France has returned three human skulls to Madagascar, including one believed to belong to King Toera, who was decapitated by French troops in 1897. The remains, from the Sakalava ethnic group, were handed over at a ceremony in Paris, Al Jazeera reported.
French Culture Minister Rachida Dati acknowledged the violation of human dignity, while Madagascar’s Volamiranty Donna Mara called it a step toward healing a “century-old open wound.”
The skulls, confirmed by a scientific committee, will be buried in Madagascar, with a tribute planned on the anniversary of King Toera’s execution, according to Al Jazeera.
