UK: Oxford College votes in favour of removing 19th-century colonialist Rhodes' statue

Oxford University's Oriel College has voted in favour to remove the statue of 19-century colonialist Cecil Rhodes after protest for it to be taken down grew. Protesters have been demanding the removal of the statue under the campaign 'Rhodes Must Fall' since June 9, chanting slogans like "Take it down!" and "Decolonise!" The college on June 17 finally decided on the matter by voting in favour of the removal of the statue, saying it came at the conclusion after a thoughtful period of debate.  

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The campaign 'Rhodes Must Fall' had begun in 2015, but only gained momentum after the recent Black Lives Matter protests sparked across the world over racial discrimination and systematic oppression of black people. The board members of the college decided to remove the statue of Cecil Rhodes along with the King Edward Street Plaque, but any action will only be taken upon consulting with the independent commission that has been set up by the board. 

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"The Governing Body of Oriel College has today voted to launch an independent Commission of Inquiry into the key issues surrounding the Rhodes statue. They also expressed their wish to remove the statue of Cecil Rhodes and the King Edward Street Plaque. This is what they intend to convey to the Independent Commission of Inquiry. Both of these decisions were reached after a thoughtful period of debate and reflection and with the full awareness of the impact these decisions are likely to have in Britain and around the world," the college said in a statement. 

"The Commission will deal with the issue of the Rhodes legacy and how to improve access and attendance of BAME undergraduate, graduate students and faculty, together with a review of how the college's 21st Century commitment to diversity can sit more easily with its past," the statement added.  

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Who was Rhodes?

Cecil Rhodes was an English mining magnate who made his money at the time when Great Britain was a force to be reckoned with. Rhodes also served as the Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1890 to 1896, a British colony in present-day South Africa. Rhodes was a staunch supporter of imperialism and critics argue that he restricted the rights of Africans by increasing the financial criteria required in order to vote in the colony.

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(Image Credit: AP)