UN official states: Missing persons in Syria are still alive

SadaNews - The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and head of the Independent Institution for the Missing in Syria, Carla Quintana, stated that the institution possesses reliable information indicating that some of the missing persons are still alive, asserting that identification and criminal procedures should be managed under Syrian national leadership with international support.

In an interview with Anadolu Agency, she explained that the institution is investigating the fate of hundreds of thousands of missing Syrians along four axes: those missing at the hands of the regime, missing children, migrants, and individuals who disappeared due to the actions of the Islamic State organization.

She mentioned that the institution "has reliable and verifiable information indicating that some of the missing are alive. It also possesses data related to missing children and women who may be victims of sexual slavery or human trafficking."

Quintana considered the search for the missing in Syria "not just a humanitarian duty, but a collective moral obligation."

She stated in her remarks that the institution operates with a team of about 40 people, pointing out that "the tragedy of the missing cannot be resolved by a single institution alone. No one can do it alone; this is not a task for one entity."

Quintana stressed the importance of involving national institutions, civil society organizations, UN agencies, member states, and the families of the missing in the search process.

She added: "I am in continuous contact with the head of the national committee for searching for the missing, which was established by Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara. This is happening for the first time in history; there is no other example where an international entity and a national one are simultaneously searching for the missing."

Quintana clarified that the Independent Institution for the Missing in Syria was established two years ago thanks to the efforts of families who were able to convince the United Nations General Assembly of the necessity of its creation.

The independent institution is a UN entity established by the General Assembly on June 29, 2023, in response to urgent calls from the families of thousands of missing persons in Syria, to take action to determine their fate and whereabouts, according to the UN.

On May 17 of last year, under a decree issued by Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara, the National Authority for the Missing was established as an independent body aimed at revealing the fate of the missing and forcibly disappeared in the country and ensuring justice for their families.

In October of last year, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised the work of the independent institution and the national authority, stating that the collaboration between the two entities presents an unprecedented opportunity to directly address the challenge of searching for the missing.

Source: Anadolu Agency