves, we wanted to bring some attention to the fact the Obama administration just released a proposed rule, like an earlier version put forward under President George W. Bush, that exempts new coal-fired power plants or big factories with mercury and other greenhouse gas emissions from restrictions.

It’s hardly news that the polar regions are melting fast due to climate change and that polar bears are wholly dependent on the rapidly shrinking sea ice for their survival. In fact, some experts predict the polar bear may be driven to extinction by global warming within 100 years. With climate change being driven by the coal-fired plants that are in our backyards means this proposed rule is a massive setback for preserving a species that may be gone within this century.

But it’s not too late for you to act on this proposed rule. The US Fish & Wildlife Service has a 60 day public comment period for this proposed rule. Written comments can be mailed to:

Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. [FWS-R7-ES- 2012-0009]; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203

You might want to remind them, Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act requires federal agencies to ensure that actions they authorize do not harm threatened species or their habitat. Tell them a polar bear sent you.

Leber Jeweler Advertisement Circa 1926

Posted on April 17, 2012, 10:06 am, by Leber Jeweler and received Comments Off.

We just discovered this very cool old advertisement for my grandfather’s store when it was in the Lawndale/Little Village neighborhood here in Chicago. The ad comes from the archives of Chicago historian and noted author Frank S. Magallon. Thanks for sharing, Frank!

Nobel Peace Laureates Coming to Chicago

Posted on April 13, 2012, 10:26 am, by Leber Jeweler and received Comments Off.

On April 23-25, Chicago will be hosting the 12th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates. The event will feature highly esteemed panelists including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, President Jimmy Carter, President Lech Walesa, President Mikhail Gorbachev, and Professor Muhammed Yunas, in addition to programs including “One Person Can Make A Difference” and “Women Forging Peace”. It’s shaping up to be a fascinating and inspiring summit.

For additional information, click here.

Aung San Suu Kyi Has Won: Now What?

Posted on April 11, 2012, 2:46 pm, by Leber Jeweler and received Comments Off.

On April 23, Aung San Suu Kyi, along with thirty-six other members of the National League for Democracy, will take their places in Burma’s 440-seat lower house of parliament still largely dominated by the military and their closest allies. Daw Suu Kyi said during recent campaigning that her main goals as a lawmaker would be to work towards rule of law, national peace and an amendment of the junta-drafted constitution to make it more democratic. Accomplishing this in a parliament where 25% of the seats are reserved for the military will be a daunting task.

The big question is, are this month’s election results the start of a new beginning for Burma, or are they a carefully calculated move by the generals and former-generals in power to make Aung San Suu Kyi, an international icon for democracy, into “just another politician” by bringing her into the fold after years spent in futility trying to make her disappear? It’s no secret that those in power in Burma desperately want the sanctions removed and they know they need Daw Suu Kyi on board to make this happen.

The real benchmark will be the 2015 general elections, when 75% of parliament’s seats in Burma will be contested. The US sanctions, like the ones that cover ruby and jade, are proving to be a valuable tool in encouraging reforms in Burma previously thought impossible. According to Secretary Clinton, the United States is “beginning the process of a targeted easing of our ban on the export of US financial services and investment as part of a broader effort to help accelerate economic modernisation and political reform.” While things are on the right track, it is important both the administration and Congress realize there is a long road ahead and the US must resist the urge to move too quickly and should let cautious optimism be our guide.

Products like gemstones still offer financial reward to and are dominated by more repressive elements of the regime, with little or no transparency regarding where revenue earned from this sector goes. Political prisoners remain behind bars while those released have yet to be pardoned. Violence continues unabated, perpetrated by Burma’s military against ethnic minorities. While it is important for the US to stay engaged with Burma during this very uncertain period, we must remember the Block Burmese JADE Act is still an important tool for encouraging positive change, and one we should not abandon until a democratic future for Burma is secure.

On Burma: “An election alone is not going to change the country.”

Posted on March 30, 2012, 11:10 am, by Leber Jeweler and received Comments Off.

This Sunday, by-elections will be held in Burma to fill 45 vacant seats in Burma’s 664-seat parliament. Among those campaigning for a seat is Aung San Suu Kyi. While her election will do little to change the balance of power in a country where the recently amended constitution requires 25% of seated parliamentarians to be from the military and where the majority party is comprised largely of former military officers, it remains the will of the people of Burma to see Daw Suu Kyi in an elected office. Her last election victory in 1990, in which she was voted in by overwhelming majority to lead the country, led to her arrest and long-term detention. One hopes her imminent election to office will properly recognized this time.

Some have called this a new beginning for Burma as western companies, hoping sanctions will soon be lifted, line up ready to reap vast profits from Burma’s abundant natural resources. Others have bluntly pointed out the fact that very little real progress has been made in regards to the human rights issues that triggered the widespread sanctions that are a key impetus for the changes occurring in this troubled country. In the words of Zoya Phan, a political activist from Burma of Karen descent, ”I don’t want to be told that 20 percent freedom justifies lifting sanctions. I have a right to 100 percent freedom.”

Whether this is really Burma’s Arab Spring remains to be seen. But Aung San Suu Kyi said it best. “We don’t have spring in Burma. We think in terms of the cool season, the hot season and the dry season. So what we hope for is not spring – because spring does not last forever – but we hope for the kind of situation where our people can enjoy the kind of climate that they like best.”

But as election irregularities “beyond what is acceptable for democratic elections” have already begun to surface, one can’t help but wonder. Can a leopard really change their spots, or did the generals just figure out what western countries want to hear in their effort to get sanctions removed?

India Cautioned By United States Over Sanctioned Diamonds

Posted on March 28, 2012, 10:48 am, by Leber Jeweler and received Comments Off.

“I consider Zimbabwe diamonds as products under sanction,” said Gillian Milovanovic, the US Chair of the Kimberley Process, during a visit to the Surat region in India, where 92% of the world’s diamonds are cut and polished. India recently signed a deal with Zimbabwe to import that country’s rough diamonds for processing. Many of these stones are ultimately destined for the United States, despite existing sanctions against them. Reports indicate the transaction between India and ZImbabwe to be worth over $2 billion USD, which could ultimately represent a measurable percentage of the global diamond trade.

To date, India, along with countries like Russia and China, have shown little or no interest in addressing human rights issues under the auspices of the Kimberley Process. The situation became so grave last year that in December, civil society group Global Witness, one of the original architects behind the Kimberley Process, withdrew from the certification scheme stating; “Nearly nine years after the Kimberley Process was launched, the sad truth is that most consumers still cannot be sure where their diamonds come from, nor whether they are financing armed violence or abusive regimes.”

When India struck this deal with the Mugabe regime, it seems they assumed no one was looking. But it seems the United States government is watching.

According to Global Witness, “Consumers have a right to know what they’re buying.” While much of the jewelry industry remains happy selling unknown origin diamonds, at Leber Jeweler Inc, we offer conflict-free Canadian diamonds with certified country of origin.

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 13, 2012, 9:49 am, by Leber Jeweler and received Comments Off.

“Good is something you do, not something you talk about. Some medals are pinned to your soul, not to your jacket.” -Gino Bartali

Myron V. Leber 1930-2012

Posted on March 7, 2012, 5:37 pm, by Leber Jeweler and received Comments Off.

On February 29, 2012, Myron Leber died from complications of cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer). As president of Leber Limited from 1966 to 1999, he guided the family-owned business with a sincere belief in honesty, integrity, and ethics. Beyond being a respected member of the jewelry community, he was also my father. His warmth, understanding, and wisdom will be deeply missed.