Bevanda: Search for Missing Persons to Help Reach Justice and Peace

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Vjekoslav Bevanda and Minister for Human Right and Refugees of BIH Damir Ljubić received in Sarajevo Director-General of the International Committee for Missing Persons (ICMP) Kathryne Bomberger. 

Chairman Bevanda and Minister Ljubić expressed their appreciation and full support to ICMP activities in solving the issue of missing persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Director-General Boomberger stressed that the process of searching for missing persons in BIH takes place at the highest level possible and that she was impressed by the past experiences in work with the Institute for Missing Persons of BIH. She said that over the past year the number of found persons in BIH was increased for about fifty per cent in relation to year 212, and that is a remarkable result. She said that activities are currently on-going at several major individual sites, including a revision process in several mortuaries. She reiterated extraordinary results of the Institute for Missing Persons are extraordinary and that ti could be a positive example to conflict-torn states.

The meeting discussed possibilities for simplification of the Institute for Missing Persons of BIH management structure, in order to have its activities coordinated with other institutions’ and to improve its operations. Minister Ljubić said that a proposal agreement to accelerate the process of simplification of management structure will be drafted soon and sent to Entity Governments and the Council of Ministers of BIH.

Director Boomberg agreed to hold a meeting with a Work Group responsible for amendment of applicable regulations pertaining to the Institute management organisation, in order to inform them of strategic aims, activities and plans for the current year in which the number of found persons is expected to be considerably increased.

Chairman Bevanda expressed his conviction that the overall process of finding missing persons will help achieve sustainable peace and justice in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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