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ICRC-initiated national program for missing in Nagorno Karabakh conflict passes to new phase

15 December 2009 14:47 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Kamala Guliyeva â€“ APA. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Red Crescent Society of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani authorities are redoubling their efforts to collect data on people still missing in connection with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

"A new phase has been launched in a nationwide endeavour initiated by the ICRC in 2008 to help the authorities fulfil their obligation to obtain information on people who remain unaccounted for," said Toon Vandenhove , head of the ICRC delegation in Azerbaijan. "The families have a right to know what happened to their loved ones."

Thirty-eight Azerbaijani Red Crescent volunteers who attended a training workshop in Baku from 1 to 11 December are expected to play a major role in the collection of data. In following 35 towns and districts they are already visiting the families of missing persons to discuss with those who are willing to do so the circumstances in which their relatives disappeared and the physical characteristics of those who went missing:

Khizi, Khachmaz, Gusar, Guba, Devechi, Siyazan, Balakan, Zagatala, Gakh, Sheki, Oghuz, Gabala, Ismailly, Aghsu, Shemakha, Gobustan, Aghdash, Goychay, Udjar, Zardab, Kurdamir, Sabirabad, Hajigabul, Shirvan, Saatli, Imishli, Salyan, Bilasuvar, Neftchala, Jalilabad, Masally, Yardimly, Lerik, Lankaran and Astara.

Over 2,000 detailed questionnaires have already been collected in 21 Azerbaijani towns and districts. The information obtained will soon be handed over to a government agency that centralizes all such data to facilitate future clarification of the fate of the missing persons.

Information about persons still missing can also be given to Azerbaijani Red Crescent volunteers by calling +99 412 493 16 38.