Algeria begins process to have resistance fighter skulls returned by France

Algeria has submitted an official request to the French government to begin the process for the return of the skulls of Algerian resistance fighters held at the Musée de l’Homme in Paris, Tout Sur l’Algerie has reported. The request was reportedly made this week by the Algerian ambassador in Paris, Abdelkader Mesdoua.

The move comes after French President Emmanuel Macron announced during his visit to Algeria last month that he was “ready” to begin procedures to restore the skulls as well as official archives from the war. France has maintained strict secrecy around the documents to-date, despite repeated requests from Algiers for their release.

“I hope we will revive the relationship with the memorial work between our two countries, that the return of the skulls is decided, I will decide, I am ready,” Macron told Tout Sur l’Algerie.

Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia hailed the decision as a “breakthrough” at the time. He added that the two countries will “continue to discuss” the gradual “restitution” of these archives which will not be used to “lock up Algerian-French relations in the past but to lighten the common approach to the future, give more spirit, taking care of some problems that we have.”

Macron’s money mission in moving beyond Algeria’s past

Algeria has continually called on France to apologise officially for its 132 years of colonial occupation, which it describes as the genocide of its people and eradication of its culture. France, however, has refused to do so. During a visit to Algiers in February last year, the then presidential candidate Macron made headlines in the country and France after he referred to France’s colonial period as “crimes against humanity” and barbarism. In his first official visit to the former colony as President, though, he told Algerians that they should move on from the past and focus on the future.