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Five activists on trial in France for trying to seize African funeral staff from museum | Five activists on trial in France for trying to seize African funeral staff from museum |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Critics accuse the French state of not doing enough to restitute artefacts they feel were stolen | Critics accuse the French state of not doing enough to restitute artefacts they feel were stolen |
Five activists have gone on trial in Paris for trying to remove a funeral staff from France’s pre-eminent indigenous art museum as part of a campaign to pressure the government into restituting items they claim were stolen. | Five activists have gone on trial in Paris for trying to remove a funeral staff from France’s pre-eminent indigenous art museum as part of a campaign to pressure the government into restituting items they claim were stolen. |
Emery Mwazulu Diyabanza, 41, led the operation at the Quai Branly museum last June, condemning “the pillage of Africa”. | Emery Mwazulu Diyabanza, 41, led the operation at the Quai Branly museum last June, condemning “the pillage of Africa”. |
“We’re taking it home,” he said in a video posted on social media after removing the 19th-century funeral staff and parading it around the building. | “We’re taking it home,” he said in a video posted on social media after removing the 19th-century funeral staff and parading it around the building. |
Since then Diyabanza has staged similar operations at indigenous art museums in the southern French city of Marseille and in Berg en Dal in the Netherlands. | Since then Diyabanza has staged similar operations at indigenous art museums in the southern French city of Marseille and in Berg en Dal in the Netherlands. |
“We had no intention of stealing this work, but we will continue as long as the injustice of pillaging Africa has not been remedied,” Diyabanza told AFP ahead of the trial. | “We had no intention of stealing this work, but we will continue as long as the injustice of pillaging Africa has not been remedied,” Diyabanza told AFP ahead of the trial. |
He and four others are charged with attempted theft of a registered artwork, and risked up to 10 years in prison and €150,000 (£136,000) in fines. | |
But prosecutors on Wednesday asked for fines of €1,000 against Diyabanza and €500 against his accomplices. | |
Diyabanza himself sued the French state after his arrest in June, accusing it of “theft and receiving stolen goods” in amassing a huge collection of native artworks beginning in the colonial era. | Diyabanza himself sued the French state after his arrest in June, accusing it of “theft and receiving stolen goods” in amassing a huge collection of native artworks beginning in the colonial era. |
However the presiding judge told the court: “We are here to judge an infringement, not to judge history.” | However the presiding judge told the court: “We are here to judge an infringement, not to judge history.” |
A verdict is expected on 14 October. | |
French officials condemned the stunt, which followed president Emmanuel Macron pledge, shortly after his election in May 2017, to look at the restitution of African cultural treasures. | French officials condemned the stunt, which followed president Emmanuel Macron pledge, shortly after his election in May 2017, to look at the restitution of African cultural treasures. |
France has since returned a ceremonial sword to Senegal and promised to return 26 dozen works to Benin – including a royal throne – that were seized by French troops in the late 19th century. | France has since returned a ceremonial sword to Senegal and promised to return 26 dozen works to Benin – including a royal throne – that were seized by French troops in the late 19th century. |
During a visit to Benin in December 2019, the former culture minister Franck Riester said the artworks would be returned “in the course of 2020, perhaps at the beginning of 2021”. | |
“The issue of restitution ... deserves a serious debate,” said Emmanuel Kasarherou, director of the Quai Branly, which is a civil party in the trial against Diyabanza. | “The issue of restitution ... deserves a serious debate,” said Emmanuel Kasarherou, director of the Quai Branly, which is a civil party in the trial against Diyabanza. |
Kasarherou, a member of the Kanak indigenous people from the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, this year became the first indigenous person ever to head a major French national museum. | Kasarherou, a member of the Kanak indigenous people from the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, this year became the first indigenous person ever to head a major French national museum. |
His museum “is documenting the origins of its collections and how they were obtained, and using this work as a basis, we can move forward,” he told AFP. | His museum “is documenting the origins of its collections and how they were obtained, and using this work as a basis, we can move forward,” he told AFP. |
Critics accuse the French state of not doing enough, citing the auction of sacred statues in Paris despite requests by Nigeria to halt the sale. | Critics accuse the French state of not doing enough, citing the auction of sacred statues in Paris despite requests by Nigeria to halt the sale. |
An expert report commissioned by Macron in 2018 counted some 90,000 African works in French museums, but suggested a “circulation” of some works between museums rather than an outright return, saying not all were pillaged or stolen. | An expert report commissioned by Macron in 2018 counted some 90,000 African works in French museums, but suggested a “circulation” of some works between museums rather than an outright return, saying not all were pillaged or stolen. |
“Macron has acknowledged the pillaging, but he’s the one who decides how many works are returned, and whether or not there should be a property transfer – it’s an insult for us,” Diyabanza said. | “Macron has acknowledged the pillaging, but he’s the one who decides how many works are returned, and whether or not there should be a property transfer – it’s an insult for us,” Diyabanza said. |
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