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16. The Working Group was also informed that, according to recent press reports, the Government of Mauritania had declared on 5 July 1980 that it had taken measures to eliminate slavery in the country. The Government, however, had not sent a formal communication to the Secretariat to inform it of that fact. One participant pointed out that, although slavery in llauritania had been declared illegal under the French colonial rule and formally banned after independence, the economic and social realities of the country had resulted in a situation in which the freed slaves continued to live in a situation of dependence on their former masters. The opinion was expressed that the Government of Mauritania should be congratulated on its decision and invited to supply information to the Working Group on the actual situation and on the measures being taken.
17. Concerning a report submitted by the Anti-Slavery Society to the fifth session of the Working Group on the situation of Haitian migrant workers in the Dominican Republic, and the reply of the Government of the Dominican Republic (E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.2/30), the representative of the Society informed the Working Group that certain improvements appeared to have been made by the two Governments concerned in consultation with the ILO. However, he drew the attention of the Working Group to a recent press report, based on information provided by a priest, which indicated that the situation was still the same as described in the Society's report. He called
on the Government of the Dominican Republic to keep the situation under close scrutiny.
18.
In the view of one member of the Working Group, the situation of migrant workers in the Dominican Republic or elsewhere could not be assimilated to slavery. He pointed out that problems concerning seasonal and migrant workers were to be found in many countries of the world, including the developed countries of Western Europe and North America, and that the problem had been studied in depth by the Special Rapporteur of the Sub-Commission, Mrs. Warzazi. He emphasized the need to determine clearly the concept of slavery so that the Working Group would not be seized with all questions relating to human rights violations.
19. Referring to information submitted in the past to the Sub-Commission concerning the forced marriage in 1970 of four young women to members of the Revolutionary Council of Zanzibar, the representative of the Anti-Slavery Society informed the Working Group that three of the women had been able to escape and to return to their families. The fourth woman, however, had failed in her attempt and had remained under virtual house arrest, until July 1980, being forced to bear four children, despite repeated appeals and protests by the international community. A petition brought by the Anti-Slavery Society to the Commission on Human Rights under the procedure governed by Economic and Social Council resolution 1503 (XLVIII) had failed. In July 1980, however, the young woman in question had finally been released from her imprisonment and had been able to leave the country by travelling on her aunt's passport, although the Zanzibar authorities had still denied her a passport.
20. Members of the Working Group deplored the inaction of the competent authorities and of the international community in this serious case of violation of a person's freedom. The opinion was expressed that the United Nations had a special responsibility to create a sense of awareness in the international community so that influence could be brought to bear on Governments to put an end to such odious practices.
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