The War Museum of the Boer Republics in Bloemfontein has put the half-told story of Indians and their significant contribution in the South African War, also known as the Anglo-Boer War, into perspective by publishing a journal.
Titled Caught in the Crossfire: Indian involvement in the South African War: 1899-1902, it was officially launched on Friday, 11 April, at the museum.
The museum’s work on the Indians’ involvement in the Anglo-Boer War includes a documentary.
World-renowned Indian human rights activist and attorney Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) features as a prominent torchbearer in the war, under the British Empire.
The role is documented in the story of more than 1 900 Indian stretcher-bearers, as the Natal Indian Ambulance Corps.
The journal’s launch saw the handing over of the book and a painting of Gandhi to Shri Prabhat Kumar, high commissioner of India, as well as the unveiling of a bronze statue of Gandhi. Tokkie Pretorius, director of the museum, handed over the journal, while Adv. Charlie Naidoo, council member of the War Museum, did so for the painting. India’s Shadow and Light, the contemporary-classical duo of Anindo Bose and Pavithra Chari, performed at the occasion.
“We do not glorify war – we strive to show its horrors. We focus on youth, and we also have a contemporary message of what we did. The work started in 2009, to paint a true picture of the South Africa war and nations involved,” said Pretorius.
“The publication is a big step to acknowledge all the communities, and the Indian community both from India and South Africa, who were not recognized after the war, despite their involvement.
“What we believe in is that the Indian story should be told by the Indian people themselves.”
Pretorius stressed that a true history of the Anglo-Boer War should include the roles of Boers, Indians and communities such as the Zulu, Xhosa, Bakgatla, Shangaan, Swazi, as well as the Basotho people.
“Winston Churchill was also there as a war correspondent, as was Gandhi, providing crucial humanitarian relief to wounded soldiers of both sides,” said Pretorius.
“The publication on the Indian involvement in the South Africa War will foster a new outlook on the subject that has been neglected for years, and it will bring to light the sacrifices and hardships Indian people experienced during the war, especially South African Indians,” said Kumar, in turn.
He said the historic importance of the event ties in with marking the 165th year since Indians first arrived in South Africa in 1860, in a ship carrying labourers.
Attesting to the Indian people’s participation in the war, Gandhi said: “When the war was declared, my personal sympathies were all with the Boers, but I believed then that I had yet no right, in such cases, to enforce my individual convictions.
“Suffice it to say that my loyalty to the British rule drove me to participation with the British in that war. I felt that, if I demanded rights as a British citizen, it was also my duty, as such, to participate in the defense of the British Empire.
“I held then that India could achieve her complete emancipation only within and through the British Empire.
“So, I collected together as many comrades as possible, and with very great difficulty got their services accepted as an ambulance corp.”
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