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L'Administrateur du Cercle de Kayes (H.
Bonnassier)
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| © 1999 by Jim Jones, Ph.D. |
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This is the report of the initial inquiry into the charges made by the Ligue Fran‡aise pour la Défense des Droits de l'Homme et des Citoyens (French League for the Protection of Human Rights and Civil Liberties).
(p2) The railroad administration completely rejected the charges of abuse of workers. Europeans work a 7-8 hour day and Africans work 9-10 hours. In addition, everyone got a least three consecutive hours of break.
(p3) Camps were chosen with care and provided with vegetable gardens.
(p4) In response to the charge that quinine was made available in quantities that were too small, the administrator responded that quinine was provided everyday in small doses because that was the proper way to administer it. Qunine was available to both Europeans and any African who asked for it.
(p5) During the period when ships were unloaded at Kayes, Africans came from as much as 300 kilometers away because the job was well-paid. When they arrived at the beginning of the season, the administration helped them built "une veritable village" with metal roofs, provided regular doctor's visits and advanced them grain.