Britain’s 20th-Century Concentration Camps in Africa

The British authorities controversially used concentration camps for civilians during the Boer War (1899-1902) in Southern Africa. The reason was to deprive Boer guerrilla fighters of logistical support and provide some sort of accommodation for Boer families who had lost their homes and livelihoods. A lack of planning led to overcrowded camps where rations were poor and sanitary conditions even worse, a situation which led to epidemics of diseases like typhoid. During the war, up to 28,000 Boers (80% of whom were children) and 20,000 Black Africans died in the concentration camps due to malnutrition and disease.