UNMIK/PR/25

PRESS RELEASE

14 August 1999

STATEMENT BY THE SRSG ON MISSING AND DETAINED PERSONS

PRISTINA-The Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) yesterday received a delegation of representatives from the "Organizative Council of the Protest" comprising members from the Association of Political Prisoners, the Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms, the Independent Students’ Union of the University of Pristina, and the National Movement of the Liberation of Kosova. This followed  a demonstration that was held in front of the UNMIK HQ during which the demonstrators silently recalled the plight of their relatives and loved ones still missing.

During the meeting, the delegation informed the SRSG’s Office about the current status of the missing and detained persons.

The SRSG wishes to reiterate strongly the importance he attaches to this fundamental and painful issue. In this he joins the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Mary Robinson, in calling for immediate action on behalf of more than 5,000 Kosovar Albanians reportedly still detained or abducted in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

 Although the issue of prisoners is not directly linked to the mandate of UNMIK, the SRSG has already requested the creation within the Kosovo Transitional Council of a special working group to follow up on this matter; he has also begun to cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Furthermore, the SRSG’s Office will continue to liaise with the organizations that met yesterday as well as with the ICRC. This will be done in order to coordinate efforts better, to facilitate the flow of information and, ultimately, to help in bringing home those still missing or to have clarification on their status.

The SRSG will receive the delegation in the coming weeks to look further into this issue.