Kohima, Oct 8: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has urged External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to intervene and halt the auction of Naga human remains scheduled to take place in the UK on October 9.
In a letter dated October 8, Rio expressed deep concern over the planned auction of a 19th-century horned Naga human skull by Swan Fine Art in Oxfordshire, valued at £3,500-4,000. He described the auction as a violation of human dignity and a continuation of colonial violence against the Naga people.
“The auctioning of human remains deeply hurts the sentiments of our people and is considered an act of dehumanization,” Rio stated, emphasizing that the remains of any deceased person belong to their respective communities and should be treated with utmost respect.
The Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) has condemned the practice of treating indigenous remains as collector’s items and advocates for the repatriation of Naga ancestral remains, particularly from institutions like the Pitt Rivers Museum at Oxford University.
Rio has requested the Indian government to liaise with the Indian High Commission in the UK to halt the auction, citing the emotional and cultural significance of these ancestral remains to the Naga community.
