New York - Damascus: Europe and the Arabs
"The fate of the missing is not only a matter of central importance for families, but for Syrian society as a whole," Carla Quintana, President of the Independent Foundation for Missing Persons in Syria, emphasized at a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.
Quintana gave a briefing on the work of the foundation, noting that the fate of the missing is not only a matter of central importance for families, but for Syrian society as a whole.
She emphasized that "addressing this issue is essential for achieving reconciliation and building sustainable peace. Supporting and engaging families in clarifying the fate and whereabouts of the missing is indispensable for societal recovery." She stated that after years of gross human rights violations and violent conflict, Syria faces a new horizon, noting that "while the challenges remain enormous, new opportunities have emerged to search for tens of thousands of missing persons and begin together to seek the truth." According to the UN daily news bulletin, a copy of which we received this Friday morning, the role of information. The head of the independent institution emphasized that information is an essential component in the search for missing persons, adding: "This may seem obvious, but it is one of the greatest challenges facing those searching for missing persons, not only in Syria, but worldwide. We cooperate with national and international organizations to access, consolidate, share, and link this information." She noted that the independent institution has begun investigations into missing children, those forcibly disappeared by the former regime, and missing asylum seekers. The committee is now gathering information that will enable other potential lines of investigation, including those missing at the hands of ISIS. She stated that the Foundation is working to develop a comprehensive support strategy that takes into account the changing reality inside Syria and across borders, including support for the establishment of a referral system that responds to the needs of families. She added, "We are working to reach every person who has a missing person in Syria."
She said that the search for missing persons must be Syrian-led and internationally supported, noting that "the search for missing persons in Syria is truly a global endeavor. It goes beyond the borders of Syria and the regional actors who have already demonstrated their commitment. It involves people of many nationalities."
"A New Syria"
Quintana spoke about "the emergence of a new Syria," emphasizing that the independent Foundation is fully aware of this tremendous change and the related challenges, saying, "We know that we have to adapt quickly to this tremendous change. Time is of the essence."
She emphasized the importance of continuing to build trust with all national stakeholders to develop local capacities, with international support, in a respectful and cooperative manner, adding, "We must work on the ground hand in hand with the Syrians." She said, "If we succeed in this process—and I assure you that we will do our utmost to achieve this—we will be able to deliver the truth to the Syrians, and we will show the world that even in difficult moments we can provide tangible answers."
Images Shock the World
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution at the end of June 2023 to establish the independent institution to clarify the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons in Syria, and to provide adequate support to victims, survivors, and families of the missing, in close cooperation and integration with all relevant actors.
"The images of families searching for their loved ones in prisons, hospitals, morgues, and elsewhere continue to shock the world," said Assembly President Philomon Yang at the opening of the meeting.
He added, "The plight of missing persons in Syria and elsewhere represents a humanitarian imperative and a moral responsibility that falls on us all, and requires the immediate and sustained attention of the international community. Behind every statistic is a human voice that has disappeared, a life that has been cut short, and a family that continues to struggle in search of answers."
He emphasized that this challenge does not only face Syria, "but is a test of our collective conscience, a test of our ability to restore names to numbers, to restore stories instead of silence, and to ensure accountability above all else."