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The British African Front (renamed from English Front for Liberty) was an organisation that stood for the rights of Anglo Africans (non-racist British descendants in Africa), who are sidelined and ignored by the South African, Namibian and Zimbabwean governments. Here, the term "British" does not refer the British Isles, but to subjects of the British Crown.

In the early 21st century, Ben Castle of the British African Front campaigned for recognition of the Anglo African people and is credited by some people for the phrases 'Anglo African' and 'British African' that he used interchangeably. His actual identity is unknown; 'Ben Castle' being one of many aliases - though he claims to be the son of a Rhodesian.

Fears

Since the fall of aparthied, the new ANC-dominated government has not been in favour of strong ethnic identity, but wishes for all South Africans to pull together as one for the sake of unity. It forced Afrikaner universities to use the ligua franca of English.

In mid-2001 the Freedom Front appealed to the United Nations Human Rights Commission about murder that "had taken on the shape of an ethnic massacre". Freedom Front leader, Pieter Mulder, claimed that most farm attacks seemed orchestrated, and that the motive for the attacks was not only criminal. Mulder further claimed that "People accused of murdering Afrikaners were often applauded by supporters during court appearances". The chant "Kill the Boer" is not uncommon.

Regarding complaints by Anglo Africans about the poor standard of English language on SABC flagship radio station, SAfm, racist Current Affairs producer Kenosi Modisani, as quoted in The Independent, said: "If they don’t like it they can go back to England." [202]

In fear of a political situation developing alike that in Zimbabwe, considerable numbers of Anglo Africans and Afrikaners have fled South Africa, taking skills with them. This is referred to as the "brain drain" or "white flight".

Partriotism

Ben Castle began the development of a flag for the Anglo African people, and was later supported by the Flags of the World database and various vexiologists. There was talk on internet forums of an anthem, but this never fully materialised.

His newspaper ran for almost a year, criticising Mbeki and Tony Blair for their silence on Mugabe's oppression of white farmers.

British Africa aim

Ben Castle promoted the idea of the British African 'volkstaat' (Afrikaans for 'nation-state') based on the four principles that the VryheidsFront submitted on September 1993 for the creation of a volkstaat. Based on these, the British African Front required self-rule as:
<li>1. A separate constitutional and judicial system devoid of discrimination,</li>
<li>2. Separate defence and police forces, </li>
<li>3. The right to levy taxes, and </li>
<li>4. The unquestioned right to secede from the Republic of South Africa in the case of irreconcilable differences.</li>



Referring to the accent and pronunciation of English by Anglo Africans, a reader of the Sowetan, a newspaper popular with black South Africans, made the comment, "The only place for this band of English speakers is an English Volkstaat." [203]

Ben Castle intended for a homeland to be acknowledged in the Anglo African heartland known as Albany [204] [205], which comprises the western half of Eastern Cape province in South Africa. The proposal also included Queenstown and East London in the neighbouring Amatola region. With the exception of the Alice township near the neighbouring Xhosa heartland, the proposed area is predominantly Anglo African. He pressured for the region to become an enormous gated community, rather alike the Kibbutzum in Israel as a stepping-stone to however much self-rule was possible.

He intended of a local national assembly, rather alike that of the Scottish Assembly. Granting Albany the status of province would have basically split the Eastern Cape province in two, with Albany province on the west, and to the east, the Xhosa territory that Ben Castle suggested naming KwaXhosa. He proposed the whole of South Africa be broken into ethnic regions, alike the United Kingdom. However, Eastern Cape council, overlooking Anglo Africans, proposed renaming the whole Eastern Cape province KwaXhosa, but United Democratic Movement provincial spokesperson said: "We must have a unifying name and not marginalise some groups while promoting others." [206]

He also planned to include outposts in Natal Bay, the top of the Rand and the Zimbabwean Midlands. His proposal was for a capital in Grahamstown, which is home to the Rhodes University. Rhodes is a key figure in Anglo African history and the university is the authority on South African English. He suggested it would be part of the Commonwealth of Nations and requested the British government support.

He also proposed that the South African government grant the Albany region even the status of a 'Mukiwastan' - the white equivalent of a Bantustan. Ben Castle spoke of the Nunavat district in Canada. He strongly criticised the British governments for supporting Northern Ireland, Gibraltar and the Falklands, while ignoring Anglo Africans. He formed links with some the Afrikaner volkstaat movements and other separatist movements around the world.

Demise

The British African Front, closed down due to a lack of public support and due to the conclusion by its leader, Ben Castle, that such a campaign was not going to achieve the freedom so yearned for. He lost interest in politics, saying humans lack the power to truly sort the world's problems. The legacy he left is a reaffirmed identity of the Anglo African people.

References

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/za}eng.html

See also

Whites in South Africa

Anglo-African

Anglo-America

Anglosphere

Afrikaner

Boer Republics

Homeland

Home Rule

Orania

Separatism

Ethnic nationalism