The Congo : a report of the Commission of enquiry appointed by the Congo Free State government

This official inquiry examines the administration of the Congo Free State and investigates whether local people were subjected to mistreatment by government agents or private individuals. Appointed in 1904, the commission was instructed to discover the truth, identify practical remedies, and recommend reforms aimed at the welfare of the inhabitants and the proper government of the territory.

The report introduces the commission’s methods, authority, and journey from Antwerp to Boma before turning to the major issues under examination: land policy and freedom of trade, taxation, military expeditions, private concessions, depopulation, abandoned infants, the recruitment of soldiers and laborers, and the administration of justice. Drawing on testimony gathered under broad legal powers, it presents a detailed, sober investigation into the structures and practices governing colonial life, while also proposing further measures for oversight and change.