A dark past efforts in been in to tell the story of slavery using what it left behind. Hello im told me a lot of boy its good to have your company the World Health Organization calls it an extreme form of discrimination and a way of controlling women were talking about female genital mutilation or f g m more than 200000000 women and girls alive today have had parts of their genitalia removed for nonmedical reasons of the 30 countries where women are subjected to f g m 27 are in africa the dark red areas on this map show the countries where more than 50 percent of women have had their genitals mutilated such as somalia sudan and mali in the orange areas the figure is 26 to 50 percent and the yellow areas is between 11 and 25 percent. One member of the muscle using her fame as a form a mist tanzania to try to end what she describes as a barbaric practice. Diana edward lucas is a 22 year old messiah woman shes trying to break the silence the silence surrounding female genital mutilation or f. G. M. She set up the cut Alert Foundation it is working to stop the bloodshed from f. P. M. In the midst cycle munity. So i decided to create that formation you know that to stand for my community i believe i want me to tanzania i go the voice of god the power i got a lot of people were listening to solve standing for my community against the education of the what was my great. Power some messiah believe that a woman is not ready for marriage unless her genitals have been cut the practice is centuries old young girls bleed profusely and sometimes lose their lives during the procedure all the boys are given opportunity and platform to study but young girls are most given that support to it so i said i will finnegan students miscommunication try to get parents that even girls have the power if you look at the girl we educate the community. Stopping f. D. M. Is difficult politicians sometimes support the practice or keep quiet about it to win votes among the messiah you know youre going to see community where something it has been deaf or years i cant do it has been there for years you know discrimination its been there for years only may imagine going to a community and tell them to stop what they have been in anything from generation to generation is it was very. Diana won the miss tanzania crown in 2016 cents then she is used her fame to campaign against female genital mutilation in her community my 5 girls so i understand that the best. And all those that are happening to them its a part of something that has been growing for from generation to generation. So yes its any good to do and they deserve the best and this should fly best. Voice of the gods of blossom this is. Ok and it encourages young girls to study and said of getting married at a young age. Under the hash tag stop the bloodshed shes determined to fight for messiah girls against female genital mutilation. In mali 4 hostages including a leading opposition politician and a french aid worker have returned home after being freed by islamist insurgents the hostages were kidnapped at separate times but their joint release comes after government negotiations with the hostage takers militants linked to al qaeda in the socalled islamic states have been a constant threat in the country carrying out attacks and kidnappings in the north. Asked stanton hadnt seen her husband since march when the 3 times president ial candidate sue my lasy say we seized by jihadists while he was on the campaign trail need to their reunion was just one of the scenes of joy in the capital bamako sissay had words of gratitude for mollys new transitional government. I want to thank the new mali authorities which have changed in my absence this means the president was effective he moved fast and was diligent but here he. Says a was released along with 3 european hostages 2 italians the priest pier luigi mccarley and the terrorists nicholas. With them the 75 year old french aid worker sophie petal nene had a son they were tears of joy she spent 4 years in the hands of the jihadists after they took a hostage and 2016. Year had spent almost a quarter of a century in the north of this country treating children with malnutrition my greatest joy today is knowing that my assistant was able to continue the work without me by someone. Its unclear whether ransom was paid or if the 4 were freed as part of a prisoner swap what is known is that the government of mollys new transitional president. Released more than 100 militants last weekend. But malis neighbors and International Partners fear that could add further fuel to the insurgency thats spread from the countrys north soon 2012. The felony people are a nomadic ethnic group that move with their cattle across west and Central Africa but with population growth there is less space for their heads to graze freely that means they often come into conflict with owners of farm land who accuse them of trespassing and destroying their crops heres an example of how this dispute is playing out in ghana. 50 year old giallo sambo is a free money herdsman in eastern ghana he owns thousands of cattle they graze on lands like these and thats creating problems with the locals who own the farmland. They are now retaliating. In my view might be yeah we dont have any other job we raise livestock and farm at the same time to make a living much for many years weve done this without issues and in recent years our cattle have been attacked and killed by locals and security forces. Theyre trying to destroy our livelihood yeah well i do and i about. Sambo has lived here all his life and he was born into the flaunting Community Just like his father and grandfather. He explains why he now feels threatened by the current hostilities. And. They are killing our cattle but also shooting at our children and workers who heard the cattle some have even died so now we feel lonnies are scared. Sambo is not alone in this predicament today hes attending a meeting with other feet long east in his community they often come together to discuss the challenges they face sharing stories of discrimination and how they can stay safe. And the time we meet like these. Bus and also if you have been on bus not you didnt know to you could only people. Really. Some residents in the Community Say the problems with the food lonnies go beyond the destruction of the farmland and. To be honest if they want to appease the locals they would have to stop committing crimes while there would be peace and unity among us in this community if some of them would stop stealing and doing other bad thing thats. Experts say the lack of a proper landownership system and a lack of community sensitivity have contributed to the conflict. There claire demarcation of where you can increase where you come from is a major problem for some form of completion for space. Within some of these rooms in other places is lack of information the government has struggled to come up with a solution for now for that is like sambo pray for an end to hostilities to protect his livelihood and his family. Protests against racism in the u. S. And europe have led to the toppling of statues that appear to glorify a slave owners in west africa relics from that era are being restored to shine a spotlight on the horrors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade the city of weed out in ben now was one of the major slave ports but is now aiming to be a key source of education on this brutal past. The door of no return men women and children were taken against their will and shipped from here across the atlantic in abominable conditions. The monument was built in the 1990 s. In the unesco sponsored project its now been newly restored. The same applies to a 3 kilometer long path dubbed the slaver it from the center of wieder where the slaves were sold to the beach the route is lined with a freeze testifying to the suffering of the prisoners it was actually powerful local chiefs who captured people usually from rival tribes and sold them to french portuguese and british merchants a complex legacy. Of marketing is why we dont is the most marked city in the history of slavery thats why beyond the movements claiming the cause of black people we want the sites that have been involved in history to be restored so that the history doesnt die. We die is also building a Museum Dedicated to the slave trade overall some 12 and a half 1000000 africans were forced onto ships like this one between the 17th and 19th centuries conditions on board was so bad that nearly 2000000 didnt even survive the crossing. This emotion that i have every time i see those chains that we used to shackle the slaves our grandparents our ancestors who were deported by the colonisers its like i feel sick. Every time i relive things that i dont want to relive its painful but its our story and we have to accept it one thats it. Were not usually taught these things at school or in everyday life i think that if it continues like this well be able to properly represent our country and we need to do that the best deal for. The slaves from been in were taken to brazil haiti and the United States where they were forced to work on the plantations the former colonial powers have never been brought to account for their actions but the town of weed or at least wants to ensure theyre not forgotten. Well thats it for now but be sure to check out all the stories on com ford slash africa our facebook and twitter as the next time i found out. The full. W. s crime fighters are back africas most successful radio drama series continues all of us odes are Available Online and of course you can share and discuss song w. Africas Facebook Page and other social media platforms to crime fighters tune in now. Every day counts for us and for our planet. Ideas is on its way to bring you more conservation. Around to make see the screen. How can we protect our tests. We can make a difference to. The line to us the environmental series includes 3000. 00 on t. W. And on the phone. Our european museums ready to give up on art looted from their former colonies some big developments there coming up on arts and culture and. Australian musician nick cave displays decades of creativity and then experiential exhibition. Welcome to arts and culture lawmakers in france voted this week to return more than 2 dozen objects to the 4 countries former colonies of beni in and sent to go the pieces include a royal throne that was captured by the french army over a century ago the bill passed the Lower Chamber of French Parliament unanimously and now its headed to the senate. If approved by the French Senate 26 artifacts will be returned to the republic of binning its taken a while for french lawmakers to reach this stage 3 years ago president Manuel Mccall promised a quick return but for a long time nothing happened. So recently a congolese activist snatched from the music a brownlee what he believes he was entitle to take on. In my initiated the fight for the dignity for the recovery of our heritage our works of art our looted stolen spoiled works of art which are today locked up in various western museums stopped by security hes now on trial on charges of attempted theft. But also destructively was the real thief in this story the thief who takes something fraudulently i am the legitimate heir i am the biological administrative and cultural of this heritage dont you dare you to read this it but in one. Its estimated that some asian descent of africas Cultural Heritage is currently located in europe taken through a conflict or forced pass or this dark chapter is one many would like to forget but demands for it to be addressed are growing louder. This does not only concern france that many European Countries they are now asked to deal with their colonial history and especially with their current relationship with africa which is still marked by slow needle is a drop or marker. In the netherlands the Cultural Council has just laid down new guidelines on restitution londons been a museum is working on returning artifacts to ethiopia to researching their provenance for art historian bennett its a void such time Consuming Research is needless bureaucracy to get in the front office does we assure him that in most cases. Consent was not given which is supported by many reports even when it came to scientific expeditions so we recommend that if demanded these objects should be restitution without major difficulties. It has to to have him in the uncomplicated restitution is still not easy the situation has cast a shadow over the opening of the new home for and those in charge want to keep researching. Colonel ism is one of the central themes of the entire program of the whole book forum that is the university the city museum and the ethnological collections. So why then a 440. 00 clearly stolen pieces from bin then being moved into the building for many believe the objects will be much safer in europe and thats in africas best interest. A feeling of superiority and a subtle continuation of colonial mindset in berlin and elsewhere the pressure here is to find a different approach. And museums in the netherlands this week promise to return possibly as many as 100000 works of art and artifacts to former dutch colonies that could include this 70 carat diamond that once belonged to a sultan and whats now part of indonesia the decision was based on recommendations in a report by the dot dutch Cultural Council a body that advises the Dutch Parliament on cultural policy and lillian gunn saw this whole kanya author of that report she is a lawyer and human rights activist who had been other ones Advisory Committee on colonial collections and this is going to solve thanks for joining me. Right now your report is your plan is over 100 pages long what are the key points. He signs a sense that we apply the minister of culture a couple hardesty in the 1st place. To recognize that he will go to her object always against her will. And. In year 6 has to be rectify in the best possible way of reconciling with the remedy. If it. So when it has to. Be one. Now major museums and another lens have signaled that they are willing to work with those guidelines any restitution still have to be approved by the dutch government if all this goes through what impact do you think these restitution is would have on dutch museums and do you think that thats museums can still set an example for the rest of europe. But then you seem to interconnect and then. Reacted in general very possible on behalf of their im hungry. Jacks and they are. To do problems in the search and it has the story then or the plan 3 in a way. S. There are so many also acts or if. There arent that these precious people. Whose main purpose is still. Going to vote. With germs and come back to me and i accept and high steering committee. Now just briefly why now. Ok. Well people take more and more or an insect pests in your class in history in the kernel in your class also hope in haitian. People living in the former colony and in the netherlands and also abroad if this keening that these scientists know to be part of anything or were wrong doings in the past ms gonzalez i think were going to have to leave it there thank you so much for coming on arts and culture. Thank you very much. Some other culture news now of on guard rock musician nick cave has been baring his soul on albums and in concerts for decades well now the singer songwriter is exhibiting has visual art as notebooks and personal artifacts at an exhibition in copenhagen and our reporter Adrian Kennedy immersed himself in the experience. Of strangers and kindness the nick cave exhibition is in the basement of the Danish Royal Library in the iconic brecht Diamond Building in copenhagen the pieces of music in the. Middle histories propelling souls away of the tremendous rate. Welcome to the cave cave a sub terrain in network of rooms that provide an insight into russia manic rock star and represent a new artwork reflecting on the nature of identity and creativity. Part of the exhibition consists of painstaking reconstructions of caves former homes and workspaces the attention to detail is breathtaking. The idea for the exhibition originally came from coach youre a circus dean of back. Cave overcame some initial reluctance and works closely on the project. The exhibition also includes a generous part of nick caves own personal library. With the corona and joost restrictions on visitor numbers big does sometimes feel a little bit like having broken into nick caves home. Alongside the reconstructions the pieces include original artwork personal artifacts collected by the singer no. And. The result is a tense and frightening journey into the mind of one of the most original voices in rome. And Adrian Kennedy is here with me now adrianna how did this exhibit happen a major nick cave exhibition at a library in denmark well it was the Royal Danish Library that approach nick caves team nick cave it wasnt that infused about what couldve been just an astounding trip down memory lane but fortunately for us he met with the team and he soon became infused by these ideas and. He saw it partly as an opportunity to share with fans artefacts note books and his beautifully crafted hand made books that he says give birth gave birth and norrish the official works the songs on the novels of nick cave i think its pretty obvious that youre a big fan ive heard some rumors but youre back in midair in west berlin rub shoulders with nick cave did you start those rumors adrian. Just around the corner from him in your store so in west berlin in 1900 i saw him in bars but i was far too timid to speak to him nonetheless it was very strange and it made me feel rather old to see a reconstruction of his burly bedroom there in the exhibition with the books piled high theres a photo of nick cave in this room included in the book stranger than kindness that accompanies the expression which shows just how accurate these reconstructions are im sure youre a westboro important part of it just like ok it made you feel old would you still recommend there at the exhibition absolutely i mean got to spend a couple of hours there and its a bit to say you could have spent a whole day down there but in this particular. You could spend a whole lifetime down there an