The restitution of the remains, said to belong to 19th-century freedom fighters, was hailed as a symbol of reconciliation, but papers obtained by The Times reveal a gesture muddled by politics.
Tag: Colonization
In Hong Kong, Mourning the Queen and the Past
A memorial for Elizabeth has given residents of the former British colony a rare platform for public, if quiet, political dissent.
With Queen Gone, Former Colonies Find a Moment to Rethink Lasting Ties
In Commonwealth nations with British colonial histories, Queen Elizabeth’s death is rekindling discussions about a more independent future.
Queen Elizabeth’s Death Renews British Empire Debate in Africa
While some in Africa paid tribute to the deceased monarch, others stressed Britain’s violent colonial history on the continent.
The Long Road Ahead for Colonial Reparations
Former colonies have felt increasingly empowered to demand compensation from European powers. But even the successful efforts look like exceptions so far.
After Mocking France’s Literary Elite, a Fraught Invite Into the Club
Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, a Senegal-born writer, has won high praise and top prizes from Paris’s insular publishing establishment. But the novelist wonders: Is it an endorsement or “a way to silence me”?
In New Textbooks, Hong Kong Was Never a British Colony
The books are part of China’s effort to instill a particular historical narrative and to stress patriotic education in a city where a pro-democracy movement was crushed.
Belgian King Returns Mask to Congo in Landmark Visit
But so far, the monarch has not apologized for decades of brutal Belgian rule during which up to 10 million Congolese people died.
How (and Why) We Calculated the Value of Haiti’s Payments to France
We wanted to know how much Haiti had paid over generations. So we set out to compile the data.
French Bank Will Study Role in Haiti After New York Times Report
The C.I.C. bank siphoned millions in fees and interest from the island’s treasury in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, an investigation found.