‘We haven’t forgotten about the remains of our forefathers domiciled in Britain’

‘We haven’t forgotten about the remains of our forefathers domiciled in Britain’

Pretty Manyewe

Government yesterday confirmed the existence of human remains of Zimbabwean origins in the United Kingdom.

The emerging details, which confirm what we have always known, were discovered during the fact-finding mission to the United Kingdom on the Repatriation of Human Remains of National Heroes and Heroines of the First Chimurenga.

During yesterday’s Post Cabinet Briefing, Monica Mutsvangwa, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, told those in attendance that Government dispatched a team to the UK to prepare for the repatriation of national heroes of the First Chimurenga.

The delegation was led by the Executive Director of the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe.

They have since returned and their report states that there are remains of Zimbabwean origins in the UK.

“The objectives of the mission included engaging with British institutions with a view to ascertain the presence of human remains of our ancestors and facilitate their repatriation, to access and assess migrated archives including Rhodesian Military and Intelligence records and negotiate for their repatriation, identify cultural artefacts in British institutions and initiate dialogue for their possible repatriation, “ said Minister Mutsvangwa.

The team held meetings with six museums, namely the Natural History Museum, the British Museum, the University of Cambridge Duckworth Laboratory, the University of Oxford Pitt Rivers Museum; University of Manchester Museum and the National Archives.

“These remains which are in various institutions as well as private collections, are believed to include those of Zimbabwe’s iconic heroes who were murdered during the resistance to colonial rule in the early 1890s and early 1900s.

The archival documents associated with the remains were examined to verify their authenticity and integrity. The delegation was satisfied that there are indeed human remains of Zimbabwean origin in the United Kingdom as confirmed by the Natural History Museum and the Duckworth laboratory,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.

Both the Natural History Museum and the University of Cambridge are willing to collaborate on the repatriation of the human remains in their institutions.

Government said they will spare no effort to ensure the repatriation of the country`s ancestors.