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[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 142 Introduced in House (IH)]

104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 142

   Regarding the human rights situation in Mauritania, including the 
                 continued practice of chattel slavery.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 1, 1996

 Mr. Bereuter (for himself, Mr. Gilman, Mr. Gejdenson, Mr. Hastings of 
   Florida, Mr. Houghton, and Mr. Payne of New Jersey) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
   Regarding the human rights situation in Mauritania, including the 
                 continued practice of chattel slavery.

Whereas the Government of Mauritania has perpetrated a prolonged campaign of 
        human rights abuses and discrimination against its indigenous black 
        population;
Whereas the Department of State and numerous human rights organizations have 
        documented such abuses;
Whereas chattel slavery, with an estimated tens of thousands of black 
        Mauritanians considered property of their masters and performing unpaid 
        labor, persists despite its legal abolition in 1980;
Whereas individuals attempting to escape from their owners in Mauritania may be 
        subjected to severe punishment and torture;
Whereas the right to a fair trial in Mauritania continues to be restricted due 
        to executive branch pressure on the judiciary;
Whereas policies designed to favor a particular culture and language have 
        marginalized black Mauritanians in the areas of education and employment 
        particularly;
Whereas Mauritanians are deprived of their constitutional right to a 
        democratically elected government;
Whereas Mauritanian authorities have still refused to investigate or punish 
        individuals responsible for the massacre of over 500 military and 
        civilian black Mauritanians in 1990 and 1991; and
Whereas significant numbers of black Mauritanians remain refugees stripped of 
        their citizenship and property, including approximately 70,000 black 
        Mauritanians who were expelled or fled Mauritania during 1989 and 1990: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) calls upon the Government of Mauritania to honor its 
        obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and 
        the Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, prosecute slave 
        owners to the fullest extent of the country's anti-slavery law, 
        and educate individuals being held as slaves on their legal 
        rights;
            (2) strongly urges the Government of Mauritania to abolish 
        discriminatory practices and foster an environment that will 
        integrate black Mauritanians into the economic and social 
        mainstream;
            (3) urges in the strongest terms that the Government of 
        Mauritania fully investigate and prosecute those officials 
        responsible for the extrajudicial killings and mass expulsions 
        of black Mauritanians during the late 1980s and early 1990s;
            (4) calls upon the Government of Mauritania to allow all 
        refugees to return to Mauritania and to restore their full 
        rights;
            (5) welcomes Mauritania's recent willingness to allow 
        visits by international human rights organizations; and
            (6) further welcomes the growth of an independent press in 
        Mauritania.
                                 <all>
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