Families of the missing have the right to know the fate of their loved ones: 30 years after the aggression, 7,628 people are still missing

(Patria) - 7,628 of them are still missing. Not even thirty years later. Time has stopped for their families and is measured only by hope and memories, by the expectation of a phone call that would finally reveal the fate of their loved ones.

Precisely because of this, today, on the day the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed,
we are reminding of the biggest open wound in our society, the BiH Missing Persons Institute announced.

"Today, on International Human Rights Day, we want to remind that family members of
missing persons are guaranteed the right to know the fate of missing family members, as well as to receive the mortal remains of their loved ones in order to bury them in accordance with tradition and religious customs, by Article 2 of the Law on Missing Persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

According to Article 3 of the same Law, we emphasize, bodies and institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are competent for searching for missing persons, are obliged to provide available information to the families of the missing, competent institutions for searching for missing persons, as well as all necessary assistance related to the process of improving the search and resolution of missing persons cases in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Resolving the fate of thousands of missing persons is both a civilizational and moral obligation towards the victim and the victim's family, and towards the entire society in our country, especially towards individuals who have but do not wish to reveal information that could help shed light on the fate of missing persons. Enforced disappearances are consequences of war crimes, and the most difficult cases remain to be resolved in BiH.

The BiH Missing Persons Institute is recognized as the most successful institution in the region in resolving the issue of missing persons. The model for resolving the issue of missing persons in BiH is recommended to countries that have gone through similar war and transition experiences as
the most effective way to resolve the fate of missing persons.

A total of 11,562 missing persons are being searched for in the countries of former Yugoslavia, and over two-thirds of these missing persons are from Bosnia and Herzegovina, as many as 7,628. Nevertheless, the vow of silence is still in full effect. Just like the suffering of the families.

On behalf of the crying and inconsolable mothers, fathers, wives, children, brothers, sisters, relatives... in the name of
truth and justice, let us face the past, let us help our neighbors, let us speak out...
let us reveal information that could lead to the discovery of missing persons, let us break the silence, and let us enable families to find peace," the statement said.