Emily Hobhouse and the reports on the concentration camps during the Boer War 1899 - 1902

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The black spot in the picture is the frightful mortality in the Concentration Camps. While many explanations and excuses exist, they do not provide an adequate defense. The Civil authorities faced a problem not of their making, which they could not adequately address. It became clear that the high mortality rate was not just a result of the initial formation of the camps and the influx of sick and starving individuals, but was a continuing issue. This ongoing tragedy condemns the Camp system, which I now believe was a mistake. Alfred Milner to Joseph Chamberlain, December 7th, 1901. The British scorched earth policy during the latter phase of the Anglo-Boer War led to the destruction of farms and the internment of the civilian population in concentration camps, where mainly women and children suffered from malnutrition and diseases like measles, pneumonia, and typhoid. Nearly 28,000 white Boers died, shocking the English public. Figures like Lloyd George and Campbell-Bannerman criticized the government's actions, while Emily Hobhouse became the first civilian to investigate camp conditions. The government responded by sending a ladies' commission led by Millicent Garrett Fawcett to South Africa. Birgit Seibold's study is the first to compare the unofficial and official reports on the camps, offering insights into the conditions in each of the thirty-three white concentration camps. Based on first-hand research among the Hobhou