ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 94

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED MAY 6, 1996

 

 

By Assemblyman CORODEMUS, Assemblywoman FARRAGHER, Assemblyman T. Smith, Assemblywoman J. Smith, Assemblymen Azzolina, Arnone, Romano, Assemblywoman Turner, Assemblymen Gusciora, Rocco, Gregg, Collins, Lance, Malone, Assemblywoman Heck, Assemblymen Kramer, DiGaetano, Bucco, Assemblywoman Myers, Assemblymen Cottrell, Wolfe, Holzapfel, Connors and Carroll

 

 

An Assembly Resolution denouncing the enslavement of black Africans in Mauritania and Sudan and calling for the worldwide abolishment of present-day slavery.

 

Whereas, The enslavement of black Africans continues today in the African countries of Mauritania and Sudan; and

Whereas, In the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, which has the largest population of slaves in the world, Arab/Berber rulers own 90,000 to 100,000 black African slaves and they continue to be served by another 300,000 "freed" slaves due to the slaves' economic and psychological dependence; and

Whereas, The masters of these Mauritanian slaves consider the slaves their personal property and use them as domestic laborers, as farmhands, as breeders, and for sex, as well as exchange them for goods, sell them and export them; and

Whereas, For minor infringements of rules imposed by their masters, Mauritanian slaves are beaten, denied food, and, with their hands and feet bound, exposed to the sun for prolonged periods and for more serious infringements are subjected to various methods of torture; and

Whereas, In the Islamic Republic of Sudan, government-backed Arab militias raid black Christian villages, shoot the men and force the women and children into servitude or exchange, sell or export them; and

Whereas, Anti-slavery activists and scholars decry the lack of public awareness of the existence of slavery and exhort legislators, human rights and civil rights organizations, journalists, and other leaders to make the abolition of modern day slavery a top priority; and

Whereas, The Congressional Black Caucus, chaired by New Jersey Representative Donald Payne, has declared its opposition to African slavery and New Jersey Representative Dick Zimmer has introduced a bill in Congress, co-sponsored by Representative Payne, that would eliminate American aid to Mauritania until the practice of slavery there has ceased, and Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank has introduced legislation requiring the United States to act against nations who condone slavery; now, therefore,

 

    Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. This House denounces the enslavement of black Africans in Mauritania and Sudan and supports efforts to increase the public's awareness of the continuing existence of slavery in some parts of the world.

 

    2. This House also calls for the complete abolition of present-day slavery wherever it is practiced and encourages Congress to pass legislation requiring action against any country condoning human bondage.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    The enslavement of black Africans is flourishing today in the African countries of Mauritania and Sudan. Blacks in these countries are routinely taken as property, forced into servitude, exchanged, sold as commodities, and exported. Anti-slavery activists and scholars deplore the lack of attention this issue has commanded and urge legislators, human rights and civil rights organizations, journalists, and other leaders to make one of their priorities the abolition of slavery.

    This resolution denounces slavery in Africa and calls for increased public awareness concerning the issue. It also calls for the abolition of all present-day slavery anywhere it continues to exist and encourages Congress to pass legislation requiring action to be taken against any country that condones slavery.

 

 

                             

 

Denounces the enslavement of black Africans in Mauritania and Sudan.