"Ownership of Ancient Human Remains by Institutions Causes Pain to Immigrant Communities"
British Museum Holds Over 6,000 Human Remains
The UK political sphere is pushing for measures to ban the exhibition or auction of human remains, such as Egyptian mummies, in museums.
According to the US CNN broadcast on the 14th (local time), the recent 'All-Party Parliamentary Group for African Reparations (APPG AR)' in the UK Parliament released a report urging a ban on the sale and exhibition of ancient human remains. The APPG AR pointed out in the report that "institutions such as the British Museum owning ancient human remains mainly looted during colonial rule are causing pain to immigrant (diaspora) communities."
The report stated, "People preserved as mummies were historically traded as luxury goods among the British and French upper classes," and criticized, "Recently, Egypt's preserved corpses have transformed into popular, ghost-haunted 'mummies,' which reduces Egypt's heritage to an exotic mystery for Western visitors." Currently, in the UK, only bodily tissues or remains of those who died less than 100 years ago are subject to legal regulation. Regarding this issue, the 'Human Tissue Act' was enacted in 2004, and since then, remains of the Maori and Australian Indigenous peoples have been repatriated to their home countries.
APPG AR proposed 14 measures, including ▲ banning the trade of human remains over 100 years old ▲ mandating immigrant representatives' participation in the National Museum Board.
The British Museum, representing the UK, is known to currently hold over 6,000 human remains exhibits. Regarding the push to ban the exhibition of human remains, the British Museum stated in a statement sent to CNN, "The museum keeps ethical obligations in mind and carefully complies with the 'Human Tissue Act 2004' and guidelines set by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to ensure that the human remains in its collection are always treated and exhibited with respect and dignity."
Meanwhile, indigenous leaders from Commonwealth countries previously sent a letter to the British royal family demanding the return of artifacts and remains, as well as an official apology and reparations for past British colonial rule. In May 2023, indigenous politicians and prominent figures from 12 Commonwealth countries delivered a letter titled 'Apology, Reparations, and Return of Artifacts and Remains' to Charles III. Those who joined this letter are indigenous representatives from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia.
They requested Charles III to "discuss reparations for indigenous oppression, resource plundering, and cultural denigration, and promise to return the wealth stolen and used to support the royal family to its original owners." They also demanded the return of remains, treasures, and artifacts held by the British Museum and others, stating that these were taken under the royal family's patronage by authorities empowered through centuries of genocide, slavery, discrimination, and racism.
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