The aim of these missions is to meet with associations of families of the missing.
NGOs fighting against enforced disappearance in countries affected by this practice, and international organizations working for the respect of human rights. These missions also enable FEMED to request meetings with the country's authorities in order to establish a dialogue with them.
2024
Du 20 au 22 décembre 2024, la FEMED a mené une mission à Istanbul pour renforcer le soutien à ses associations membres engagées contre les disparitions forcées. Cette mission a également jeté les bases d’un réseau d’associations en vue de l’Assemblée des Femmes Défenseurs des droits humains. Durant cette mission, plusieurs rencontres cruciales ont eu lieu, dont la réunion avec le centre Hakikat Adalet Hafıza Merkezi (Centre Vérité, Justice et Mémoire), qui a permis la mise en lumière du travail de documentation rigoureux mené par cette organisation, malgré les pressions étatiques. Via cette collaboration, la FEMED s’est engagée à réexaminer certains dossiers afin de les porter devant des instances internationales, tout en soutenant leurs initiatives de sensibilisation.
La réunion avec l’association Anka-Der a été un autre moment fort, permettant d’aborder les besoins pressants des familles des disparus, et notamment judiciaires. Le dialogue a souligné l’importance d’un soutien international, ainsi que le renforcement de la participation d’Anka-Der à des actions internationales comme, par exemple, l’Examen Périodique Universel (EPU). Les discussions avec des associations comme TJA (Mouvement des Femmes Libres) et Kadın Zamanı (Le temps des femmes) ont également permis de mettre en exergue les défis spécifiques rencontrés par les femmes, particulièrement dans les communautés kurdes, et l’urgent besoin de solidarité internationale pour contrer la répression étatique.
Enfin, la mission a permis d’établir des ponts avec le Families for Freedom Movement (Mouvement des Familles pour la Liberté), où les témoignages poignants de femmes syriennes ont rappelé la douleur persistante causée par les disparitions forcées. Les discussions ont mis en avant des besoins concrets, comme la documentation médico-légale et le soutien aux démarches administratives des familles, pour lesquelles la FEMED s'est engagée à mobiliser son réseau international.
This mission to Turkey reinforced FEMED's central role in the fight against enforced disappearances by establishing strategic partnerships, strengthening links with our member associations and expanding our network of organizations.
2014
FEMED visited Turkey for a third time, in Istanbul in April 2014 (from April 25 to 27) to meet families of the disappeared, family associations, its member and partner associations and other human rights defenders in Turkey. During the three-day mission, FEMED was able to reaffirm its support for its member associations in Turkey, maintain links with its partner associations, meet potential new partners, etc. The mission also provided an opportunity to update the situation and local specificities in Turkey concerning the fight against enforced disappearances and the defense of human rights in general.
The FEMED delegation also took part in a demonstration for truth and justice for all those who disappeared in Turkey. Rachid El Manouzi, Vice-Chairman of the FEMED, recalled that this fight was carried and supported by all the members of the Federation from different backgrounds, but united "by a common struggle and will". He reaffirmed the importance of this solidarity between families in the Euro-Mediterranean region, which keeps hope alive in all circumstances.
2012
For several months, Turkish police forces have been carrying out targeted mass arrests of Kurdish human rights activists in Turkey. FEMED Board member Cemal Bektas was arrested in Istanbul on October 11, 2011. His arrest is not isolated.
It was in response to these arrests that FEMED decided to travel to Turkey to organize several meetings, giving priority to its member associations. The latter met at length with Cemal Bektas' lawyer.
FEMED visited its member associations to renew its support and strengthen ties with them. It also met several newspapers and press agencies to gain a better understanding of the current situation in Turkey.
Le procès des défenseurs des droits de l’Homme a débuté en juillet 2012. La FEMED a dépêché sur place un avocat afin qu’il puisse la représenter sur place et observer le procès pour notifier les violations des règles du procès équitable et du droit de la défense. Cependant, le procès a été repoussé au mois d’octobre 2012. La FEMED a donc envoyé à nouveau un avocat pour observer le procès.
2009
FEMED first visited Turkey in October 2009 to prepare the Third Euro-Mediterranean Meeting of Families of the Disappeared. On this occasion, the Federation held meetings with local associations in Istanbul, which provided an opportunity to follow up on the December 2008 mission.
From December 3 to 7, 2009 , a FEMED delegation travelled to Istanbul and Diyarbakir, in the south-east of Turkey, to meet the mothers of the disappeared, who are fighting daily for Truth and Justice for their loved ones.
The FEMED Secretariat had organized various meetings between Executive Board members and associations in Istanbul and Diyarbakir: Mothers for Peace, IHD, Mazlumder, Yakay-der, Human Rights Foundation of Turkey and several Turkish human rights activists. All these associations underlined the numerous human rights violations that plague this country, but also their support for the organization of a conference on transitional justice.
Following this mission, the Yakay-der association sent the FEMED some fifty individual files on the disappeared for submission to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.
2022
Rencontre d’associations et parti-prenante à la lutte contre les disparitions forcées, Beyrouth, Liban. 2022
Le 13 novembre 2018 marque l’adoption par le parlement libanais de la loi 105. Cette loi institue une Commission nationale des disparus composée de dix membres ayant pour principale missionde faire la lumière sur le sort des disparus. La FEMED s’est félicitée de la création de cette Commission nationale pour les personnes disparues tant attendue par les familles qui espèrent que le fruit de son travail mettra fin à leurs souffrances et donnera des réponses aux questions qui ont troublé leur sommeil des années durant. Afin de renforcer les liens avec ses partenaires sur le terrain et de réfléchir conjointement aux différentes activités qu’ils pourraient développer, la FEMED a dépêché une petite délégation et rencontré diverses associations et parties prenantes à la lutte contre les disparitions forcées. Le constat fait par la FEMED est frappant : bien que rencontrant des difficultés à se mettre en place, cette commission souffle un réel vent d’espoir quant à l’éclatement de la Vérité sur les disparu.es au Liban.
2021
Comme de coutume, à l’issue de la formation en Irak, une délégation composée de membre de la Fédération et des associations locales a été à la rencontre des autorités irakiennes. Les différentes discussions ont principalement porté sur la nouvelle loi irakienne incriminant la disparition forcée qui devait être adoptée au cours de l’année 2021. En effet, si l’Etat Irakien est parti à la Convention, il n’a cependant pas encore transposé les différentes dispositions contenues dans le traité au sein de son droit national. Après étude du projet de loi et considérant sa timidité, la FEMED a émis diverses recommandations aux acteurs rencontrés.
2011
En novembre 2010, l’Irak a été le vingtième pays à ratifier la Convention internationale pour la protection de toutes les personnes contre les disparitions forcées. Cette ratification a entraîné l’entrée en vigueur de la Convention. De ce fait, la Fédération euro-méditerranéenne contre les disparitions forcées (FEMED) a estimé indispensable de mener une mission dans ce pays afin de se rendre compte sur place de la problématique des disparitions forcées. Du 8 au 11 septembre 2011, une délégation de la FEMED, composée de la Présidente, Nassera Dutour, du Secrétaire Général, Rachid El Manouzi, de Mohammed Kowthar, membre de l’association irakienne Al A’ata for Human Rights et du Conseil d’Administration de la FEMED ainsi que de la Chargée de Programme, s’est ainsi rendue au Kurdistan irakien. La mission s’est dé roulée dans la capitale du Kurdistan, à Erbil. La délégation s’est également déplacée à Kirkouk, ville au Nord de l’Irak afin de rencontrer des familles de disparus. En effet, c’est dans cette ville que l’on dénombre le plus de
victimes de disparitions forcées, qui ont eu lieu avant 2003 sous Saddam Hussein mais aussi après sa destitution. Un long travail de préparation en amont de la formation a été effectué par l’association membre de la FEMED, Al A’ata for Human Rights. La délégation de la FEMED a rencontré différentes associations de défense des droits de l’Homme irakiennes : Kurdistan Anfal Victims Center, Centre des droits de l’Homme, Association Democracy and Development Organisation, International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), AlRahma, Kurdish Institute for victimology and fighting genocide. La délégation a également été reçue officiellement par des membres du Parlement du Kurdistan irakien ainsi que par Mme Lanja I. Dizayee, conseillère auprès du Ministère des martyrs et Anfal. A l’issue de toutes ces rencontres, il apparaît que malgré les avancées du gouvernement telles que la ratification de la Convention et le vote de lois sur les disparitions forcées et l’exhumation des fosses communes, un fossé se creuse entre ces gestes politiques et la réalité du terrain. En effet, les plaies de l’Histoire de l’Irak sont toujours ouvertes. Les séquelles des guerres qui ont ravagé le pays se font toujours ressentir. Les graves violations des droits de l’Homme durant le massacre des kurdes et les guerres successives n’ont pas encore été totalement reconnues. Les familles qui demandent inlassablement Vérité et Justice depuis plus de vingt ans ne baisseront pas les bras.
2019
A FEMED delegation visited Morocco from July 4 to 9, 2019, where it met with member associations, parliamentarians and political figures, to investigate the issue of enforced disappearance in Morocco. FEMED was able to note that many associations have united to work towards the creation of a new truth mechanism on serious human rights abuses in Morocco.
On July 6, 2019, FEMED met with families of the disappeared at AMDH headquarters. 7 women whose husbands were detained in Tazmamart gave their testimonies. FEMED reported that during the meeting with the CNDH, the President had promised to discuss with representatives of Tazmamart to find a solution to the issue of families who have not received compensation, as well as how to compensate victims who are now retired. FEMED reiterated the importance of joint action to achieve concrete results. The meeting was followed by a sit-in in front of the Moroccan Parliament.
Finally, the FEMED delegation met the Minister of Justice. The Minister praised the work of the IER and the CNDH, and assured them of the political will to resolve cases of enforced disappearance. He felt that the CNDH was the best structure to continue the work of the IER, and that many points of the Convention against Enforced Disappearances had been taken up in legislation. The Minister then reaffirmed his support for the associations, reminding them that he would listen to their recommendations.
2019
On the first day of the FEMED president's arrival in Catalonia, an interview was organized with journalist Joan Roura, from TV3 - Televisio de Catalunya. She presented the FEMED, the CFDA, and spoke about the issue of the disappeared in Algeria, the Algerian context of the 90s and the current upheavals in Algeria (Bouteflika's 5th mandate, historic demonstrations). She held another interview with another newspaper, which ran an article on Sunday April 7, 2019.
Two other meetings took place with two guest Syrian activists. The first was with Fadwa Mahmoud, a Syrian refugee in Berlin, from the association Families for Freedom. Her son and husband disappeared after being arrested at Damascus international airport on their way back from a conference in China, during which they spoke about associations in Syria. The second meeting was with Meriem Alhallak of the Ceasar Families association. Her son was arrested and died under torture, from a haemorrhage. She suffered numerous threats and her house was bombed. She found herself on the street, and fled to Lebanon and then to Berlin.
On the second day of the mission, the FEMED President visited the Parliament of Catalonia, in the presence of 3 deputies and two representatives of political parties. The President presented the FEMED and the CFDA and their activities. The debate focused on Syria and the issue of enforced disappearance. An appeal was made to the government to stop putting economic relations first.
A reception was held at Celra town hall, near Girona, in the presence of the mayor, deputy mayor and journalists. During this meeting, FEMED introduced itself and opened a discussion on Algeria, given that these political decision-makers were not very well informed about the context of the 90s and the dark years.
The Syrian women spoke of human rights violations in Syria, and of what they themselves have suffered. Also discussed was a bus set up by London-based Syrian associations, which criss-crosses European cities carrying photos of the disappeared and families of the disappeared demonstrating. The bus is welcomed in many cities, where meetings with various institutions are organized.
The third day was marked by meetings and exchanges with local, regional and even international NGOs. Other interviews were held with press agencies active in Catalonia, followed by a public conference.
2015
This exploratory mission to Jordan took place from June 1 to 2, 2015. FEMED took the opportunity to meet several actors on the ground to take stock of cases of enforced disappearances among Syrian refugee families.
First of all, FEMED met with the Danish Institute against Torture, represented by Elna Sondergaard. She drew our attention to the fact that Jordan has agreed in principle to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Her case will be examined in November 2015 by the Committee against Torture.
FEMED also spoke to Sarah Avrillaud of the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. This organization said it has access to detention centers and is trying to document cases of disappearances and re-establish family ties. They also want to improve detention conditions. They will try to put FEMED in touch with family groups if they are approached.
Finally, FEMED met Lubana Dawany, Executive Director of GISI in Jordan. The GISI representatives advised FEMED of the need to use Prince Zeid's presence as High Commissioner to push the Jordanian government to ratify international conventions, in particular the CED. In addition, the association is in contact with Syrian refugee women, and is increasingly aware of the suffering caused by the disappearance of one of their loved ones, and of their need for psychological support.
However, Vladimir JANECEK - Political Officer of the European Union delegation - drew FEMED's attention to the fact that the delegation is not working specifically on enforced disappearances, as Jordan is not directly concerned and no work has yet been done with Syrian refugees in Jordan on this subject.
2014
During this 2nd mission to Cyprus in November 2014, the FEMED delegation, made up of Wadih Al Asmar, FEMED General Secretary, Annie-France Berthod, FEMED Treasurer and Charlotte Galloux, Program Officer, met with numerous Turkish and Greek Cypriot associations. All working on the issue of enforced disappearances: Truth Now, Peace Research Institute Oslo PRIO Cyprus Centre, "Together We can" (Initiative of Bi-Communal Relatives of Missing Persons and Victims of War), as well as a journalist, Andreas Paraschos, who has worked on the issue of the disappeared.
The delegation also met Mr Photiou, Commissioner for Humanitarian Issues of the Republic of Cyprus, and the three members of the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP): Gülden Plümer Kücuk, Turkish Cypriot member of the CMP, Nestoras Nestoros, Greek Cypriot member of the CMP, and Paul-Henri Arni, third member of the CMP (United Nations).
2009
Particularly aware of the Cypriot experience at the Rabat Conference, where Turkish and Greek Cypriot associations were present, FEMED carried out a mission to the island of Cyprus in May 2009.
Members of the Executive Board, accompanied by the Chargée de mission, carried out this mission with a view to acquiring more in-depth knowledge of this country, which has set up an original transitional justice mechanism. Indeed, the establishment of a Committee for Missing Persons, on which both sides of the island sit, as well as a third party, recommended by the ICRC and appointed by the UN, merited the Federation's full attention. FEMED was able to familiarize itself with the structure of this mechanism and gauge its impact on the associations of families of the missing.
During this mission, FEMED also met the "mediator" of the Committee for Missing Persons, the body responsible for enforced disappearances on the island. The FEMED delegation also held several meetings with the two Cypriot associations working respectively on cases of missing persons from the southern and northern parts of the island.
A conference on enforced disappearances in the Euro-Mediterranean region was also organized with the support of the Bicommunity Initiative for the Disappeared, a newly-created association bringing together the island's two communities. The FEMED delegation met a number of people working to eradicate enforced disappearances in Cyprus, including the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), the European Commission and embassies. Discussions were held with the Truth Now NGO, made up of lawyers and researchers interested in enforced disappearances, who are taking their case to the European Court of Human Rights.
2013
Quelques mois après la chute du régime Ben Ali, une équipe de terrain de la FEMED s’est rendu à Tunis pour faire une cartographie de la situation des disparitions forcées dans le pays. S’il est difficile d’obtenir des statistiques fiables sur les disparitions forcées en Tunisie, la mission a permis de confirmer, au regard des sources disponibles, l’absence de phénomène et de la pratique systématique de la disparition forcée en Tunisie, malgré l’existence de quelques cas individuels. Plusieurs personnes rencontrées durant cette mission ont partagé le fait qu’une bonne partie des archives publiques et privées (notamment celles des douanes, des hôpitaux et de certains tribunaux) auraient été détruites peu après le 14 janvier 2011.
2013
The aim of this mission, which took place in 2013, was to establish initial contact with national institutions, international and local organizations, including associations representing the families of the disappeared, to understand the nature of their activities, the constraints these associations face and the challenges facing both these organizations and the families of the disappeared. Today, the number of associations working on the issue of enforced disappearances, transitional justice and reconciliation is estimated at over thirty in the country. It was not possible during this mission to meet directly with families of the disappeared, but contacts were established with several local associations. The delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Tripoli also undertook to facilitate contacts with families of the missing.
Meetings with the authorities (Minister of Justice, despite a request for an audience, Minister of Martyrs and Missing Persons) were difficult to obtain due to the short duration of the mission and the current political situation, where some leading politicians are the subject of threats or even murder attempts, following the example of Mohammed Al-Megeryef, Speaker of the Assembly, who escaped a murder attempt on March 5 in Tripoli.
Serbia
A FEMED delegation visited Belgrade, Serbia from July 21 to 23, 2014. The FEMED delegation met with various Serbian human rights associations, but also with various members of the Serbian Missing Persons Commission, members of the International Committee of the Red Cross etc. The mission was essentially one of gathering information on the challenges and obstacles that associations dealing with the issue of enforced disappearances have to overcome.
This field mission enabled FEMED to study and take note of all the issues surrounding enforced disappearances in the Balkans, and more specifically in Serbia. Several commissions have been set up in Serbia to search for people who disappeared during the war. Cooperation between FEMED and local Serbian NGOs such as the Association of Families of Kidnapped and missing persons has revealed that, despite Serbia's commitment to shedding light on the fate of those who disappeared during the war, serious institutional obstacles stand in the way of resolving the issue of the missing.
2012
Du 5 au 6 Avril 2012, la FEMED s’est rendue au Kosovo afin de mettre en lumière la complexe et douloureuse situation des victimes directes et indirectes des disparitions forcées qui persistent encore aujourd'hui, plus de deux décennies après la fin du conflit. À travers des rencontres avec des acteurs clés des discussions essentielles ont eu lieu sur les efforts de récupération et d'identification des victimes de cette tragédie humaine. Au premier jour de cette visite, la FEMED a pu rencontrer Ylber Morina, chargé de projet Justice et Société civile, et Amor koshi, coordinateur Médecine légale au sein de l’International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP)
Après avoir accueilli la FEMED dans les locaux de la Commission Internationale pour les Personnes Disparues (ICMP), Ylber Morina et Amor Koshi nous ont présenté la situation actuelle au Kosovo concernant les disparitions forcées. En effet, au cours du conflit qui a ravagé le Kosovo en 1999, environ 4 400 personnes ont été recensées comme disparues et, à l’heure actuelle, plus de 2 000 d’entre elles restent encore portées disparues. Au même jour, la FEMED a pu rencontrer Prenkë Gjetaj, Président de la Commission gouvernementale pour les personnes disparues au Kosovo. C’est ainsi que le problème de l’identification des corps s’est posé. La Commission gouvernementale pour les personnes disparues du Kosovo coordonne l’ensemble des partenaires qui travaillent sur la problématique de l’identification des corps. C’est la Croix Rouge qui a été la première à travailler sur cette problématique dès la fin du conflit. Elle réalisa un travail d’intermédiaire entre les autorités serbes de Belgrade et les autorités de Pristina.
Also discussed was the Federation's plan to organize a seminar in the Balkans to bring together associations of families of the disappeared from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo on the subject of enforced disappearances. He expressed his enthusiasm for this project. Finally, the last day was devoted to meetings, first with the deputy mayor of Suhareka and then with the families of the town's missing.
2011
From April 17 to 20, 2011, a FEMED delegation visited Cairo. This long-planned mission gave FEMED an insight into the realities of enforced disappearances in Egypt. In the 1980s, when Hosni Mubarak came to power and a state of emergency was declared, there were many cases of enforced disappearance. At the time, however, it was very difficult to identify the associations working on this issue, in order to obtain concrete information on these cases of disappearance.
La délégation a rencontré différentes associations égyptiennes, des défenseurs, des militants des droits de l’Homme. La délégation a également été reçue par la directrice du département des droits de l’Homme à la Ligue arabe et le premier Secrétaire aux droits de l’Homme au Ministère des affaires étrangères égyptien afin de porter leur attention sur les disparitions forcées survenues avant, pendant et après la révolution.
The ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance by the Egyptian authorities was also discussed (Egypt has neither signed nor ratified the Convention to date).
During these three days, the delegation was able to learn about the current political situation in Egypt and the serious human rights violations that took place there during the revolution. In order to strengthen the links created with the associations we met, and to ensure that the issue of enforced disappearances is more present in the demands of Egyptian society, it is essential for FEMED to continue its action in Egypt.
2010
Dans le cadre du cycle de séminaires sur la médecine légale et l’identification des victimes de violations des droits de l’Homme mis en place par la FEMED et suite à la première formation qui s’est tenue au Maroc le 12 juin 2010, s’est déroulé le 16 octobre 2010 à Alger la seconde formation à l’intention des associations de disparus. Plusieurs experts se sont succédés pour présenter aux 27 participants issus de la société civile algérienne et du milieu médical les différentes techniques d’identification des victimes : base de données, test ADN, recherches anthropologiques et archéologiques.
Les progrès dans le domaine de la médecine légale et de l’identification et la reconstitution des corps des victimes de violations des droits de l’Homme sont néanmoins importants. En effet, il a été souligné que la Commission Internationale pour les personnes disparues (ICMP) a pu identifier plus de 8 000 corps de victimes du conflit en Bosnie-Herzégovine. Silvana Turner, anthropologue médico-légale au sein de l’Equipe Argentine d’Anthropologie médico-légale (EAAF) a présenté le travail édifiant de cette équipe. La mission de l’EAAF est d’appliquer l’anthropologie médico-légale et les sciences s’y rapportant, en collaboration étroite avec les victimes et leurs proches, pour retrouver et identifier les corps des victimes, les restituer aux familles et fournir des preuves dans les poursuites judiciaires. Le travail d’anthropologie médico-légal se divise en trois phases.
Dans un premier temps, l’équipe de l’EAAF analyse les informations recueillies auprès des proches mais aussi des archives officielles et des ONG présentes sur le terrain pour faire émerger une hypothèse sur la localisation des tombes et l’identité des corps retrouvés. Une fois que les tombes ont été localisées, la zone est sécurisée afin de commencer le travail minutieux d’exhumation des corps. Chaque ossement est ensuite placé sous scellé, avant d’être acheminé au laboratoire pour être analysé. C’est lors de cette dernière étape que différents tests sont effectués sur les ossements pour permettre l’identification des victimes et déterminer les causes du décès. Cependant, la situation algérienne est complexe car on observe un manque de volonté politique pour prendre en charge le dossier des disparus en général et particulièrement l’identification des corps se trouvant dans des charniers. Plus le temps passe, plus les possibilités d’identification des corps deviennent difficiles à effectuer. En proposant cette formation en Algérie, la FEMED a permis de renforcer les connaissances des associations de familles de disparus et de militants des droits de l’Homme sur les différentes techniques d’identification des victimes.
2009
In June 2009, on the occasion of its Board of Directors meeting in Algiers, FEMED met with various associations of victims' families: the Djazaïrouna and Somoud associations of victims of terrorism, as well as the relatives of the disappeared who make up its member association, Sos Disparus. The FEMED delegation also met lawyers Amine Sidhoum and Adnane Bouchaib, who work on the defense of victims of disappearance by agents of the state and of terrorism.
Lastly, a meeting was held with the delegate from the International Committee of the Red Cross, so that the Federation could be presented to him and Board members could become more familiar with the international organization's work in Algeria. The meeting also provided an opportunity to relay the demands of the Algerian families of the disappeared, namely that the ICRC should take charge of the file on enforced disappearances that occurred in the 1990s, which is not currently the case.
2009
In April 2009, FEMED led a mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina. Two members of the Executive Board, accompanied by the FEMED mission manager, met with various contacts. The logistics of the mission were facilitated by the informal partnership with the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), established following the Rabat Thematic Conference, to which this organization had been invited.
Ainsi, plusieurs organisations de la société civile ont été rencontrées : Comité de coordination régional des associations de familles de disparus de l’ex-Yougoslavie, l’Association de citoyens « Femmes de Srebrenica », l’Association de citoyens « Mères de Srebrenica » (cf. photo à gauche de La délégation de la FEMED en compagnie des membres de l’Association de citoyens "Mères de Srebrenica"), l’Association des familles de personnes disparues de la région de Sarajevo Romaninja, l’Association de citoyens « Femmes de Prodinje », l’Union des Associations Bosniaques des Familles de personnes capturées et disparues de Bosnie-Herzégovine.
The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) Prodinje Identification Project and the ICMP Identification Coordination Division were also visited, enabling the delegation to see how Bosnian forensic expertise could be shared with other countries in the Federation. The delegation also visited the Potocari Memorial in Srebrenica and its cemetery. The members of the delegation were thus able to observe that Bosnian associations had a definite expertise on the theme of remembrance. This observation was of particular interest to the Federation, which would like to organize future exchanges of experience between its member associations on this theme.
During these talks with government authorities, FEMED met the Head of the Department for the Protection of Human Rights and the President of the Institute for Missing Persons. The FEMED delegation was thus able to relay the concerns of Bosnian families. It was also able to appreciate the way in which the authorities perceived and dealt with the problem of enforced disappearances, particularly during its awareness-raising work on the urgent need for Bosnia-Herzegovina to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.