Kitchener’s opinion on Concentration Camps

During Anglo-Boer War 2 (also called South African War) between the two former Boer Republics (the South African Republic and the Orange Free State Republic) and Britain from 1899-1902, the British forces, according to the "scorched earth" policy, herded White women and children and Blacks living in the country into concentration camps. Emily Hobhouse brought the dire conditions prevailing in the camps to the attention of the British parliament, resulting in the appointment of a Ladies' Commission (Fawset Commission) to investigate into conditions in the camps. Lord Kitchener, supreme commander of British forces in SA and responsible for the policy of farm-burning and camps, wrote in a letter concerning the Ladies' Commission: "... I doubt there being much for them to do here as the camps are very well looked after. Kendal Franks was quite astonished at the excellence of some of the camps ..." His observation is belied by the fact that about 28 000 Whites and 14 000 Blacks perished in the camps. Click here to read more on the plight of women and children in White concentration camps Click here for a chronology on Black concentration camps.