Releasing Of The Statue Of Cecil Rhodes From The University Of Oxford

Statue of Cecil Rhodes on the Oxford Campus (doc. Wikimedia)

JAKARTA - As the Black Lives Matter (BLM) solidarity action spreads, the destruction of statues with past sins has perpetuated slavery as well. This made the Oriel campus authorities at the University of Oxford consider removing the statues related to the issue of slavery.

One of the statues on the Oxford campus is Cecil Rhodes. As a result, based on the consideration of the independent committee, the statue which was made in the 19th century will soon be removed by the campus.

Launching Reuters, the statue has been the target of a solidarity action that echoes anti-racism, after the death of black citizen, George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police, United States (US). In line with that, residents of black descent and studying at Oxford have voiced for the decline of the statues, one of which is Cecil Rhodes.

“First, this is a moment to celebrate. Energy and pressure must be put on Oriel to see this desire, "said Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh while responding to the descent of the statue of Cecil Rhodes, which in his life perpetuated slavery, Thursday, June 18.

Rhodes himself is a British entrepreneur who has a mining business, including a diamond mine in South Africa. Rhodes also became a central figure in the British colonialization project in South Africa. For his role, Rhodes is believed by protesters to be someone who paved the way for apartheid, racial segregation between whites and blacks.

Later, because Cecil Rhodes had studied at the University of Oxford, precisely on the Oriel campus, the colonial figure then donated his wealth through the Rhodes scholarship program. On that basis, he is remembered, especially since 8 thousand students from around the world have enjoyed studying at this prestigious campus through the Rhodes scholarship channel, including former US President Bill Clinton.

Aerial view shows demonstrators gathered in the streets of Oxford, England, to demand the removal of a statue of Cecil Rhodes, a Victorian colonialist who made a fortune from mines in southern Africa and endowed Oxford University's Rhodes scholarships. https://t.co/lqVXyCRjc5 pic.twitter.com/8iEHEzRGjv

- ABC News (@ABC) June 10, 2020

Even so, British citizens and South Africans who were injured by Rhodes's actions still saw him as a person who had past sins. Therefore, the #RhodesMustFall Campaign started in 2015 in South Africa.

Where the statue of Rhodes at the University of Cape Town was demolished. Unfortunately, the Oriel campus, University of Oxford, still said it would retain the statue in 2016.

Luckily, the Oriel campus authorities have promised to answer the protesters' recommendations. Later, an independent committee will be formed to evaluate all matters related to Rhodes and the University of Oxford's commitment to fighting racism.