By SPA
Geneva : “The authorities must do their utmost to find and to inform the families as soon as possible. They have been living in painful uncertainty for more than 17 years,” said ICRC delegate, Jamila Hammami.
“The families of persons missing as a result of armed conflict have the right to know the fate of their loved ones. The main responsibility for providing answers, and the power to do so, lie with the authorities.”
The ICRC continues to support efforts to clarify the fate of almost 1,500 persons – mainly Kuwaitis, Iraqis and Saudis – still missing from the 1991 Gulf War.
It does this by providing technical expertise and acting as an impartial intermediary.
The ICRC has chaired both the Tripartite Commission and its technical sub-committee since they were established over a decade ago to resolve the fate of those missing since the Gulf War.
Both have helped to determine the fate of 293 people.
“The ICRC welcomes all efforts that help bereaved families cope with their loss,” Hammami said.