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More light shed on fate of missing persons in Kosovo-Metohija
Belgrade,
24 November 2011
President of the Serbian government's Commission for Missing Persons Veljko Odalovic stated today that progress has been made in shedding light on the fate of missing persons in Kosovo-Metohija, underlining that the process should be accelerated in order to find out what happened to the remaining 1,799 missing individuals from the province.
At a press conference following a session of the working group for missing persons, part of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Odalovic said that the meeting looked at the report of the Council of Europe rapporteur Dick Marty on human organ trafficking in the province and concluded that an investigation in this case can help to determine the fate of a number of missing persons.
He observed that the fate of over 1,500 persons has been established, adding that this is a humanitarian and a state issue.
Identification of another 400 bodies currently in Pristina must be completed, as we have waited over ten years for that, he added.
Odalovic said that the meeting acknowledged the need to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the trade in human organs, stressing that during the investigation further evidence and information about a number of missing persons will most likely be found.
The issue of the alleged mass grave near Rudnica remains unresolved, he stated, calling upon all who have any information about this to inform the authorities.
A representative of the Pristina delegation Pajazit Nusi stressed that the working group worked actively, held meetings, and gathered and shared information regardless of the strained relations concerning the northern part of the province, reiterating that it is the group’s task to resolve the fate of missing persons.
Nusi said he expects the investigation into human organ trafficking to yield further information helping to clarify the fate of missing persons.
He remarked that he insists that the data on Rudnica as a potential mass grave must be verified, announcing work on 35 potential mass graves in Kosovo-Metohija next year.
Chairwoman of the International Committee of the Red Cross Lina Milner said that during the past year, efforts were continued aimed at shedding light on the fate of missing persons, but noted her concern with the slow pace of the process.
Milner said that out of the total number of 6,019 persons reported missing by their families, the fate of 1,799 of them is still unknown, while from April 2010 to date the fate of 74 persons has been established.
He observed that the fate of over 1,500 persons has been established, adding that this is a humanitarian and a state issue.
Identification of another 400 bodies currently in Pristina must be completed, as we have waited over ten years for that, he added.
Odalovic said that the meeting acknowledged the need to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the trade in human organs, stressing that during the investigation further evidence and information about a number of missing persons will most likely be found.
The issue of the alleged mass grave near Rudnica remains unresolved, he stated, calling upon all who have any information about this to inform the authorities.
A representative of the Pristina delegation Pajazit Nusi stressed that the working group worked actively, held meetings, and gathered and shared information regardless of the strained relations concerning the northern part of the province, reiterating that it is the group’s task to resolve the fate of missing persons.
Nusi said he expects the investigation into human organ trafficking to yield further information helping to clarify the fate of missing persons.
He remarked that he insists that the data on Rudnica as a potential mass grave must be verified, announcing work on 35 potential mass graves in Kosovo-Metohija next year.
Chairwoman of the International Committee of the Red Cross Lina Milner said that during the past year, efforts were continued aimed at shedding light on the fate of missing persons, but noted her concern with the slow pace of the process.
Milner said that out of the total number of 6,019 persons reported missing by their families, the fate of 1,799 of them is still unknown, while from April 2010 to date the fate of 74 persons has been established.
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