Another 11.048 people are still being sought in the territory of the former Yugoslavia.
This was announced by the human rights program coordinator at the Center for Civic Education, Tamara Milaš, explaining that of that number, 30 people are wanted in Croatia after 1.968 years, and 7.371 people in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska.
She said that in Kosovo and Metohija, after 23 years, she is looking for 1.630 people.
"51 people are wanted in Montenegro, and another 28 people who are citizens of Serbia and live in Montenegro," said Milaš.
This was announced at a conference on August 30 - the International Day of the Missing.
The President of the Association of Families of Kidnapped, Missing and Murdered since 1998-1999 in Kosovo and Metohija "Red Peony" Ljubiša Filipović pointed out that the problem of missing persons is not political, it is a human thing to solve for all families.
"The families of the victims are asking for a lot, only the right that is guaranteed by all Geneva and EU conventions, the right to know the fate of their loved ones," said Filipović.
He pointed out that many crimes were committed from all sides and that they, as the families of the victims, condemn and grieve for all the innocent victims, but also ask the same from everyone else, especially from the governments in the region, to find a common language and finally agreements on finding missing persons.
"For this reason, all perpetrators of crimes should be brought to justice," said Filipović.
"Although on behalf of the Association we sent strong letters to the Government, the Assembly and the Ministry of Finance and Social Welfare to accept our three-member delegation, no one found time for us. When the Mothers of Srebrenica came, everyone rose to their feet, we have nothing against them, because we meet at regional meetings and talk about everything, but they should also think a little about their citizens and the citizens of Montenegro," said Filipović.
He emphasized that they are calling on all state institutions to finally resolve something regarding their position in Montenegro, because families will be forced to stand in front of the Parliament with photos of their loved ones.
It is the right of families to know the fate of their loved ones who are missing, and shedding light on the fate of missing persons is an obligation towards the victims, their families and the entire society, is the conclusion of the media conference of the Association of Families of Missing, Kidnapped and Murdered Persons "Crveni Pežur" and the Center for civic education (CGO), which they organized on the occasion of celebrating the International Day of the Missing. Milaš said "it is necessary for the governments of the post-Yugoslav countries to launch a joint action to resolve the fate of 11048 people related to the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Kosovo and Montenegro, and for government commissions to stop acting as spokespersons for the interests of the parties in power, and that they treat all victims with equal importance and in the interest of the families and the public to know the fate of the missing."
"We once again appeal to the competent institutions in Montenegro to work more proactively on discovering the fate of 51 persons who are missing from Montenegro, as well as 28 citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, whose families live in Montenegro," said Milaš.
The secretary of the Commission for Missing Persons, Darka Dzabasan, believes that "the dynamics of resolving the fate of missing persons in the region is not satisfactory, and the fact that 4.000 unidentified bodies are still lying in morgues throughout the region, whose identity cannot be precisely determined, is particularly worrying."
She clarified that the Commission, in cooperation with commissions and other associations of countries from the region dealing with this issue, in the past period, resolved and carried out the handover of the remains of 33 persons who were citizens of Montenegro at the time of their disappearance, or who are applicants, at the time they reported their disappearance, had a residence in Montenegro.
"In order to persevere in solving the fate of the missing, regardless of the time of disappearance, religious or national affiliation or any other diversity, it is necessary to intensify and coordinate the activities of all competent authorities and institutions, as well as individuals who have data and information about the circumstances of the disappearance," Jabasan pointed out.
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