’WPCÉ r‰œ¢źó{ Ņ|uµM˜” 1°F®%‰>”²¾oFŌŠģ¹¼·Oę²ūāŠ"-bÕQ4K[€;WT„„gŹIø;%ŽīŲž?”įČćßhALweuJ¦}„üöźÆD;FšŒŽ{āšS™¼ņŅŚy6ˆ‡>µõŃš7L)~F‘ Dž`ĖŲLT£}=qąkķh…Ž€¼ĪįŒč)’Ó{ŹģźMÜ ‘ķ7ŌŹ|Ż&#ƒųļ€Ć[‰tąē»ŽŒĪ#s[;NLÄ^”»Æ”š'-ZĶ£nw’õFm^Ē?PœV«@™×Ā*<‘Ā$łś˜Bµ”ä8$•Ą®ņ-ĆC¢uwī;ĆHšéż jl ”I€T‚Æ€–ęa€ZÖõŖV™0%s¤¾0½?¦ 9Ą™ÓJ›+’A»ÆČĄ1 aujeŪKX#÷!Q„~÷ėÄXR?næĢ.lz ‰ń%½é5ņąi­ɵ1Ggæe·ąģŒÖÅfq$įB_Ō¢¶¤>ē,«TRfc³f -xóĀęWó6%Œ śbĘō'āšĄ“¤OŚó{- łšBAŪøŽ6Ń}L‰§ŌĆɵܗpŹ ŹŁÖ~n .ćčüøĶ^9÷&YXŖāš Ć+¾0R #Į¶UNw %Å 0rĖ^ =wI4Map mrN‰U>‹˜HP LaserJet 4000 Series PCL 5e,,,,0(ÖĆ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(J؁$””Ó  ÓŌ€XļXXXŌŌ€XļXXXļŌU½œ1 !½¾.ighlighä©3|x ’U‹’ĄĄĄō\  `‹&Times New RomanŻ ƒ؁!ŻÓ  ÓŌ€XźXXXŌŌ€XźXXXźŌŻ  ŻŌ_ŌÓ  Óņ ņŌ‡¼»XXźŌMAURITANIAó óŌ#†XźX»¼„#ŌŠ ° ŠÓuÓĢņ ņŌUKUS.,ŌFollow-upŠ ø ŠState€Reporting€„€Action€by€State€PartyŌUS.,UK.,üŌŠ Øų ŠĢŌ_ŌCERDŌ_Ō€€A/54/18€(1999)ó óŠ ˆ Ų ŠĢņņAnnex€XIŠ h ø ŠĢComments€of€the€Government€of€Mauritania€on€the€concluding€observations*€adopted€by€theŠ H ˜  ŠCommittee€on€the€Elimination€of€Racial€Discrimination€on€the€initial€to€fifth€periodic€reports€ofŠ 8ˆ  ŠMauritania.Š (x  ŠóóĢThe€Committee's€concluding€observations€are€unbalanced€since€they€are€based€mainly€on€allegationsŠ X  Šmade€by€the€Rapporteur,€Mr.€Ō_ŌRgisŌ_Ō€de€Ō_ŌGouttesŌ_Ō,€despite€the€clear,€frank€and€complete€answersŠ ųH  Šprovided€by€the€Mauritanian€delegation€at€the€1341ņņstóó€meeting,€held€on€6€August€1999.Š č8 ŠĢHowever,€the€Rapporteur€only€reproduced€allegations€drawn€from€the€report€of€the€State€DepartmentŠ Č Šof€the€United€States€and€other€even€more€questionable€sources.€€These€allegations€have€never€beenŠ ø Šsupported€by€any€documented€proof,€which€the€Mauritanian€authorities€would€have€examined€andŠ Øų Šdealt€with€promptly.Š ˜č ŠĢMauritania€is,€however,€an€obvious€target€for€all€those€who€cannot€conceive€of€a€Ō_ŌmulticulturalŌ_Ō€andŠ xČ Šmulti-ethnic€society€in€Africa€without€any€ethnic€antagonism,€even€when,€as€in€this€case,€suchŠ hø Šantagonism€has€never€been€part€of€the€history€of€the€country.Š XØ ŠĢThe€delegation€has€amply€proved€this€in€the€replies€it€provided,€which€cited€specific€concrete€factsŠ 8ˆ Šand€examples,€and€this€did€not€prevent€the€Committee€from€commending,€in€paragraph€323,€theŠ (x Šefforts€made€by€the€State€to€protect€"the€most€vulnerable€ethnic€groups".Š h ŠĢThose€who€know€Mauritania€even€a€little€know€that€there€are€no€"vulnerable€ethnic€groups"€butŠ ų H Šrather€vulnerable€strata€in€all€the€communities€(Arab,€Ō_ŌPularŌ_Ō,€Ō_ŌSoninkeŌ_Ō€and€Wolof).€TheseŠ č!8 Šcommunities,€both€Arab€and€non-Arab,€had€the€same€social€stratification€in€the€traditional€economyŠ Ų"(  Šand€their€sociological€evolution€has€been€identical:€they€now€consist€of€affluent€strata,€middle-classŠ Č#! Šstrata€and€underprivileged€strata.Š ø$ " ŠĢIn€paragraph€329,€the€Committee€notes€that€"some€groups€of€the€population,€especially€the€blackŠ ˜&č!$ Šcommunities,€are€still€suffering€from€various€forms€of€exclusion€and€discrimination,€especially€whereŠ ˆ'Ų"% Šaccess€to€public€services€and€employment€is€concerned".Š x(Č#& ŠĢSuch€practices€have€quite€simply€never€existed€in€Mauritanian€society€so€that€one€cannot€now€speakŠ X*Ø%( Šof€their€persistence.Š H+˜&) Š_________________Š 8,ˆ'* Šą  ą*€See€paragraph€321-336€of€the€present€report.Š (-x(+ ŠŌ_Ō‡ĢPre-colonial€Mauritanian€society€was€composed€of€tribes,€kingdoms,€emirates€and€villages€whichŠ  š Šeach€controlled€a€relatively€precise€area€and€which€had€relations€with€each€other,€although€thoseŠ ą Šrelations€were€never€of€a€dominating€or€discriminatory€character.Š €Š ŠĢThe€colonial€Power€established€an€administration€which€was€imposed€on€all€these€entities€and€whichŠ ` ° Šcould€not€be€suspected€of€having€perpetuated€relations€"of€exclusion€and€discrimination"€against€theŠ P   Šblack€communities€since,€on€the€one€hand,€such€relations€never€existed€and,€on€the€other,€theseŠ @  Šcommunities€benefitted€the€most€from€certain€advantages€resulting€from€the€colonial€system.Š 0 € ŠĢThe€modern€Mauritanian€State€has,€itself,€been€working€on€consolidating€the€bases€of€nationalŠ `  Šcohesion€and€unity€and,€today,€the€democratization€of€public€life€guarantees€to€each€individual€hisŠ P  Šfundamental€rights€of€representation€and€representativeness€thanks€to€universal€suffrage€and€modelŠ š@  Šmanagement€of€institutions€and€of€social€space.Š ą0  ŠĢThe€Constitution€of€20€July€1991€proclaimed€such€rights€and€established€an€appropriate€institutionalŠ Ą Šframework:€a€State€subject€to€the€rule€of€law.Š ° ŠĢIn€this€State€subject€to€the€rule€of€law€there€are€some€20€political€parties,€more€than€500Š ą Šnon-governmental€associations,€three€trade-union€confederations€and€approximately€20€independentŠ €Š Šnewspapers.Š pĄ ŠĢThe€judicial€authorities,€the€Mediator€of€the€Republic€and€the€office€of€the€Commissioner€for€HumanŠ P  ŠRights,€have€been€working€on€poverty€alleviation€and€on€introducing€offers€of€various€forms€ofŠ @ Šrecourse€for€citizens€in€the€event€of€abuse€of€authority.Š 0€ ŠĢThe€allegation€taken€up€by€the€Committee€which€speaks€of€"exclusion€...€where€access€to€publicŠ ` Šservices€and€employment€is€concerned"€would€be€a€serious€one€if€it€did€not€demonstrate€a€total€lackŠ P Šof€knowledge€of€the€reality€in€Mauritania:Š š@ ŠĢContrary€to€a€dualistic€vision€š"š€the€Arabs€on€one€side€and€the€non-Arabic-speaking€communitiesŠ Š  Šon€the€other€„€centuries-old€links€of€a€complementary€nature€and€a€great€deal€of€interbreeding€haveŠ Ą! Šunited€the€various€Mauritanian€communities€and€these€links€have€been€solidified€by€a€commonŠ °"  Šreligion€and€the€struggle€for€a€common€destiny.Š  #š! ŠĢThroughout€history,€alliances€have€been€forged€between€clans€and€camps€representative€of€all€theseŠ €%Š # Šcommunities€to€fight€similar€coalitions.€Moreover,€skin€pigmentation€has€never€constituted€aŠ p&Ą!$ Šcriterion€of€any€kind€in€Mauritanian€society€since€families€descended€from€ancient€noble€ArabŠ `'°"% Šgroups€are€black€while€significant€fringes€of€the€Ō_ŌPeuleŌ_Ō€community€have€a€pale€skin.Š P( #& ŠĢThere€are€no€areas€or€regions€or€even€districts€in€Mauritania€inhabited€by€only€one€community€andŠ 0*€%( Šit€would€be€ridiculous€to€claim€that€the€school€or€clinic€in€a€village,€encampment€or€district€givesŠ  +p&) Špriority€to€children€or€people€belonging€to€a€given€community.Š ,`'* ŠĢThe€intensive€efforts€made€by€the€Mauritanian€Government€to€alleviate€poverty€and€the€measuresŠ š-@), Šit€has€taken€in€areas€such€as€education,€literacy,€health,€employment,€housing€and€the€advancementŠ ° Šof€women€are€carried€out€openly€and€in€close€collaboration€with€the€competent€agencies€andŠ  š Šorganizations€of€the€United€Nations€system.Š ą ŠĢThe€Committee€should€have€based€its€comments€on€the€reports€of€those€agencies€and€organizationsŠ pĄ Šinstead€of€relaying€unfounded€and€unjust€allegations.Š ` ° ŠĢIn€the€same€paragraph,€the€Committee€notes€that€"in€some€parts€of€the€country,€vestiges€of€practiceŠ @  Šof€slavery€and€involuntary€servitude€could€still€persist":Š 0 € ŠĢAdmittedly,€the€Committee€took€the€precaution€of€putting€this€phrase€in€the€conditional,€but€theŠ `  Šdelegation€had€dwelt€at€such€length€on€this€question€that€it€had€thought€it€had€removed€anyŠ P  Šmisunderstanding€on€the€subject.Š š@  ŠĢThe€Committee€should€simply€note€that€there€are€no€areas€in€Mauritania€in€which€the€rule€of€lawŠ Š  Šdoes€not€prevail€where€such€an€abominable€practice€as€slavery€could€persist€and€even€flourish€withŠ Ą Šimpunity.Š ° ŠĢMauritania€belongs€to€a€geographical€area€where€slavery€was€effectively€Ō_ŌpractisedŌ_Ō€in€the€formsŠ ą Šdescribed€by€the€delegation€in€its€oral€reply€on€6€August.€€This€phenomenon€has€not,€however,€leftŠ €Š Šany€stronger€marks€in€Mauritania€than€elsewhere€and€it€is€unfair€to€single€out€Mauritanian€societyŠ pĄ Šfor€the€simple€reason€that€it€is€biracial.€€All€the€more€so€in€that€the€mission€of€enquiry€of€the€Sub„Š `° Šcommission€on€Prevention€of€Racial€Discrimination€and€Protection€of€Minorities€carried€out€in€1984Š P  Š„€on€the€initiative€of€the€Mauritanian€Government€„€proved,€first,€that€this€phenomenon€had€neverŠ @ Šbeen€of€a€racial€character€in€Mauritanian€society€because€it€had€been€practiced€in€all€sections€ofŠ 0€ Šsociety€and,€second,€that€it€had€disappeared€as€an€institution.Š  p ŠĢThe€vestiges€which€former€high€Mauritanian€dignitaries€freely€trade€on€because€they€are€no€longerŠ P Šinvolved€in€affairs€are€simply€the€expression€of€a€set€of€relationships,€the€product€of€an€aggregate€ofŠ š@ Šfactors,€which€include€loyalty,€alliances,€kinship,€neighbourliness€or€a€modern€type€of€salaryŠ ą0 Šrelationship.€€Such€relationships€are€not€characteristic€of€Mauritanian€society;€they€are€„€on€the€otherŠ Š  Šhand€„€frequent€in€other€countries.Š Ą! ŠĢIn€Mauritania,€as€in€any€other€country,€there€is€no€more€effective€way€of€eradicating€the€vestiges€ofŠ  #š! Šthe€former€social€configuration€than€the€dissemination€of€education,€in€particular€through€universalŠ $ą" Šschooling.€Mauritania€is€on€the€point€of€achieving€this€as€is€shown€by€its€high€rate€of€schoolŠ €%Š # Šattendance€(over€87€per€cent).Š p&Ą!$ ŠĢThe€goals€of€the€national€poverty€alleviation€Ō_ŌprogrammeŌ_Ō€submitted€by€the€delegation„€in€particular,Š P( #& Šthose€of€meeting€the€basic€social€needs€and€promoting€employment€and€revenue-generating€activitiesŠ @)$' Š„€the€reinforcement€of€the€rule€of€law€and€the€national€strategy€for€the€promotion€of€human€rights€areŠ 0*€%( Šall€directed€towards€accelerating€social€progress€and€the€emancipation€of€the€most€underprivilegedŠ  +p&) Šstrata€of€society.Š ,`'* ŠĢIn€paragraph€333,€the€Committee€encourages€the€Mauritanian€State€to€intensify€its€efforts€to€promoteŠ š-@), Šthe€various€national€languages:Š ° ŠĢMauritania€plays€a€pioneer€role€in€this€field,€despite€the€fact€that€these€languages€are€spoken€by€aŠ ą Šmajority€of€people€in€other€countries€of€the€subregion.Š €Š ŠĢThe€Mauritanian€Government€will,€however,€pursue€its€efforts€in€that€direction€in€accordance€withŠ ` ° Šthe€constitutional€provisions€which€recognize€the€cultural€rights€of€non-Arabic-speaking€minorities.Š P   ŠĢThis€decision€attests€to€a€genuine€political€will€to€preserve€and€consolidate€national€unity€on€a€firmŠ 0 € Šfoundation,€based€on€the€preservation€of€the€rights€of€all,€in€justice€and€equity.Š  p  ŠĢThe€Committee's€conclusions€have€not€reflected€all€these€efforts,€nor€these€tangible€facts.Š P  ŠĢThey€do€not€even€reflect€the€debate€which€followed€the€submission€of€the€report€and€give€theŠ ą0  Šimpression€that€the€fruitful€dialogue€and€productive€discussion€of€5€and€6€August€(para.€322)€haveŠ Š  Šnot€been€duly€taken€into€account€and€that€the€Committee€has€based€itself€solely€on€the€report€of€Mr.Š Ą Šde€Ō_ŌGouttesŌ_Ō.Š ° ŠĢDespite€this,€Mauritania€remains€fully€committed€to€the€International€Convention€on€the€EliminationŠ ą Šof€All€Forms€of€Racial€Discrimination€and€remains€determined€to€consolidate€still€further€the€ruleŠ €Š Šof€law€and€to€promote€economic€and€social€progress€for€all€its€citizens,€without€distinction€as€toŠ pĄ Šorigin,€race,€sex€or€social€status.Š `° ŠŠ  P  Šņ ņŌ_ŌCERDŌ_Ō€€A/59/18€(2004)ó óŠ ° ŠĢņņAnnex€VIóóŠ ą ŠĢņņComments€of€States€Parties€on€the€Decisions€and€Concluding€Observations€Adopted€by€theŠ pĄ ŠCommitteeóóŠ ` ° Š...Š P   ŠĢSixth€and€seventh€periodic€reports€of€MauritaniaŠ 0 € ŠĢą  ąThe€following€comments€were€sent€on€7€September€2004€by€the€Permanent€RepresentativeŠ `  Šof€Mauritania€to€the€United€Nations€Office€at€Geneva€concerning€the€concluding€observationsŠ P  Šadopted€by€the€Committee€following€the€consideration€of€the€sixth€and€seventh€periodic€reportsŠ š@  Šsubmitted€by€the€State€party:ņņ1óóŠ ą0  ŠĢą  ąš šThe€Mauritanian€Government€is€surprised€by€the€divergence€between€the€fruitful€interactiveŠ Ą Šdialogue€between€its€delegation€at€the€1652nd€and€1653rd€meetings,€held€on6and€9€August€2004,Š ° Šand€the€concluding€observations€adopted€by€the€Committee.€€The€statement€made€in€public€by€theŠ  š ŠRapporteur€at€the€end€of€the€1653rd€meeting€regarding€the€conclusions€presented,€in€a€balancedŠ ą Šmanner,€the€positive€aspects€acknowledged€by€the€members€of€the€Committee€who€took€the€floor,Š €Š Šand€the€concerns€raised.€€However,€these€balanced€conclusions€are€not€reflected€in€the€concludingŠ pĄ Šobservations€adopted€by€the€Committee.Š `° ŠĢą  ąš šThe€inquisitorial€questionnaire€transmitted€to€the€Government€on€22€July,€11days€beforeŠ @ Šthe€opening€of€the€session,€by€the€Rapporteur€appointed€in€March,€heralded€the€approach€envisaged.€Š 0€ ŠNevertheless,€the€Government€chose€to€reply,€in€a€spirit€of€cooperation€and€openness€welcomed€byŠ  p Šthe€Rapporteur.€€The€questionnaire€was€essentially€based€on€the€question€of€slavery€resolved€by€theŠ ` ŠCommission€on€Human€Rights€almost€20€years€ago,€as€recalled€by€the€Rapporteur€in€her€introductionŠ P Š(1652ndmeeting).Š š@ ŠĢą  ąš šThe€questions€raised€concerned€only€the€fate€of€the€descendants€of€former€Arab€slaves,€asŠ Š  Šif€slavery€had€been€restricted€to€Arabs€and€not€a€phenomenon€that,€at€various€times,€affected€all€theŠ Ą! Šcomponents€of€the€Mauritanian€people,€and,€in€a€broader€sense,€the€entire€Ō_ŌSudanoŌ_Ō„Ō_ŌSahelianŌ_Ō€region.Š °"  ŠĢą  ąš šMauritania€is€the€cradle€of€great€civilizations€whose€influence€transcends€its€current€borders;Š $ą" Šslavery€was€practised,€throughout€the€region,€and€has€not€left€greater€stigma€than€elsewhere.€€ThereŠ €%Š # Šare€no€longer€any€ššslavery„like€practicesšš€in€Mauritania,€and€the€so-called€question€of€slaveryŠ p&Ą!$ Šconcerns€only€a€handful€of€people€for€whom€it€is€a€business.€€But€neither€these€individuals€norŠ `'°"% Šanyone€else€can€cite€the€slightest€evidence€to€corroborate€the€allegations€on€which€the€CommitteeŠ P( #& Šhas€based€its€concluding€observations.Š @)$' ŠĢą  ąš šAll€Mauritanians€are€of€course€linked€to€their€early€origins€and€each€is€in€effect€a€descendantŠ  +p&) Šof€warriors,€wise€men,€story€tellers,€blacksmiths,€or€slaves.€€These€social€categories€existed,€withŠ ,`'* Šdifferences€of€detail,€in€the€four€components€of€the€Mauritanian€people:Š -P(+ ŠŠ š-@), Šą  ąArab€community:€€nobles€(ņņŌ_ŌLeššarabŌ_Ōóó€and€ņņŌ_ŌZouayaŌ_Ōóó),€blacksmiths€(ņņŌ_ŌLemššalminŌ_Ōóó),€storytellers,€Š ° Šą0  ąą ° ąą  ą(ņņŌ_ŌIgawenŌ_Ōóó),€slaves€(ņņŌ_ŌLeššabidŌ_Ōóó);Š š(#(# ŠĢą0  ąŌ_ŌPulaarŌ_Ō€community:€€nobles€(ņņŌ_ŌToroobeŌ_Ōóó€and€ņņŌ_ŌSebbeŌ_Ōóó),€blacksmiths€(ņņŌ_ŌWaylubeŌ_Ōóó),€storytellers,Š €Š Š(ņņŌ_ŌAwlubeŌ_Ōóó)€and€slaves€(ņņŌ_ŌMaccubeŌ_Ōóó);ŠpĄ(#(# ŠĢą0  ąŌ_ŌSoninkeŌ_Ō€community:€€nobles€(ņņŌ_ŌTunbaŌ_Ō€Ō_ŌLemmeŌ_Ōóó€and€ņņŌ_ŌModiniŌ_Ōóó),€blacksmiths€(ņņŌ_ŌToggoŌ_Ōóó),€story€tellers,Š P   Š(ņņŌ_ŌJaariŌ_Ōóó€and€ņņŌ_ŌGasaruŌ_Ōóó)€and€slaves€(ņņŌ_ŌJunkuroŌ_Ōóó€and€ņņŌ_ŌKomoŌ_Ōóó);Š@ (#(# ŠĢą0  ąWolof€community:€€nobles€(ņņŌ_ŌGeerŌ_Ōóó€or€ņņŌ_ŌGarmiŌ_Ōóó),€blacksmiths€(ņņŌ_ŌTeggŌ_Ōóó),€story€tellers€(ņņŌ_ŌGewelŌ_Ōóó)€andŠ  p  Šslaves€(ņņŌ_ŌJaamŌ_Ōóó).Š` (#(# ŠĢą  ąš šThis€information€is€not€exhaustive€since€there€are€other€social€categories,€but,€in€general,Š š@  Šthese€four€communities€were€divided,€in€principle,€into€three€main€groups:€€freemen,€professionalsŠ ą0  Šand€slaves.€€However,€today€that€no€longer€has€any€relevance€to€the€rights€and€duties€of€anyŠ Š  ŠMauritanian€citizen,€and€no€one€can€cite€evidence€claiming€to€be€a€victim€of€discrimination€owingŠ Ą Što€the€fact€that€he€belongs€to€some€former€category€or€other.€€Citizens€are€treated€without€anyŠ ° Šdiscrimination€at€school,€in€health€care,€in€the€civil€service€and€in€other€political,€economic,€socialŠ  š Šand€cultural€sectors.Š ą ŠĢą  ąš šAccordingly,€nothing€is€further€from€the€truth€than€the€ššreportsšš€of€discrimination€ššbased€onŠ pĄ Šdescentšš€relayed€by€the€Committee.€€It€is€certainly€true€that€some€individuals€who€descended€fromŠ `° Šformer€feudal€strata€still€consider€themselves€more€noble€than€others€and€may,€for€example,€refuseŠ P  Šmarriage€on€this€basis.€€However,€such€attitudes€cannot€be€considered€ššslavery-like€practicesšš,€andŠ @ Šif,€in€general,€the€situation€in€societies€with€a€similar€or€even€more€advanced€level€of€economic€andŠ 0€ Šsocial€development€is€considered,€the€role€played€today€in€political€life,€in€government€and€in€theŠ  p Šprivate€sectorby€Mauritanian€citizens€who€are€descendants€of€former€slaves€provides€a€modelŠ ` Šofintegration€and€social€advancement.€€In€view€of€all€these€factual€elements,€the€recommendationsŠ P Šaddressed€to€the€State€party€at€the€end€of€paragraph€342€are€redundant.Š š@ ŠĢą  ąš šThis€is€also€true€of€paragraph€343,€since€the€Mauritanian€Government€has€no€intention€ofŠ Š  Šreopening€past€divisions€or€making€the€slightest€distinction€between€citizens€below€the€poverty€line.€Š Ą! ŠSpecial€measures€were€taken€in€the€1980s€following€recommendations€by€the€expert€from€the€Sub„Š °"  ŠCommission€on€Prevention€of€Discrimination€and€Protection€of€Minorities.€€These€measures€wereŠ  #š! Šcited€in€document€E/CN.4/Sub.2/1987/23€and€were€recalled€in€the€written€replies€to€the€RapporteurššsŠ $ą" Šquestions.Š €%Š # ŠĢą  ąš šMauritania€is€the€first€sub„Saharan€African€country€to€have€adopted€an€integrated€povertyŠ `'°"% Šreduction€strategy,€the€objectives€of€which€were€expounded€on€in€the€report.€€TheGovernment€willŠ P( #& Šcontinue€to€make€every€effort€to€attain€the€ambitious€targets€set€for2015.Š @)$' ŠĢą  ąš šWith€regard€to€the€reference€in€paragraph€338€to€civil€society,€last€July€the€Economic€andŠ  +p&) ŠSocial€Council€selected€Mauritania€as€a€model€in€this€regard.€€Hundreds€of€national€and€non-nationalŠ ,`'* Šnon-governmental€organizations€operate€without€hindrance€in€all€areas€of€activity.€€The€LutheranŠ -P(+ ŠWorld€Federation€is€responsible€for€implementation€of€the€component€on€the€promotion€of€humanŠ š-@), Šrights€and€the€strengthening€of€civil€society€capacities€under€the€national€good€governanceŠ ° Šprogramme.€€The€organizations€referred€to€by€the€Committee€have€not€been€recognized€simplyŠ  š Šbecause€they€are€constituted€on€a€restricted€basis.€€Article€2€(e)€enjoins€States€parties€to€promoteŠ ą Šintegration€and€ššto€discourage€anything€which€tends€to€strengthen€racial€divisionšš.Š €Š ŠĢą  ąš šOrder€No.€091/024€of€25€July€1991,€referred€to€in€paragraph€340,€is€in€accordance€withŠ ` ° Šarticle€4€of€the€Convention.€€It€prohibits€any€political€party€from€ššidentifying€itself€with€a€race,€anŠ P   Šethnic€group,€a€region,€a€tribe,€(one€sex)€or€a€brotherhoodšš.€€This€provision€is€of€particularŠ @  Šimportance€in€young€democracies€and,€at€a€time€when€several€countries€are€devastated€by€civil€war,Š 0 € Šthe€Mauritanian€State€will€always€ensure€its€strict€but€fair€implementation.Š  p  ŠĢą  ąš šParagraph€341€catalogues€Mauritanian€citizens€and€creates€a€new€category€(ššblack€Moorsšš).€Š P  ŠThis€fragmented€view€of€Mauritanian€society€is€reflected€in€paragraph336,€which€questions€the€ArabŠ š@  Šorigin€of€the€majority€of€the€Mauritanian€people€by€replacing€it€with€an€ambiguous€concept€(ššArabic„Š ą0  Šspeaking€groupšš).€€It€is€the€responsibility€of€the€Government,€on€the€contrary,€to€strengthen€nationalŠ Š  Šcohesion€and€to€consolidate€national€unity.€€And,€as€indicated€in€the€reply€to€question€8,Š Ą ŠMauritanians€gain€access€to€administrative€posts€on€the€basis€of€professional€criteria€and€to€politicalŠ ° Šposts€pursuant€to€free€and€transparent€elections.Š  š ŠĢą  ąš šThose€who€have€any€familiarity€with€the€history€of€Mauritania€will€know€that€education€wasŠ €Š Šavailable€first€in€the€southern€regions€which€are€home€to€the€Ō_ŌPulaarŌ_Ō,€Ō_ŌSoninkeŌ_Ō€and€Wolof€nationalŠ pĄ Šminorities.€€Early€on€Arabs€rejected€the€colonial€school€system€and€sent,€under€duress,€only€thoseŠ `° Šchildren€from€the€lowest€social€strata.€€This€irrefutable€historical€fact€contributed€to€the€advancementŠ P  Šof€national€minorities€and€formerly€disadvantaged€strata.Š @ ŠĢą  ąš šWith€regard€to€the€ššcastesšš€(observations,€para.€342),€the€social€system€that€prevailed€in€pre„Š  p Šcolonial€black€African€societies€was€characterized€by€a€strict€hierarchy,€but€one€that€wasŠ ` Šprogressively€eroded€under€the€influence€of€a€range€of€factors,€including€education,€destruction€ofŠ P Šthe€traditional€economy,€and€the€emergence€of€a€new€production€system.€€The€Arab€community€inŠ š@ ŠMauritania€is€the€only€one€in€the€Arab€world€to€have€adopted€this€social€stratification,€as€the€resultŠ ą0 Šof€its€interbreeding€and€overlapping€with€black€African€communities.€€This€ššcaste€systemšš€is€citedŠ Š  Što€support€the€allegation€that€ššslavery-like€practicesšš€persist,€and€to€revert€to€the€question€of€OrderŠ Ą! ŠNo.€81„234€of9November€1981€abolishing€slavery,€and€to€the€fact€that€it€was€not€followed€byŠ °"  Šimplementing€decrees.€€Reply€No.€13€provides€the€necessary€clarification€of€this€ššconcernšš.€€TheŠ  #š! Šorder€in€question€was€not€strictly€necessary€in€legal€terms€but€was€intended€to€mark€the€acceptanceŠ $ą" Šby€practitioners€of€Muslim€law€of€the€abolition€of€slavery€previously€enacted€under€positive€law.€Š €%Š # ŠAt€the€time€all€these€basic€legal€texts€were€reviewed€and€adapted€to€Islamic€law.€€Act€No.€2003„025Š p&Ą!$ Šof€17€July€2003€on€suppression€of€trafficking€in€persons€and€the€Labour€Code€(arts.€5€and€435)Š `'°"% Šcompleted€the€criminal€legislation€penalizing€forced€labour€and€slavery-like€practices.€€Accordingly,Š P( #& Šthe€law€is€clear,€and€the€courts€have€always€rigorously€implemented€it,€including€in€matters€relatingŠ @)$' Što€inheritance€(reply€No.€17).€€In€fact,€article€15€of€the€Constitution€clearly€guarantees€this€right€andŠ 0*€%( Šthere€are€no€cases€where€people€ššappropriate€the€property€of€š8š€former€slaves€when€they€diešš.€€TheŠ  +p&) ŠAfrican€Commission€on€Human€and€Peoplesšš€Rights€has€just€dismissed€allegations€by€non„Š ,`'* Šgovernmental€organizations€on€which€the€Committee€basedits€conclusions€in€the€case€put€forwardŠ -P(+ Šby€these€organizations€for€some€years€(BahŌ_ŌOuldŌ_ԁŌ_ŌRabahŌ_Ō/Mauritania€case).Š š-@), Їą  ąš šReplies€to€questions€Nos.€8,€9,€10,€11,€12,€13,€15,€16,€17€and€27€in€the€questionnaire€largelyŠ ° Šcover€the€allegations€of€ššslavery„like€practicesšš,€which€appear€as€a€leitmotif€in€both€the€questionnaireŠ  š Šand€the€concluding€observations.€€This€being€so,€and€contrary€to€the€assurances€given€by€theŠ ą ŠRapporteur€in€his€introduction€(1652nd€meeting)€to€the€effect€that€neither€the€Rapporteur€nor€theŠ €Š ŠCommittee€questioned€the€conclusions€of€the€fact-finding€mission€conducted€in€1984€by€the€Sub„Š pĄ ŠCommission€on€Prevention€of€Discrimination€and€Protection€of€Minorities,€the€concludingŠ ` ° Šobservations€repeat€baseless€allegations€and€thus€seek€to€cast€doubt€on€those€conclusions.€€HoweverŠ P   Šthe€mission€did€not€confine€itself€to€reading€and€repeating€allegations€that€reached€Geneva.€€TheŠ @  Šmission€travelled€to€Mauritania,€where€it€freely€conducted€its€enquiries€(E/CN.4/Sub.2/1984/23).Š 0 € ŠĢą  ąš šWith€regard€to€the€question€of€ššMauritanian€refugeesšš€(para.€344)€the€written€reply€by€theŠ `  ŠGovernment€is€clear:€€today€no€Mauritanian€can€be€described€as€a€refugee€under€the€relevantŠ P  Šconventions.€€The€Government€notes€that€this€issue€was€raised€during€consideration€of€its€initialŠ š@  Šreport€in€1999,€but€the€Committee€did€not€reflect€this€in€its€concluding€observations.Š ą0  ŠĢą  ąš šThe€ššconcernsšš€raised€in€paragraphs€346€and€347€relate€to€areas€in€which€Mauritania€isŠ Ą Šplaying€a€leading€role.€€In€fact€Ō_ŌUNFPAŌ_Ō€and€UNICEF€consider€its€experience€a€model€inŠ ° Šimplementing€the€recommendations€of€the€International€Conference€on€Population€and€DevelopmentŠ  š Šin€efforts€to€combat€female€genital€mutilation.Š ą ŠĢą  ąš šWith€regard€to€the€Ō_ŌPulaarŌ_Ō,€Ō_ŌSoninkeŌ_Ō€and€Wolof€languages,€the€countries€in€WestAfrica€whereŠ pĄ Šthese€are€the€majority€languages€have€not€made€any€more€progress€than€Mauritania.€€The€changesŠ `° Šmade€in€1999€in€the€context€of€education€reform€have€allowed€lessons€to€be€drawn€from€20€yearsššŠ P  Šexperience,€and€the€Government€has€in€fact€responded€to€the€ššexpectationsšš€of€the€population€groupsŠ @ Šconcerned,€contrary€to€the€allegation€in€paragraph€348.Š 0€ ŠĢą  ąš šParagraph€349€leaves€no€doubt€as€to€the€fallacious€nature€of€the€sources€on€which€theŠ ` ŠCommittee€has€based€its€concerns,€and€offers€proof€that€these€are€nothing€more€than€a€set€of€wildŠ P Šallegations.€€In€fact€the€Committee€recommends€that€the€State€party€maintain€a€language€which€isŠ š@ Šnot€spoken€in€Mauritania,€with€a€ššcommunity€concernedšš€that€simply€does€not€exist.Š ą0 ŠĢą  ąš šAll€these€considerations€lead€the€Mauritanian€Government€to€question€the€methodologyŠ Ą! Šfollowed€by€the€Committee€in€considering€its€report:Š °"  ŠĢą0  ąA€public€debate,€open,€fruitful€and€frank,€during€which€members,€in€particular€theŠ $ą" ŠRapporteur,€praised€the€efforts€and€progress€made€by€the€State€party;Š€%Š #(#(# ŠĢą  ąA€private€meeting€following€which€conclusions€based€on€fallacious€allegations€are€adopted;Š `'°"% Šą0  ąCertain€ššconcernsšš,€such€as€the€question€of€inheritance,€were€not€even€raised€in€theŠ P( #& Šdiscussions;Š@)$'(#(# ŠĢą  ąOther€ššconcernsšš,€including€the€question€of€ššrefugeesšš,€were€raised€by€one€member€only.Š  +p&) ŠĢą  ąš šThe€Committee€should€first€be€consistent€by€taking€account€of€its€earlier€concludingŠ -P(+ Šobservations,€and,€where€the€situation€in€a€State€party€has€on€the€whole,€improved€each€review€isŠ š-@), Šsupposed€to€note€the€progress€made.€€In€the€case€of€Mauritania€this€logic€has€not€prevailed,€since,Š ° Šdespite€the€progress€made€over€the€past€five€years€in€the€legal,€political,€economic,€and€socialŠ  š Šspheres,€progress€summarized€in€the€delegationššs€introduction,€certain€conclusions€adoptedŠ ą Šcontradict€those€adopted€in€1999,€whereas€others€refer€to€ššconcernsšš€going€back€10€years€but€notŠ €Š Šcommented€on€at€the€time€of€the€Committeeššs€consideration€of€the€previous€report.€€The€RapporteurŠ pĄ Šacknowledged€this€progress€in€his€introduction,€stressing€the€favourable€developments€ššin€a€contextŠ ` ° Šof€consolidated€stability€and€appreciable€economic€and€social€progressšš.€€This€judgement€is€far€fromŠ P   Šbeing€reflected€in€the€concluding€observations,€which€are€more€of€an€indictment€than€generalŠ @  Šsuggestions€and€recommendations€based€on€consideration€of€the€report€and€information€receivedŠ 0 € Šfrom€the€State€party.€€The€Committee€must,€rather,€adopt€a€constructive€approach€and€monitorŠ  p  Šprogress€in€societies,€and€may€not€on€each€occasion€revert€to€questions€debated€at€length€in€the€pastŠ `  Šand€resolved,€either€by€the€Committee€or€by€other€competent€mechanisms.€€It€must€also€adoptŠ P  Šconclusions€that€reflect€its€public€deliberations,€and€the€contribution€and€analysis€of€all€its€members,Š š@  Šnot€the€personal€views€of€one€member.€€These€conditions€are€essential€to€the€establishment€of€aŠ ą0  Šclimate€of€confidence€in€dialogue€with€any€State€party.€€The€final€remarks€made€on€9€August€byŠ Š  ŠtheRapporteur€on€the€conclusion€of€the€Committeeššs€consideration€of€the€report€of€Mauritania€hadŠ Ą Šleft€the€Government€with€the€impression€that€such€a€climate€existed€with€regard€to€its€situation.€€ThisŠ ° Šstatement€faithfully€reflected€the€Committeeššs€public€deliberations.€€But€the€concluding€observationsŠ  š Šwere€different,€giving€the€impression€that€there€were€two€parallel€and€totally€disconnected€processesŠ ą Šinvolved.€€The€Mauritanian€Government€deeply€regrets€this€development€and€expresses€its€concernŠ €Š Šat€this€divergence.€€However,€that€does€not€in€any€way€undermine€its€commitment€to€theŠ pĄ ŠInternational€Convention€on€the€Elimination€of€All€Forms€of€Racial€Discrimination.€€The€principlesŠ `° Šof€non„discrimination€and€equality€constitute€the€basis€of€Islam,€the€religion€of€the€MauritanianŠ P  Špeople,€and€are€enshrined€in€the€Constitution€and€basic€legal€instruments€of€Mauritania.€€They€alsoŠ @ Šconstitute€the€basis€for€the€Governmentššs€commitment€vis„„vis€its€people€on€behalf€of€all€itsŠ 0€ Šcitizens,€without€distinction€as€to€origin,€race,€sex€or€social€status.ššŠ  p ŠĢ______________________Š P ŠŌ‡ XźXXXźŌŌUKUS.,ŌĢņņNotesóóŠ ą0 ŠĢņņ1óó/€€See€paragraphs€328„357€of€the€present€report.€€The€comments€refer€to€the€unedited€version€of€theŠ Ą! Šconcluding€observations.Ō#†XźXX Xź@‚#ŌŌUS.,UK.,_‚ŌŌCEUS.,ŌŠ °"  ŠŌUS.,CE.,gƒŌĢ