Hommam Al Nassim 
The French Deputy Carlos Martinez-Belongo announced the completion of the legal framework allowing for the return of the skulls of Algerian resistance fighters from French museums to Algeria.
During his visit to Algeria, Belongo explained that France adopted a decree last December allowing for the return of human remains from its former colonies to their countries, including the file of the skulls of the resistance fighters demanded by Algeria.
The decree stipulates that the government should submit a report to parliament within a year, specifying possible solutions to establish a permanent procedure for returning the human remains held in museums.
This step comes after a proposal made on November 22 by a deputy from the Left Party in the French parliament, which called for the unconditional return of Algerians’ remains for dignified burial.
Belongo affirmed that these skulls belong to a dark colonial period and were horrifically incorporated into the national property. He added that displaying human remains as cultural artifacts after the atrocious practices inflicted upon their owners cannot be justified.
One provision in the proposed law obligates the administrative authority to hand over the 13 skulls to Algeria within a month of the law’s enactment.
Algeria received the first batch of skulls in July 2020, which were buried in the Martyrs’ Square in the capital. These skulls date back to the Algerian resistance during the nineteenth century and include prominent figures in Algerian history.
The issue of retrieving the skulls has remained a subject of discussion between the two countries, with French authorities citing legal procedures, until French President Emmanuel Macron decided to return some of the skulls in 2020.
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