1970-01-01 00:00:00
Mexico City. On this August 30, International Day of Missing PersonsThe International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) highlights the magnitude of the phenomenon of extinction on the continent and the importance of increased coordination efforts between countries and institutions to prevent and reduce one of the most painful humanitarian consequences. most of the local armed violence.
Losing people in the United States is a complex epidemic that worsens in situations of violence and armed conflicts, migration, displacement and disasters. Searching, locating and identifying missing persons is the responsibility of authorities at all levels and in accordance with their powers, as well as the proper care of their families.
Establishing unified and sustainable state policies that address the root causes of disasters to prevent and eliminate them must be a long-term political commitment, that lasts with changes in government or institutions, Marianne Pecassou, said the ICRC regional security adviser.
The search for missing persons is an ongoing obligation and obligation of States, which must bear the responsibility for finding each missing person, regardless of the time that has passed or the circumstances. The authorities have the obligation to direct the searches immediately and forever, making sure that the families are informed and participate throughout the process, without burdening them with the responsibility of what is, above all, a state responsibility, Jérémy, manager The ICRC provides assistance to missing persons and their families in Mexico and Central America.
Despite the progress of recent years, it is necessary to consolidate the successes that have already been achieved and invest in human, financial and technical resources to give companies the ability to respond to this humanitarian emergency. Interstate coordination is important, especially if the disappearance occurs in a place other than the missing person’s place of origin.
In this sense, the ICRC identifies clear challenges in the region, such as the lack of application of effective legal opportunities that clearly recognize the rights of missing persons and their families, which contribute to the lack of security of the people involved. Lack of approval of international applications and special reporting of losses are additional challenges. In addition, there are barriers to accessing legitimate institutions for registering cases, and, in many cases, families are afraid of being punished when the loss is linked to situations of armed violence.
The principles confirm that forced disappearance is very violent and very violent, because the disappearance of one person should move and upset the whole society. It is not acceptable for people to be separated from their daily life, from their family, and there is no answer. Of course, there are those directly responsible, but we all share the responsibility of ensuring that these events are not repeated, of naming them, remembering them and continuing to fight until the truth is revealed, Alejandra Cabrera, who has been looking for Leopoldo’s father Cabrera García since 1984 in Guatemala.
Ensuring a humanitarian approach will help reduce these challenges, placing affected people at the center of all processes resulting from the disaster. It is also important to avoid the stigma that affects separated and missing persons, and their families.
In practical terms, the ICRC recommends that States work to guarantee access to information and security measures, promote inter-institutional and cross-border coordination initiatives, use centralized databases, develop legal frameworks that effective and improve organizational and technical capabilities. In the case of the disappearance of migrants, the ICRC considers that it must be addressed in a coordinated way between the countries of origin, the means of transport and the destination, strengthening the ecological mechanisms for the management and exchange of information and making the search, identification and rehabilitation procedures.
In order to help reduce the humanitarian consequences of missing people in the region, the ICRC works in coordination with national and regional authorities to build strong policies and procedures to respond to this problem. It also provides support to relatives of missing persons to strengthen their organizational capacity and knowledge about search procedures and the development of public policies.
In addition, the ICRC provides technical advice to local forensic programs in favor of good management and dignified treatment of the deceased, promoting their right to identification and return to their families. In addition, the ICRC promotes the prevention of disappearances through specific programs, and maintains a private dialogue with the authorities on the protection of family ties.
Some figures:
Mexico and Central America: According to official figures from Mexico, more than 116,000 missing and missing people are in the country and more than 5,600 illegal graves have been discovered. In parallel, civil organizations have reported the existence of 52,000 people who died unknown, a figure known by the Mexican authorities. In Central America, the exact number of missing people is unknown, because there are no central and updated records. However, although fragmented, existing public and official information shows the fact that extinction is not a past event. According to data from the Missing Persons Unit of the Police Investigation Board (DPI) of Honduras, from 2012 to 2022, 9,838 missing persons were reported. In Guatemala, the Ministry of the Interior reported that as of February 2023 3,245 people under the age of 18 were missing and that at least 45,000 people disappeared during the civil war between 1960 and 1996. In El Salvador between 8,000 and 10,000 people were lost initially. military conflict between 1980 and 1992 and more than 22,000 reports of missing persons were registered between 2014 and 2019, according to data from the General Office of the Attorney of the Republic.
Brazil: According to official data from the Ministry of Justice and Social Security of Brazil, in Brazil a missing person is registered every six minutes, which shows an increase of 3.2% compared to 2022, with a continuing difference between people lost and found. The ICRC continues to work with the authorities responsible for national policy on the search for missing persons in order to support the consolidation of existing initiatives. It should be important for the creation of a national and integrated network of interdisciplinary assistance in the country, based on the available public services, to help family members according to their needs.
Colombia: Despite the signing of the Peace Agreement between the former FARC-EP and the Colombian Government in 2016, cases of disappearances in the country continue to be frequent, due, among other reasons, to eight non-international armed conflicts and another state of violence. that affects the population. The ICRC documented 1,730 new cases of disappearance between the entry into force of the Peace Agreement (December 2016) and July 31, 2024. Although there is a strong institutional framework, the magnitude and complexity of the problem pose challenges for future research and identification and attention to the needs of families.
Peru: The number of people missing from the violent period 1980 – 2000 exceeds 22,550, according to data from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. There are two complementary systems for investigation: criminal investigations conducted by the Ministry of Public Administration and humanitarian investigations conducted by the General Investigation Committee of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. The ICRC accompanies the families and the authorities in this process, promoting appropriate channels for the exchange of information and mechanisms that increase joint action with the aim of increasing the level of response regarding the situation of missing persons.
About the ICRC
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral, impartial and independent organization with a dedicated mission established in the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people affected by armed conflicts and other situations. of violence around the world, making everything possible. to protect their lives and dignity, and to reduce their suffering, always together with the Red Cross and Red Crescent partners.
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