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The Committee recalls that in its previous requests, it referred to the comments it made in 1983 concerning the application of Convention No. 117, regarding alleged abuses in the payment of wages to agricultural workers, in such forms as the pay stoppages and delay in the payment of wages as a means of inducing workers to remain in agricultural establishments, and the non-payment of wages due and advances on wages, which cause indebtedness among the workers and compel them to remain in the service of landowners until their debts are written off. These allegations were presented in August 1977 by the Anti-slavery Society for the Protection of Human Rights to the Working Group on Slavery of the United Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. The Committee notes with regret that the Government has not supplied information in this respect and again requests the Government to indicate whether it has conducted investigations into the above-mentioned allegations and to provide any available information.

The Committee is also addressing a direct request to the Government concerning certain points.