24.05.2022. » 19:01
Op-ed - Time for institutional actions!
The issue of missing persons from the recent war in Kosovo is very unclear! In addition to those whose destiny is still unknown, the fact that their families are still waiting to hear any news about the fate of their loved ones is even more painful.
The issue of missing persons from the recent war in Kosovo is very unclear! In addition to those whose destiny is still unknown, the fact that their families are still waiting to hear any news about the fate of their loved ones is even more painful.
When I read the news on this topic, I usually have no comment or any reaction, as the topic of missing persons is not treated properly. Media practically 'race' as to which of them will spread the news on the reduction in the number of missing persons (when the mortal remains are found), and, in some way, it seems vastly unnecessary to "boast" the publication of the news. When you read such stories carefully, you notice that the news is not revealed by the media but is officially given by the relevant institutions. There are very few media that actually deal with the suffering of the missing and their families!
The issue of missing persons and their families is undoubtedly one of the pillars of dealing with the past and an integral part of it. Moreover, we are starting to forget collective memory, shared cultural heritage, history, and various narratives. Nevertheless, the main culprits remain the relevant institutions that have greatly contributed to the phenomenon of forgetfulness. For example, one of the areas that could contribute to the issue of missing persons is the higher education institution. In a five-year period, this institution could collect all the data of the missing persons and their families, such as basic and biographical data but also ante and post mortem data. As it is known, many data are missing because no one is interested in collecting them. A lot of work and research has to be done to enclose that data. On the other hand, there are documentaries and data in declarative forms from the relatives of the missing persons, however, the question remains how relevant they can be for any kind of process.
What remains certain is that nothing has been known about their fate for 22 years. The families of the missing persons hope that ultimately they will get some information. If competent institutions engage in collecting the necessary data on missing persons, then they will have to do so without disturbing living relatives, as it is painful to bring back memories of something that happened 22 years ago. Presumably, the exact data will not come out because even the respected family members may have forgotten the event in detail (it happened not only in our example but also in other countries), while their statements may not completely coincide with the event. Family members of the missing persons should be utterly respected as it is not ethical to make them return to past memories and generate fresh suffering. Instead, institutions should raise their level of duty and deal with the clarification of cases.
Detailed data on missing persons have been collected 10-15 years after the war by UNMIK, the International Red Cross, and ICMP as well as HLC Kosovo. Some of this data has been provided to our institutions (Kosovo Red Cross and Government Institutions) but remains unknown to what extent and depth.
However, the solution to this problem has continued to remain on the margins of government agendas that are politicized and used for the needs of daily politics in Kosovo without having a strategic approach that would address the needs of family members to know the fate of the most loved ones and at the same time to address their existential problems (psycho-social, juridical-property, etc.).
I am often emphasizing "institutions", and I deliberately do not emphasize which ones. I believe it is not necessary to do marketing by mentioning them because it is not for marketing boasting about the work they have not done over the years. It is about the responsible institutions or authorities (when information is required from them regarding the fate of the missing persons) and the relevant institutions (when their cooperation in clarifying the fate of the missing person is required).
In this case, the responsible institutions are in Serbia, while the relevant institutions are all those that can contribute to the solution of the problem (Kosovo, Serbian, international institutions, etc.).
Another example is the German state. The German Red Cross will complete its search service for missing persons from World War II in 2023, ending a decades-long search (source: Deutsche Welle). As we know, Germany is one of the most powerful countries in the world, however, it has more decades of experience in this field, and it would be upstanding if their practice of documenting missing persons is adopted and applied in our country as well. Certainly, this should be done by the institutions. Of course, in collaboration with organizations that deal specifically with missing persons and reconciliation building. Organizations (some, not all) may even be good lessons learned from practices built around documenting missing persons.
Many consequences can arise as a result of system malfunction. We are familiar with unemployment as one of the most critical pillars for the country's development. Additionally, the health and education system is not at the right level and emergency interventions are needed to improve the situation. Nonetheless, the suffering of the families of the missing persons cannot compare with the emergency needs to improve the situation. The time has come when we have to deal with any sort of situation; to discover the fate of the missing persons, consequently, apology and acceptance of apology, wherewith these steps begin the process of reconciliation between countries (whatever they may be). Be that as it may, we have to deal with the past a few more years, or even decades (as in the case of Germany or France) and conclude this topic in the best possible way and continue to address other developmental topics for the next generations.
When the change of generation happens, it will have consequences for the institutions, because future generations will curse us for a job that has not been done by the current generation (whether by institutions or others). Also, future generations of missing person’s families will ask questions about their families, which will remain without answers.
And finally, I am utterly demanding to discover what has happened to my grandfather, whose destiny has been unknown since 1945. It is believed that he has been killed by the system of that time! Neither is it known where he is buried nor is anything known about his mortal remains. So many decades have passed with no results! There are many other examples; however, examples in the first person singular form are the easiest to illustrate.
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