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British museum to repatriate Aboriginal remains to Australia

Catherine Saunders-Watson
Catherine Saunders-Watson

LONDON (AP) – Local officials say a British museum has agreed to return two Aboriginal skulls and thigh bones to Australia.

Council officials in Brighton, southern England, say the remains are due to be taken back to Australia but has not said when. They say the Australian government has agreed to meet the bill for their transport.

The council says the bones were donated to the Booth Museum of Natural History nearly 100 years ago and have little in the way of research value.

Australia has lobbied for the return of indigenous remains taken from the country and scattered in museums across the world. Since 1996, more than 1,000 such remains have been returned to Australia.

The Australian High Commission in London did not immediately return a call seeking comment Thursday.

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AP-CS-01-08-09 1011EST