IV

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;
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•HCON 142 IH

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

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That the Congress—

3 (1) calls upon the Government of Mauritania to

4 honor its obligations under the Universal Declara5 tion of Human Rights and the Convention on the

6 Abolition of Slavery, prosecute slave owners to the

7 fullest extent of the country’s anti-slavery law, and

8 educate individuals being held as slaves on their

9 legal rights;
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•HCON 142 IH

1 (2) strongly urges the Government of Mauri2 tania to abolish discriminatory practices and foster

3 an environment that will integrate black

4 Mauritanians into the economic and social main5 stream;

6 (3) urges in the strongest terms that the Gov7 ernment of Mauritania fully investigate and pros8 ecute those officials responsible for the extrajudicial

9 killings and mass expulsions of black Mauritanians

10 during the late 1980s and early 1990s;

11 (4) calls upon the Government of Mauritania to

12 allow all refugees to return to Mauritania and to re13 store their full rights;

14 (5) welcomes Mauritania’s recent willingness to

15 allow visits by international human rights organiza16 tions; and

17 (6) further welcomes the growth of an inde18 pendent press in Mauritania.

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