The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) declared itself “ready” to help Mexico on this issue, underlining the importance of finding the whereabouts of the thousands of people whose trace has been lost and the right of families to know the truth.
“The ICMP stands ready to support Mexico, at the invitation of the authorities, in establishing a sustainable, effective and victim-centered process to locate missing persons. The path forward requires political will, scientific rigor and commitment to families who have waited too long for truth and justice,” he pointed out.
The organization, based in The Hague, reported that when the number of missing people exceeds the response capacity of a State, The starting point must be the establishment of a coordinated and scientific process that follows international best practices.
“This includes the collection of DNA samples from the families of the missing and the collection of DNA samples from unidentified human remains and from living people [por ejemplo, niños], performing professional recoveries and forensic analysis, and using a centralized system to securely store, analyze and share information.
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“This type of structured approach can ensure that efforts to locate the missing are efficient, transparent and focused on the rights of families.”
One of the most emblematic success stories is that of the Western Balkans, testimony of atrocities not seen since World War II in Europe as a result of the violent dismantling of what was once Yugoslavia.
Due to the ethnic conflict involving Serbs, Croats and Bosnian Muslims, between 1991 and 1995, 40 thousand people disappeared.
With the exception of Serbia, which had to wait until the overthrow of President Slobodan Milosevic in 2000, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Slovenia They began to turn the page in 1997 with the assistance of the ICMP.
They started with the development of specialized institutions and technical capabilities. Thanks to a permanent effort, today more than 70% of the missing have been identified, including 7 thousand of the 8 thousand Muslim men who were kidnapped by Serbian forces during the genocide in the Srebrenica enclave.
With a staff of 140 people headed by Kathryne Bomberger, The ICMP claims that the achievement in the former Yugoslavia is the result, among other factors, of a DNA-based process.
“ICMP laboratories carried out large-scale DNA analysis and parentage comparison, while forensic experts recovered the remains from mass graves. All data was managed through a centralized system that allowed for accurate and secure comparison of DNA profiles. “This scientific approach, combined with cooperation between governments and the involvement of families, was essential to achieving such a high identification rate.”
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Another encouraging case is Iraq, which according to different organizations suffered the disappearance of between 250,000 and more than a million people as a result of violations committed since the 1980s.including crimes during the regime of Saddam Hussein, the uprisings of the Shiite and Kurdish populations of 1991, and the caliphate imposed by the Islamic State, which ended in 2017.
The process in Iraq, accompanied by ICMP experts, has been characterized by the implementation of effective methodologies of DNA extraction, sequencing and amplification, emphasizing the concept of high-performance testing, a vital tool to certify an identity.
There has also been emphasis on technical training for the proper management of mass graves.; More than 250 have been discovered since 2003, while a network of relatives of missing people has been taking shape that spans the entire country, in which both experiences and information are shared.
In Syria, where approximately 170 thousand people disappeared during the Hafez al-Assad regime, from 1971 to 2000, and another 130 thousand as a result of the conflict that broke out in March 2011, the process towards justice began with the overthrow of President Bashar Al-Assad, in 2024.
The ICMP affirms that for the strategy of the National Commission for Missing Persons to yield sustainable results, Syria must develop a secure, central and impartial database capable of storing and processing data from multiple sources, including that from relatives, mass graves and witnesses.
Aware that at some point peace will return, Ukraine has launched an Integrated Data Management System, in which it stores information on family members, DNA evidence and remains recovered in conflict zones.
For the international body, the mechanism launched by kyiv is allowing the identifications to be scientifically sound and legally defensible.
Created at the initiative of then-US President Bill Clinton in 1996, the ICMP operates with financing from the Foreign Ministries of several countries, among them Belgium, Holland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Throughout its history, it has developed solution strategies that have been implemented throughout the world. Among other technical achievements, its DNA identification system stands out, a benchmark for technical innovation and human identification.
The intergovernmental organization has been invited to collaborate in 40 countries, including Mexico, where there are more than 110 thousand missing people, according to estimates released in July 2023 by the National Search Commission.
Between 2019 and 2022, in collaboration with Citizens in Support of Human Rights, launched a project in cooperation with the Nuevo León attorney general’s office to improve its DNA identification capabilities.
And during 2021 and 2022, he worked with the Attorney General’s Office in the design of two DNA extraction methods for bone remains, with the aim of obtaining more genetic profiles from small bone tests.
“In a context like Mexico, where thousands of remains have been recovered from clandestine graves, it is essential to implement a coordinated, multidisciplinary and DNA-based identification process. This means recovering the remains using professional archeology and forensic anthropology methods, collecting DNA samples from the families and managing all the information in a centralized system that allows for accurate comparison not only between the states of Mexico, but also with other countries, given the growing number of missing migrants.”
He highlights that the process could be complemented with the support of the international community. The United Nations Committee against Forced Disappearances activated article 34 of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Forced Disappearances and, if it determines that it is a widespread or systematic phenomenon in Mexico, it will send the case to the UN General Assembly to implement measures.
“Mexico faces an enormous challenge, and the support of the international community can play a fundamental role in addressing it effectively,” highlights the ICMP.
He points out that a first step would be to establish a secure, centralized and integrated data system that allows information about missing persons to be compared in all states.
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