text: view that it would have been easier for Haitian representatives to attend had the Committee's session been held in New York. 285. Members of the Committee, having noted that the reports merited the Committee's positive appreciation, stated thatconsideration of the Haitian reports was particularly important from a human rights standpoint, since that country was troubled by problems other than those relating strictly to racial discrimination, including extreme poverty, inequalities between the rural and urban population, great insecurity with the activities of the "Tontons Macoutes" - who remained to be disarmed, summary executions and acts of torture, including recent attacks on human rights activists. Another crucial problem was that of ensuring security during the forthcoming elections and the regularity of those elections, about which it was -66- hoped that full details would be provided in the next report. Members also expected that that would include further information on the general situation Prevailing in the country, on demographic composition of the Haitian society, on the relationship between the black, mulatto and white populations, Members were also interested to know whether there was or was not some form of racial discrimination in the business sphere. Members also sought further clarification Of the statement that racial discrimination, as defined in article 1 of the Convention, did not exist in Haiti, contained in the reports, and they pointed out that relevant provisions of article 1 were to be seen in conjunction with those of article 4 of the Convention. 286. The fifth and Sixth periodic reports of Italy, combined in a single document (CRRDJC/156/Add.l), and the seventh periodic report‘of Italy (CRRD/C/l8WAdd*R) were considered by the Committee at its 880th meeting, on 17 August 1990 (CERWWSR. 880). 287. In his introductory statement, the representative of the State party said that the Government of Italy was currently confronted with new situations linked with 
analysis: The text appears to be discussing a United Nations committee's review of a country's human rights situation, specifically in Haiti. The committee is concerned with issues such as poverty, security, and racial discrimination, which suggests that the focus is on human rights and social issues rather than economic or environmental topics.