BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7.
Locating missing persons is not just a single task, but a system,
Director-General of the International Commission on Missing Persons
(ICMP), Kathryne Bomberger, said at the 4th international
conference on the theme "Strengthening trust and developing
effective mechanisms to resolve the issue of missing persons" held
within the framework of the Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons on
Wednesday, Trend's
correspondent reports from the event.


According to her, families are not merely waiting for answers,
but they are partners in this process.


"They provide information, records, and DNA samples. Even as
institutions change and years pass, they persist in the search. It
is safe to say that women, mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters
often shoulder the greater part of this responsibility for their
families and communities. Their voices and rights must be part of
that system.


We have also learned that there is no single institutional
mechanism that can simply be transferred from one country to
another. Conditions, laws, and institutions vary, as do the nature
and scale of disappearances. Yet, the fundamental principles remain
constant," she explained.


Bomberger emphasized that accounting for the missing means
providing reliable and accurate information to families and
society.


"However, this is also about the right to the restoration of
rights, the right to justice, the right to accountability, and the
right to truth and compensation. It is also about strengthening the
rule of law and ensuring accountability where appropriate.
Ultimately, it is an investment in peace and security.







When cases of disappearance remain unresolved, their
consequences do not fade with time. Mass graves are open wounds.
Unanswered questions can remain with families and communities for
generations," she noted.


The 4th international conference on the theme "Strengthening
trust and developing effective mechanisms to resolve the issue of
missing persons", organized by the State Commission on Prisoners of
War, Hostages and Missing Persons, is being held in Gulustan Palace
within the framework of the Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons.


The event is attended by former heads of state and government,
high-ranking representatives of international organizations and
foreign countries, heads of agencies dealing with missing persons,
experts, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and
human rights specialists, as well as ambassadors and military
attachés of foreign countries accredited in Azerbaijan and other
officials.


One of the main directions of this year's discussions is the
formation and strengthening of trust between the parties.


The purpose of the conference is not to be satisfied with
discussions, but to contribute to the formation of practical and
sustainable mechanisms that strengthen trust and cooperation, serve
to ensure families' right to know the truth, facilitate information
exchange, and expand the application of modern forensic, DNA and
technological capabilities. The event will continue until October
10.