Co-operation between the British & Australian government is leading towards the proposed return of various Aboriginal artefacts involving human remains, currently held in the UK’s Museums. Museums are trying to block any changes to the law that would allow this, partly out of a fear that such artefact returns would then lead to them having to return items such as the Parthenon Sculptures.

From:
The Age (Melbourne)

Return of remains at risk
December 18 2002
By Peter Fray
Europe Correspondent
London

Britain’s long-running dispute with Greece over the return of the Elgin Marbles sculptures threatens to stall Australian efforts to repatriate thousands of Aboriginal remains from leading British museums.

Members of an independent British working group, due to report on the export of human remains, say they have recently been warned against recommending law reforms that might indirectly assist the Greeks.

British laws now effectively prevent the return of remains from the British and Natural History Museums, which house the country’s largest collections of Aboriginal remains.

The Greek Government has recently renewed efforts to have the marbles, given to the British Museum by the Earl of Elgin in 1816, returned in time for the Athens Olympics in 2004.

The working group of prominent academics, museum curators and lawyers is expected early next year to recommend repatriation of human bones and other tissues, often taken without the permission or knowledge of Aboriginal people during the 19th and 20th centuries.

But group members told The Age a government official had recently warned them not to compromise Britain’s position on the Elgin Marbles.

The deputy director of the British Museums Association, Maurice Davis, said the Blair Government appeared nervous about introducing legislation that could be used by Greece.

“It was made clear to us that the Department of Culture is worried that campaigners may make a link between any legislation about (returning) human remains and the Elgin Marbles,” he said.

Dr Davies would not discuss the report but said it would be “sympathetic and understanding” to repatriation. A survey by the group has found human remains, including Aboriginal, in more than 60 British museums.

A government spokeswoman denied that any attempt had been made to link repatriation of human remains with the Elgin Marbles. She said the marbles were owned by the British Museum and their return to Greece was a matter for the museum’s board. “The issues are not linked and the working group has not had this type of warning,” she said.

But another group member backed up Dr Davies and said it was “not the first time” the department had expressed concerns about the Elgin Marbles.

Britain’s reluctance to reform museum laws appears to undermine the joint statement in favour of repatriations made by Prime Minister John Howard and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in July, 2000. At the meeting, Mr Howard said he “understood the difficulties involved”.

Lyndon Ormond Parker, a London-based Aboriginal researcher and postgraduate student, called on Australia to step up diplomatic pressure on the British Government to return human remains.

Aboriginal people would pursue British museums through European courts if the Blair Government proved incapable of dealing with the issue, he said.

From:
Sydney Morning Herald

Lost marbles lock up our bones
By Peter Fray, in London
December 18 2002

Britain’s long-running dispute with Greece over the return of the Elgin Marbles sculptures threatens to stall Australian efforts to repatriate thousands of Aboriginal remains from leading British museums.

Members of an independent British working group, due to report on the export of human remains, say they have recently been warned against recommending law reforms that might indirectly assist the Greek claims.

British laws effectively prevent the return of remains from the British and Natural History museums, which house the country’s largest collection of Aboriginal remains.

The Greek Government has recently renewed efforts to have the marbles, given to the British Museum by the Earl of Elgin in 1816, returned in time for the Athens Olympics in 2004.

The working group of prominent academics, museum curators and lawyers is expected to recommend early next year in favour of repatriation of human bones and other tissues, often taken without the permission or knowledge of Aboriginal people during the 19th and 20th centuries.

But group members have told the Herald that they had been warned by an official from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport at a meeting last week not to compromise Britain’s position on the Elgin Marbles. Dr Maurice Davis, the deputy director of the British Museums Association, told the Herald the Government appeared “nervous” about introducing legislation which could be used by Greece in its long-running campaign.

“It was made clear to us that the Department of Culture is worried that campaigners may make a link between any legislation about de-accessioning of human remains with the Elgin Marbles,” he said. “Legislation generally appears to be slipping down the political agenda.”

Dr Davies declined to discuss the report but said it would be “sympathetic and understanding” to repatriation. A survey by the group has found human remains, including Aboriginal, in more than 60 British museums.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport denied that any attempt had been made to link repatriation of human remains with the Elgin Marbles.