We Request That Any Material Included in the Dossier That Will Be Accessible to the Public

Dear Andrew

Thank you for the opportunity to review the dossier of material the British Museum is proposing to submit to the Board of Trustees to aid their decision at their meeting of 22 March 2012. We appreciate the open and transparent dialogue with the Torres Strait Island claimants.

We request that any material included in the dossier that will be accessible to the public on the internet does not contain images of skulls or any reference to an individual’s name.

We have also taken this opportunity to review the material including our original submission. New information has only recently come to light following conversations with Murray Island Spiritual Leaders. Therefore, if possible we would like to request the replacement of Attachment A: Summary of key findings of the TSRWG with the revised version enclosed. The only change is to dot point five. This is to accurately reflect the timeframe of the earliest request for the returns of human remains to the Torres Strait.

There have been significant advancements for the repatriation agenda in the United Kingdom in the past year and we would appreciate the opportunity to provide an update to Board of Trustees. Following the Natural History Museum’s (NHM) agreement in February 2011 for the largest return of Torres Strait Islander ancestral remains a meeting was held with 22 traditional owners on Badu Island, Torres Strait over a period of three days in June 2011. At this meeting the provisional agreement was made to return well provenance remains to Australia (with details on location and access to be determined in due course) and for limited or poorly provenance remains to be held ‘in trust’ by the NHM while further studies are undertaken.

The collaborative approach undertaken by the Torres Strait Repatriation Working Group (TSRWG) representing the community and the NHM on the future care of the remains has risen to new levels of understanding and cooperation. This marks a milestone and turning point for repatriation in the United Kingdom.

Returns have now occurred in May and November 2011 with Torres Strait Islander delegates travelling to London to accept the handover of remains. The November return saw remains repatriated to the Queensland Museum, who have offered to care for them in appropriately cultural and environmental conditions on behalf of the communities until they are ready to repatriate to the Torres Strait.

Most recently the TSRWG, facilitated by the Australia Government are exploring how DNA investigation may assist the many challenges in establishing the provenance of ancestral remains.

I note that in the independent report of Professor Simon Hillson of University College, London that he recommends that the skulls’ scientific value could be increased by CT scanning and that this could be done in the UK, at the NHM or possibly in Australia. We recognise the benefit of this non-invasive research and would support such an undertaking. Due to the supportive ongoing relationship with the NHM, our first preference would be for the work to be carried out within the Museum in London.

It may also be of interest to the Board of Trustees that in January 2012, the TSRWG submitted a formal claim to the University of Cambridge for the return of all TSI remains. The majority of these remains both in the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and the Duckworth Laboratory collection are from the Haddon expeditions as are the remains in the British Museum. The TSRWG are awaiting an outcome from this submission.

It would be most appreciated if you could keep me advised of processes and when you anticipate a decision to be made. Meanwhile, please do not hesitate to contact me or the Office for the Arts if you have any queries. The TSRWG looks forward to continuing to address this issue in a cooperative and constructive spirit.

Yours sincerely

Mr Lui Ned David

Deputy Chair

Torres Strait Repatriation Working Group