French FM: “Algeria Did Not Send A Formal Request To Retrieve Resistance Leaders' Skulls”

France is waiting to receive “a formal request from Algeria” on the subject of giving back skulls, which is supposed to reach at a later stage, some legislative action leading to giving back skulls of resistance leaders in the Musée de l’Homme, in France, Romain Nadal, a spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry said.

This came in statements to the Turkish agency “Anatolia”, on Friday, as the spokesman asserted that Paris and Algiers “are cooperating in the framework of a climate of trust, to give back the skulls of Algerian resistance fighters, and they hold, since several months ago, talks to give back the remains of Algerian freedom fighters, who were killed during the French colonization in Algeria in 1830 “.

Nadal spoke about the French law of May,18, 2010, about giving back the skulls of “Maori” that existed in French museums to the country of origin which is New Zealand, meaning that if there will be an agreement between Algeria and France about the skulls, this would require a new law that is issued by the National Assembly (parliament).

According to the same source, this law which “authorizes France to give back the Maori skulls to the country of origin, determines the procedures of giving back the properties to overseas, after separating them from the French heritage.

“It is expected that the French Scientific Committee will interfere in this process, and will give its opinion to the parliament on the separation of these properties (skulls)”.

“La Musée de l’Homme in Paris is also expected to interfere in the process of giving back the skulls of Algeria resistance fighters”.

“Both countries hold close dialogue, and work within the framework of a climate of trust, on all the memory issues, including giving back over 50 skulls that were held by Paris in metal cabinets in the museum, away from visitors”.

“Owners of over 500 of those skulls were identified, including 36 skulls that belong to the leaders of the Algerian resistance who were killed and beheaded by the French colonial forces in Algeria in the nineteenth century, and then were transferred to the French capital Paris for political and anthropological motives”.

Previously, Algerian activists, launched an online petition, in order to restore the skulls to their country, in order to bury them properly”.

Skulls are placed in cartons in metal cabinets, and are exposed in the French museum, as the museum director said they are no more exposed after the intensification of the controversy in the media.

They belong to the leaders of the Algerian Popular Resistance, who were killed during the French colonization of Algeria (1830/1954).

Among those martyrs Mohammad Lamdjed Ben Abdelmalek, who is known as Charif Boubaghla and Sheikh Bouziane, commanderof Zaatecha resistance in 1849.